Knowing your adult learners will take more time
than you have allotted during your interview. Although this is a crucial time
filled with important information a director may use to decide on who to hire,
it's no where near actually knowing someone as a teacher, or a person. I have
only been to two interviews for a sub position, then a teaching assistant
position. I filled out my application with all the works before hand, and was
asked questions of how I would interact with children, handle conflicts, and more
at the interview. I also handed them my professional portfolio and a binder of
work sampling I had collected in the previous semester to show them more of my
capabilities with correlated with their schools system of collecting data.
Thankfully, I did get the job. But do I feel that they knew me at that point as
an educator? No. I feel that although people may have the training or
education, or say what people want to hear- actions speak louder than words. I
feel that I learned a lot of things throughout my education, but it was not
until I had opportunities to practice my skills in the classroom environment
while being observed that I actually got to see, reflect, and appreciate all
the good I was doing. It also gave me many ideas and areas to improve and work
on. My instructor observed me about three times in one semester, and all were
followed up with a debrief. I feel that these observations were one of the most
valuable experiences I have had thus far throughout my educational experience,
because I gained so much from it. If students are observed during their
education in order to recognize the skills they are using, and find areas for
improvement, should teaching staff be observed periodically as well? Should
teachers be viewed as students as well?
Hi! I definitely agree with you on the hiring process. I feel that you learn more when actually working at the program and that it something I'm afraid of. Although I haven't worked at a preschool yet, I feel that all my practicums really helped me including my education in school. Although I do work with children 7-13 years old, working in the actually field with the younger ones gives me a better view on things. I think that it helps to actually practice what we learned in school.
ReplyDeleteWith your question regarding if teachers should be viewed as students as well, I feel that I wouldn't mind how I'd want to be viewed as while working as a teacher as long as I get appropriate feedback. I know some people take feedback or advice as criticism, but I honestly take any them as advice to better myself in any way.
I think with great staff members and a great director, being observed periodically can help anyone out. I know that being put into the ECE field with no experience may be difficult, but like everything else, practice makes perfect.
Hi Elena,
ReplyDeleteGreat question. This is a form of coaching and mentoring for the director to use. When observations happen, it only can bring in a broader scope of doing things and challenges us to do better. Being observed can be nerve wrecking but the outcome out weighs your personal feelings, because you are doing something you love, so why wouldn't you want to be the best at it. To have a different perspective from the director will make your workings much more rich. I have been in those interviews for hiring and the questions are standard. They don't tell me who you are but they do give me a gauge on where you are at in this particular field. The aides I have working with me are fantastic. They bring a new and fresh perspective into the classroom that I am grateful for. I observe them everyday without them knowing, but so are the children and everyone else just on a personal level. How will the observations be used? What other strategies can be done to fully know the skills of a person?
Aloha Elena,
ReplyDeleteIt is very hard as a director to hire someone that they do not know, but must trust according to their application, interview, and portfolio if one is provided. What is said or written is not necessarily what is being applied in the classroom. When I got my position, I trusted my abilities, but expected more feedback for growth. Even though this is now my third year, I appreciate being observed and wish we had unannounced observations. Not only do I wish I was observed more, I wish I could observe others also as you can learn so much from going into other classrooms. Through my experience, I have observed that sometimes the ones without their education are more passionate than the ones who have master's degrees. But it is this passion that pushes me to achieve a degree in ECE. Do you believe that seasoned teachers would appreciate more periodic observations? What if the director is young, will he/she get the respect for taking on a director's role?
Hi Elena,
ReplyDeleteTeachers as students -- this is an interesting view. In the current exhibit The Wonder of Learning as well as in the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy, teachers are viewed as researchers. I immediately see a connection between your thought process and how viewing the teacher as research could engage a teacher in constantly reflecting and thinking about her teaching, much like a student.
Can a director support at teacher as researcher? What actions, policies, and practices could be developed to support the teacher as researcher? Are there ways in which the director could be positioned as researcher? Can these views challenge traditional expectations of being a director? a teacher? How might both be rethought?
Jeanne
Hey Elena,
ReplyDeleteDepending upon the desired objectives and amount of data being collected from the observations, I think they could be beneficial. I have had experience with rigid assessments where the observer would analyze the entire make up of a classroom in a twenty minute observation. What is the objective of the observations? How much can be analyzed from each observation? How does the presence of the observer affect the usual atmosphere of the classroom? How do personal judgements of the observer affect the way she/he critiques the teacher?
Hello Elena,
ReplyDeleteI believe teachers do need the feedback of someone's observation. Sometimes we obtain or have a habit that we are not aware of that may not be best in the classroom. It is also important to have this because we are human and we are always going to have something that needs to be improved on. As for directors really getting to know a potential teacher during an interview, would you ask the same questions that were asked on your interviews if you were the director? I know many of us have since the video showing how future teachers in Finland are trained and conduct their first few years under a mentor. Do feel that we should adopt that same format? Or is there a format that would fit the uniqueness of Hawaii better?
Jenna
Hi Elena,
ReplyDeleteI think that observations of educators could be a good and bad thing. It would be good for directors to see how an educator is doing in the classroom and the educator can get feedback. The feedback may be a bad thing but it is how the educator takes it and uses it as a learning experience. If you take the feedback negatively then you are not being open minded about being a better teacher. How long would you observe an educator? Would you inform the educator that you are observing them? If you were the educator being observed how would you take the feedback?