Carlos Heleno's Blog - Posts Tagged "students"
Top Ten Traits Administrators Are looking for in a New Hire
A Comprehensive Guide to Getting Hired Teaching: Achieve Your Ideal Teaching Position
In general, school administrators are looking for effective teachers, and effective teachers have many talents.
1. Competency. Knowing what to teach and how to teach is competence. Being resourceful and finding out what you do not know or how to better deliver a lesson is competence. People who do not know and cannot do are not effective educators.
2. Versatility. Someone who is versatile is knowledgeable about a host of subjects and has a broad skill set. This trait is in great demand because schools often have needs to be filled but might not have the necessary resources. For instance, hiring someone simply to teach one section of a course would be outrageously costly and counterintuitive. Teachers who are versatile, who possess a broad array of talents and experiences and can fill the need, are highly sought after.
3. Flexibility. Change is inevitable in the classroom. Despite the best efforts of teachers to plan appropriately for lessons, they must have the flexibility to change at a moment’s notice to deal with the particular circumstance. Disruptive student behavior, malfunctioning hardware, and fire drills are common interruptions that can mean changing initial lesson plans. Remaining flexible and able to shift gears when faced with these disruptions makes for a much smoother teaching and learning experience. Rigid behavior can lead to disappointment and frustration—emotions that do not suit the teacher professional.
4. Adaptability. As educational theory continues to improve and as forces impact the education system, adapting to change becomes increasingly more important. Sometimes this requires adopting new processes, learning new programs, or changing delivery methods. Sometimes this means taking on a subject you have never taught before, teaching a grade you are a little less comfortable with, or completing a project that causes you to step out of your comfort zone.
5. Teachability. Someone who is teachable does not have all the answers but is willing to consider alternate perspectives and wants to learn and grow and become a better educator. This is a highly sought after character trait.
6. Patience. Some concepts take moments to master; others, years. Teaching and learning require enormous patience. Students may learn through fits and spurts, showing great initiative but then fumbling or making mistakes in judgment that thwart their learning or growth. Patient educators support their students, recognizing that the learning continuum is slow and steady. Both students and teachers progress through these stages. For teachers, some lessons and units are exceptional; some flop. Mastering teaching is a long and involved process. Educators sensitive to the learning curve are effective.
7. Caring. Great teachers care about their students’ well-being; they put the needs of their students high and advocate for them. They support them when they make mistakes, and they encourage them when they feel defeated.
8. Confidence. Students can sense a teacher’s lack of confidence. They might not be able to articulate it, but they show it with their choice of words and behaviors. A confident teacher has greater control over his classroom, leading the students and managing the curriculum. The students are aware of the rules, the boundaries, and the disciplinary actions; the teacher is prepared with his lessons, instructs appropriately, and gives prompt and competent feedback. When a teacher lacks confidence, it shows in these areas.
9. Diplomacy. Undoubtedly, there will be times when teachers need to deal with difficult circumstances: an angry parent, an unsupportive administrator, or an ineffective assistant. Education is about relationships. Building strong, respectful relationships with all constituents makes difficult experiences much easier to manage. As a new teacher, your reputation is established quite quickly—practically the first few days and weeks of the school year. Entering the profession with some conflict-resolution strategies and keeping in mind that the focus of education is to support students in their growth and development ensures everyone will be respectful of your decisions, whether or not they agree with them.
10. Communication. Effective communication appears in many forms, including kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. Teachers use eye contact, facial expressions, and body language; they speak clearly, articulately, patiently; they listen to their students with care and attention; and they write anecdotes, report card comments, newsletters, e-mails, and feedback on assessments. Communication says much about the communicator; effective communication results in improved learning.
In general, school administrators are looking for effective teachers, and effective teachers have many talents.
1. Competency. Knowing what to teach and how to teach is competence. Being resourceful and finding out what you do not know or how to better deliver a lesson is competence. People who do not know and cannot do are not effective educators.
2. Versatility. Someone who is versatile is knowledgeable about a host of subjects and has a broad skill set. This trait is in great demand because schools often have needs to be filled but might not have the necessary resources. For instance, hiring someone simply to teach one section of a course would be outrageously costly and counterintuitive. Teachers who are versatile, who possess a broad array of talents and experiences and can fill the need, are highly sought after.
3. Flexibility. Change is inevitable in the classroom. Despite the best efforts of teachers to plan appropriately for lessons, they must have the flexibility to change at a moment’s notice to deal with the particular circumstance. Disruptive student behavior, malfunctioning hardware, and fire drills are common interruptions that can mean changing initial lesson plans. Remaining flexible and able to shift gears when faced with these disruptions makes for a much smoother teaching and learning experience. Rigid behavior can lead to disappointment and frustration—emotions that do not suit the teacher professional.
4. Adaptability. As educational theory continues to improve and as forces impact the education system, adapting to change becomes increasingly more important. Sometimes this requires adopting new processes, learning new programs, or changing delivery methods. Sometimes this means taking on a subject you have never taught before, teaching a grade you are a little less comfortable with, or completing a project that causes you to step out of your comfort zone.
5. Teachability. Someone who is teachable does not have all the answers but is willing to consider alternate perspectives and wants to learn and grow and become a better educator. This is a highly sought after character trait.
6. Patience. Some concepts take moments to master; others, years. Teaching and learning require enormous patience. Students may learn through fits and spurts, showing great initiative but then fumbling or making mistakes in judgment that thwart their learning or growth. Patient educators support their students, recognizing that the learning continuum is slow and steady. Both students and teachers progress through these stages. For teachers, some lessons and units are exceptional; some flop. Mastering teaching is a long and involved process. Educators sensitive to the learning curve are effective.
7. Caring. Great teachers care about their students’ well-being; they put the needs of their students high and advocate for them. They support them when they make mistakes, and they encourage them when they feel defeated.
8. Confidence. Students can sense a teacher’s lack of confidence. They might not be able to articulate it, but they show it with their choice of words and behaviors. A confident teacher has greater control over his classroom, leading the students and managing the curriculum. The students are aware of the rules, the boundaries, and the disciplinary actions; the teacher is prepared with his lessons, instructs appropriately, and gives prompt and competent feedback. When a teacher lacks confidence, it shows in these areas.
9. Diplomacy. Undoubtedly, there will be times when teachers need to deal with difficult circumstances: an angry parent, an unsupportive administrator, or an ineffective assistant. Education is about relationships. Building strong, respectful relationships with all constituents makes difficult experiences much easier to manage. As a new teacher, your reputation is established quite quickly—practically the first few days and weeks of the school year. Entering the profession with some conflict-resolution strategies and keeping in mind that the focus of education is to support students in their growth and development ensures everyone will be respectful of your decisions, whether or not they agree with them.
10. Communication. Effective communication appears in many forms, including kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. Teachers use eye contact, facial expressions, and body language; they speak clearly, articulately, patiently; they listen to their students with care and attention; and they write anecdotes, report card comments, newsletters, e-mails, and feedback on assessments. Communication says much about the communicator; effective communication results in improved learning.
