Victoria Pettis

Summer Cohort 2006

EDUL 6016

Assignment 1: Interviewing

June 18, 2006

EDUL 6016: Total Quality Management in Schools (1 hour)

The goals of this course included:

· To become familiar with components of the employee selection process.

· To make application of the major employee selection processes to simulated job situations.

· To develop understanding of teacher evaluation procedures in order to develop skills in selecting appropriate elements for a given school.

· To demonstrate understanding and skills of technology used in the current educational environment.

· To become familiar with scholarly literature on the topics of teacher employment and evaluation

NOTE: In the assignment below, I created a list of six (6) questions I would ask a candidate applying for a teaching position. I provided a rationale for each question.

My Questions to Ask a Candidate for a Teacher Position

1. Tell me about the students you taught at Devil Middle School. Or to a novice teacher: Tell me about your student teaching experience at Angel Middle School. Elaboration question: What were your fondest memories? Most frustrating?

The purpose of this question is to put the interviewee at ease and set the whole tone of the interview – to make him/her welcome. Through this question, I hope to learn about the individual’s work experience and special skills. I would also learn how this person performs on the job.

2. How do you create and maintain a classroom learning environment that empowers students from various backgrounds?

With this question, the teacher will paint me a picture of how he/she views/treats/deals with the diversities represented in the classroom – gender, race, religion, class, etc.

3, What classroom management techniques do you find are most effective to use with middle school students who are different from you in terms of socio-economic status, class, race, and culture?

The answer to this question would not only give me the interviewee’s philosophy on middle school and classroom discipline but also his/her attitude towards students who are unlike him/her.

4. Tell me about any special training or courses you have taken that address working with high poverty, high performing middle school students.

Obviously, the purpose of this question is to probe for information about the interviewee’s education and training. I am particularly looking for experiences that would make this candidate a match for my students.

5. Think about your ideal teacher-administrator relationship. How would we each work together to create a relationship that would best benefits students? Teacher-teacher relationship? Teacher-parent relationship?

In the question, I am asking the interviewee’s perspective on power relationships and professional ethics. I am also looking for this teacher’s attitude and philosophy in regards to working with administers, teachers, parents, and students.

6. I have read your application packet, your letter of interest, and your resume. Elaborate on any education, training, work experience, and career goals that make you the best candidate for this position.

This question best addresses the candidate’s qualifications, knowledge, and education. It would also tell me how deeply this candidate has thought about the job description and his/her qualifications.