Toronto District School Board

TDSB Teacher Interview Questions: OT, LTO and Permanent

Questions candidates report being asked in Ontario board interviews, including TDSB, organized by role. Plus the part successful candidates prep for that most others skip.

Written by an Ontario Certified Teacher.

Why TDSB questions look like every other board's questions

Ontario boards build their interviews around the same foundation: the OCT Standards of Practice. Commitment to students, professional knowledge, professional practice, leadership in learning communities, and ongoing professional learning. Panels change the wording, but the themes underneath rarely move.

That's good news. It means the questions below are worth preparing thoroughly, because a strong answer travels with you from interview to interview and from board to board. What changes at TDSB is the context you wrap around your answers, which is what the board section further down is for.

TDSB occasional teacher (supply) interview questions

OT interviews focus on who you are and whether you can walk into an unfamiliar classroom and settle in. Candidates report questions like these:

TDSB LTO and permanent interview questions

LTO and permanent panels dig deeper into areas like program, equity, and how you operate as a colleague. Candidates report questions like these:

These reflect questions candidates share publicly after Ontario board interviews. Wording varies panel to panel; the themes remain consistent.

The part successful candidates prep for: before, during, and after

Most candidates prepare answers. The candidates who get hired prepare the whole process, because the interview starts before you sit down and it doesn't end when you shake hands.

Before

Who knows your name at TDSB before your resume arrives? Principals talk to each other. The research you do, the relationships you build during placements and supply days, and the way you follow up on applications all shape whether you get the interview at all.

During

Panels are scoring more than your answers. The questions you ask them, how you connect your examples to their school's context, and whether you sound like someone who already belongs in the building all count.

After

What you do in the 48 hours after the interview, and how you stay visible if you don't get the role this round, determines whether this interview was a dead end or a step toward the next opening.

Prep for the whole interview, not just the questions

This guide covers how to set yourself apart and approach getting hired in a way that goes beyond rehearsed answers: what to do before the interview, how to carry yourself during it, and what comes after. Enter your email and it's yours.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

About TDSB

The Toronto District School Board is Canada's largest school board, serving students across the City of Toronto. Before your interview, read the board's current Multi-Year Strategic Plan on their site and be ready to connect your examples to its priorities in your own words. Panels notice candidates who have done that homework.

Is TDSB growing?

No, not currently. The Ontario Ministry of Education's 2026-27 Core Education Funding Projections show TDSB's average daily enrollment falling from roughly 236,211 students in 2024-25 to a projected 227,543 in 2026-27, a drop of about 3.7% over two years. This reflects a citywide pattern across Toronto boards tied to lower birth rates and families being priced out to surrounding regions, not anything specific to TDSB's programs.

Declining enrollment doesn't mean hiring stops. TDSB remains Canada's largest school board by a wide margin, with hundreds of schools and thousands of teachers, so retirements, leaves, and turnover still create a steady stream of OT, LTO, and permanent openings even in a flat or shrinking year.

Enrollment figures from the Ontario Ministry of Education's 2026-27 Core Education Funding Projections (Spring 2026).

Ready to fully prepare?

Start with the free guide.

Get the Free Guide

Interviewing with a different board?