I was visiting childcare centers in the area with my resume ready to hand out. Went in, asked at the admin desk if they were hiring, they asked me for what position and what my experience was and then told me yes, accepted my resume, and gave me an application to fill out on the spot (included authorization for a background check). I was called back within a week (don't recall exact # of days) and invited to come in for an interview a few days later. I was interviewed in person, at the center, by the assistant director. She gave me a walkthrough tour of the classrooms, introduced me to teachers, and told me about general policies. Then she sat down with me in an empty classroom and asked me a few questions about my past related work, and education. The major questions were to talk about a curriculum I had planned and implemented in the past that I was particularly proud of (like a theme week and all the related activities) and then asked me to discuss a time in my work in childcare that I felt like I was going above and beyond what was required of me as a teacher. I met the director, but she was not a large part of the interview at all.
When being toured through the classrooms, compliment teachers on their displays/rooms, bend down and say hi to children or comment on what they're doing even if it's awkward because they have no idea who you are...just show an INTEREST and be pleasant, your future boss is observing you and you ARE applying to work with children :)
Dress semi-nicely for the interview...I wore dresspants and just a V-neck blouse. You may be able to be casual when you first go in to hand in your resume, but I wouldn't suggest sweatpants.
My boss's pet peeve is when she calls someone back to offer them an interview and they have an unprofessional voicemail message 'hey its ya girl, leave one!', she will not leave a voicemail and you will not get the interview you earned!
They REALLY want you to be teacher certified/qualified because they can use you for more things, have you work by yourself, etc. It is HUGELY to your advantage to go in qualified, to get the job in the first place, and to be guaranteed more hours. Assistant teachers are becoming less and less useful to Knowledge Beginnings, they want you certified.