Why do you want to work here?” you ask the candidate. The applicant's qualifications are satisfactory, but that's only the starting point. A school's quality depends in large part on its teachers. As a result, few things principals do are more important than hiring the right teachers. Of course, fostering a climate of collegiality and helping faculty members grow are also vital. But it all begins with the hiring process.
At New City School, we assume that pedagogical skills are a given, so we concentrate more on determining the right match between institution and individual. We use our teacher application form to determine who has the drive and creativity to teach at our school. The form asks candidates whether they think there is a difference between success in school and success in life, tells them to list a book that has had an impact on them, and inquires how they would incorporate issues of human diversity into the curriculum. My favorite part is a 2- by 3-inch box instructing candidates to “use this space as you wish, as another way to tell us or show us something about you. Be creative. Be humorous. Be serious. You decide.” Reading responses to these questions helps us see how the applicants might fit into our school.
Although the decision is ultimately mine, I always involve staff members in the interviews. Before the candidates walk into the room, I meet with the interviewers to affirm which qualities we are seeking and to warn against the tendency to “hire ourselves.” Although it's natural to lean toward those whose viewpoints we share, we must take care not to pass over other strong candidates whose different backgrounds, perspectives, or sets of beliefs may benefit the school.
I begin interviews by asking candidates to pretend that their résumés were lost in the mail and to tell us about themselves. This sets them at ease and gives us a chance to see what they value in their background and training. Then the real questions start.
Candidates should be able to describe which education theory frames their teaching practice and why. I also like to see how they respond to such practical questions as “What would you do if 33 percent of your class failed an exam?” or “What would I see if I walked into your classroom at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday?” I want to hear how candidates structure their classrooms, how they differentiate curriculum and pedagogy, and what roles they play.
Because collegiality is so important to the success of a school, we try to determine candidates' potential for learning with and from others. Sometimes I ask, “When was the last time you made a significant mistake, and how did you handle it?” to assess how a candidate worked with others in finding the solution. We also ask candidates to give some examples of what role they would play in a collaborative relationship. If a candidate can't offer any specific behaviors, it may be that collegiality is not part of his or her history.
Finally, we let candidates ask questions. Such questions not only give interviewers a chance to provide relevant clarifications, but also offer up additional insights about the candidate. For example, “What sort of faculty committees do you have?” gives us a very different picture of the candidate than “How late do teachers have to stay after school?” This process also gives current teachers the opportunity to describe the benefits and challenges of being part of this faculty.
After the interviews, the teachers and I discuss the relative merits of the candidates and decide on one person. Occasionally, a team will have difficulty agreeing on a given candidate. In such cases, I suggest that the team meet with the candidate for a longer conversation—without me present. In this way, I make it clear that I am satisfied with the candidate and that I trust the teachers to make the right decision for the school.
By taking the time to hire the best candidates for our needs, we can position our schools and ourselves for continued growth. In the meantime, think about what you would write in that 2- by 3-inch box!
