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The private school hiring season moves into high gear over the next few months. Teachers typically must hand in their notice by the end of February. Schools generally notify teachers of their intention to renew or not to renew contracts round about the same time. So it's a busy time for all.
Hiring teachers requires great skill in sizing up potential candidates. Getting the right 'fit' is crucial for schools. Obviously that requires experience and seasoned judgment on the part of the interviewer. Still, there are certain things which you can and must do even if you are relatively new to the hiring game.
With this in mind, I asked Barrett L. Mosbacker, the distinguished headmaster of Covenant Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina, to answer a few questions about how he assesses prospective teachers. Here are his answers. Thanks, Barrett, for sharing your expertise with us!
What do heads look for when they hire teachers?
References and background check
How carefully should a school check out a candidate?
The school should be extremely careful and thorough. Appropriate background and reference checks will provide important supplemental information to the application and the interview. It also provides some legal protection to the school. Hiring is the most important decision the head makes—mistakes in hiring have profound implications for teaching, public relations, and school enrollment and finances.
What's the most effective way of doing this?
I recommend the following steps:
- Identify the type of references you want. Do not restrict yourself to references provided by the candidate—these will usually be positive. It is important to have references from supervisors and colleagues. References from friends, pastors/priests, etc., are of limited values.
- Seek second level references, i.e., ask a reference for the name of someone else who may know the candidate. This will allow you to dig deeper in to the candidate’s personality and performance.
- Pay for a criminal and credentials background check.
Teaching experience
Will you hire a teacher without any classroom experience?
Yes but we much prefer teachers with at least 2 years experience.
Do you require state certification or a teaching license?
Yes.
Foreign teachers
Is hiring foreign teachers a way to ease the teacher shortage we seem to be
experiencing?
It could be. However, unless the teacher obtains US citizenship, he or she will be a temporary hire. Consequently, he or she will have to be replaced, which means you lose continuity and the money invested in training.
Are there any disadvantages to hiring foreign teachers?
As noted above.
Extracurricular activities
and sports
Does you require your faculty to take charge of an activity or sport? How
important a consideration is this?
We do not require faculty to take charge of an activity or a sport. We strive to ensure that our faculty concentrate on teaching. However, teachers MAY coach and lead other clubs if they choose. We do prefer our coaches to be teachers rather than parents.
Please share your views on assessing prospective teachers in the Private Schools Forum.
--Rob Kennedy, Private Schools Guide
