Interviewing, Hiring and Coaching to Reduce your Liability Risks, Minimize

Costs and Maximize OutputTom Stekol, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent of Human ResourcesRedondo Beach Unified School District

All Too Familiar Scenarios• A teacher has just cleared probation and now refuses to collaborate with her peers in

the department.• A teacher who has always been an “okay” performer begins ridiculing and demeaning

students in his 10th year of teaching.• A band teacher unwillingly leads the band at football games through half-hearted

renditions of songs which are played only sporadically.• A teacher meets with female students individually on “his own time” to offer

“additional assistance”, often at late hours.• An itinerant teacher has altered her schedule on several occasions without notifying

her supervisor or site principals, resulting in significant loss of services to special education students.

How did this happen?

Agenda

• Interviewing• Hiring• Coaching

What Are You Hiring For?

• Fill Vacancies?• Achieve Balance?• Find the “Best” Candidate?• Satisfy “Constituencies”?

What Are You Hiring For?• 1) To bring individuals into your organization who

subscribe to the organization’s mission/vision.• 2) To bring in individuals who share the core values of

your organization.• 3) To bring in individuals who possess the skills to

contribute to the pursuit of the organization’s mission/vision.

• 4) To bring in individuals who demonstrate a healthy balance between individual and collective goals.

“That’s great, but how do you do it?”

First Principles• Examine the Mission/Vision of District

– What does it mean?– What does it look like in action?

• Identify the Core Values– Are they principles, aspirations or rules?

• Identify the Desired Skill Set– Content knowledge– Pedagogical knowledge– Interpersonal relations– Extra-organizational sensitivity

First Principles

• Determine the Actions and/or Qualities that Define:– The Mission/Vision– The Values– The Skills

example• “We in the Redondo Beach Unified School District are

dedicated to providing every student the knowledge and

skills necessary to succeed in a global society, today and in

the future.”

• How are “dedicated”, “every student”, “knowledge”, “necessary skills”, “succeed”, “global society” defined?– What are the typical actions/behaviors of a “dedicated” educator?– What outcomes define and determine “success”?

example

• Core Values: Honesty, Integrity and Respect– What does it mean to have integrity?– How can this be embodied in instructional

practice?– How can this permeate our interpersonal

relations?– How do we demand it of ourselves?

Interview

• Purpose: To determine whether the individual whom you are interviewing demonstrates the behaviors, qualities, values and skills that your organization considers essential.

Interview• Questioning – Common Pitfalls

– Asking the “too-direct” question:• “Are you dedicated to the success of all students?”• “In our district, we believe that X is important. What are

your beliefs about X?”

– Asking the “too-broad” question:• “What relevant work experiences have you had?”

– Asking the “too-narrow” question:• “How do you prepare students to pass the Fitnessgram?”

Interview• Question Development

– Consider the actions and qualities that you have identified as defining your mission/vision, core values and desired skill set.

– Brainstorm the kinds of situations, circumstances and experiences that might reveal:• Qualities• Values & Beliefs• Attitudes• Tendencies

– Develop open-ended questions that relate indirectly to the quality, value, attitude, etc. that you are assessing.

Question Development• Quality or Skill Assessed: Ability to work

collaboratively with others.• Initial Question: “What experiences have you

had with collaboration?”• Revised Question: “Tell us about a time when

you had to work with a difficult colleague. How did you manage the situation?”

Question Development

• Quality or Skill Assessed: Resiliency• Initial Question: “What do you do when

a student challenges your authority?”• Revised Question:

Question Development

• Quality or Skill Assessed: Commitment to Every Student.

• Initial Question: “Do you believe all children can learn?”

• Revised Question:

Interview• Vet your questions

– Do they make sense?– Do they generate appropriate responses? (construct

validity)

• Use a response evaluation template– How do responses demonstrate desired traits,

practices etc.?– What evidence can I cite from a candidate’s response?

Interview• Working with committees

– Be explicit about criteria.– Be explicit about the nature of the position and

the expectations for it.– Direct committee to your response template when

gathering input. (“How did candidate respond to question 2” rather than “How did you like the candidate”).

Hiring• Background Checks

– Contact all references and any other individuals who may know the candidate.

– Listen carefully for “yellow” or “red” flags.– “Would you hire this individual again?”– Be prepared for delays.

• “Know Thyself”– What is your capacity to develop talented yet inexperienced candidates?– How do specific instructional needs shape your decisions?– How will the individual mesh with a particular school/grade

level/department?

Hiring• Explain:

– Contract Type (probationary, temporary)– FTE percentage– Credential Requirements– Deadlines

• Induction– Discuss organization and site-specific expectations– Arrange collaborative activities and observe– Provide essential resources and contacts

Coaching• What is expected from a Coach/Mentor?

– Facilitate the exploration of needs, motivations, desires, skills and thought processes to assist the individual in making real, lasting change.

– Use questioning techniques to facilitate the individual's own thought processes in order to identify solutions and actions rather than takes a wholly directive approach.

– Support the individual in setting appropriate goals and methods of assessing progress in relation to these goals.

– Observe, listen and ask questions to understand the individual's situation.– Creatively apply tools and techniques which may include one-to-one training, facilitating,

counseling & networking.– Encourage a commitment to action and the development of lasting personal growth &

change.– Maintain unconditional positive regard for the individual.– Ensure that individuals develop personal competencies to become independent of the

coaching or mentoring relationship.– Evaluate the outcomes of the process, using objective measures wherever possible to

ensure the relationship is successful and the individual is achieving their personal goals.

Coaching• Who should get it done?

– Facilitate the exploration of needs, motivations, desires, skills and thought processes to assist the individual in making real, lasting change. (Coach)

– Use questioning techniques to facilitate the individual's own thought processes in order to identify solutions and actions rather than take a wholly directive approach. (Coach)

– Support the individual in setting appropriate goals and methods of assessing progress in relation to these goals. (Coach & Administrator)

– Observe, listen and ask questions to understand the individual's situation. (Coach & Administrator)

– Creatively apply tools and techniques which may include one-to-one training, facilitating, counseling & networking. (Coach & Administrator)

– Encourage a commitment to action and the development of lasting personal growth & change. (Coach & Administrator)

– Maintain unconditional positive regard for the individual. (Coach)– Ensure that individuals develop personal competencies to become independent of the coaching

or mentoring relationship. (Administrator)– Evaluate the outcomes of the process, using objective measures wherever possible to ensure the

relationship is successful and the individual is achieving their personal goals. (Administrator)

Evaluation• What to Observe:

– Teaching performance– Interactions with students– Interactions with parents– Interpersonal relations with colleagues– Work habits (punctuality, diligence, consistency, stamina)– Attitude, Affect, Involvement

• Observe Frequently– Provide immediate feedback.– Make expectations for improvement explicit.– Document issues and guidance.

Decision Time• Prospective vs. Retrospective• Explain Non-Reelection Process• Be Decisive and Resolute