By: Dolores Troy-Quinn, MPA, MS, Specialist Diploma-Administration and Supervision, School Building Leader (SBL), School District Leader (SDL)

Hiring: An Imperfect Art 

“Great vision without great people is irrelevant,” says author, researcher and leadership guru Jim Collins. These words have always stayed with me as I attempted to find just the right person to fill each vacancy in my school. As principal of a school whose foundational belief was one of inclusion and collaboration, it was often daunting to tease out just the right candidate who would embrace our school’s educational philosophy.Having inherited a school community that was suspicious of others who were different and insulated in their thinking, I knew I would have to find the courage of my convictions to begin a new direction at my school. This change began with hiring the right staff.  Everyone says they are collaborative and love children, but not everyone embodies these beliefs. Jim Collins’ words always resonated with me because hiring the right people is one of, if not the, most important role of an administrator.

Over the twelve years I was principal at a public elementary school in New York City, I hired a tremendous number of staff as our classrooms became more and more inclusive and neurodiverse spaces. Here are some of the traits I found to be the most effective in hiring staff, especially special education teachers. Hiring special education teachers has become increasingly important since 15 percent of all public school students between the ages of 3-21 receive special education services. 

•       Empathy & Compassion
•       Creativity
•       Collaborative Spirit
•       Tenacity/Resilience
•       Good Communicator

Empathy & Compassion

So often students come to us with such a variety of learning styles, family situations and past learning experiences. All too often I have seen  caring educators turn hostile when they become frustrated with a student. This frustration may lead the teacher to blame the student for his/her disability. Therefore, how do we find an educator who has deep empathy and compassion for the disparate learners in his/her classroom?

 Here are some questions to ask candidates during the hiring process: 

How do you create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable expressing their feelings?

What strategies do you use to actively listen to your students’ perspectives?

 

Creativity

I’m sure we can all remember a teacher who made learning fun. Creative teachers draw from a wide range of experiences and are not afraid to ask others for help. Other traits of creative classroom teachers include being open to new ideas, being able to question and critique themselves and others. Creative educators engage in reflection. They are not afraid of taking risks.

 

Possible Interview Questions:

Describe a time when you had to use out-of-the-box thinking? What was the result?

You have tried several methods of instruction to help a student understand a difficult concept yet she still doesn’t grasp it. What do you do next?

 

Collaborative Spirit

When interviewing a candidate, there was always a question regarding collaboration. I would always be looking out for someone who swore they were collaborative, yet all their responses started with “I”. Collaborative educators are open-minded and respectful. They exude a positive attitude and demonstrate mutual respect for their colleagues and others.

 

Possible Interview Questions:

What strategies do you use to build positive relationships with colleagues to foster effective collaboration?

Can you tell us of a time where you disagreed with a colleague on an educational approach? How did you resolve this issue? What did you learn from the experience?

Tenacity/Resilience

Good educators are resilient and relentless in their pursuit of assisting their students learn and grow. These teachers are problem solvers and have great emotional regulation. They can manage their emotions and don’t fall apart in difficult situations. They are adaptable and are able to “bounce back” from adversity.

 

Possible Interview Questions:

Describe a time when you faced a setback in your classroom or therapy space. How did you learn and grow from the experience?

Think of that student/person who knew just how to push your buttons and make you lose your temper. What coping methods do you employ to manage your emotions?

 

Good Communication Skills

 As a principal, I often needed to defuse tense situations with colleagues, parents and students. Most often, there was a lack of communication that fostered this animosity. Strong educators have excellent communication skills. These skills will need to be employed in the classroom, with colleagues, and with families.

 

Possible Interview Questions:

Families:

How would you regularly communicate with families about their child’s progress?

How can you build positive relationships with families?

Students:
How do you explain challenging concepts to students who have different learning styles?

What strategies do you use to build rapport and trust with your students?

Colleagues:

How do you collaborate with other teachers to support student learning goals?

How do you provide feedback to peers in a constructive way?

I know that many people have tried to figure out a foolproof way for hiring the right people. I have interviewed many people over the course of my career and feel that the traits listed above are the necessary ingredients in hiring a person who embodies a collaborative and inclusive mindset. Another thing I’ve learned is that hiring is not a science. Rather, it is a highly imperfect art.