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Hi there: The National Association for the Education
of Young Children includes this statement in the Focus Area: Teachers, Standard 6: "The
program employs and supports a teaching staff that has the educational qualifications, knowledge,
and professional commitment necessary to promote children's learning and development and to
support families' diverse needs and interests." Hiring a quality team will assist you in meeting
this important goal. Why does NAEYC care about the quality of the
teachers we employ? Here is their rationale: "Better-educated teachers who have specific
preparation, knowledge, and skills in child development and early childhood education
are more effective in the classroom. They provide warmer, more positive interactions
with children and richer language and cognitive experiences, which lead to better social,
emotional, linguistic, and cognitive development for children. As early childhood programs
serve increasingly diverse populations, teaching staff need competencies that prepare them
to respond respectfully and effectively to children and families who vary in culture,
language, and special learning and developmental needs. Professionally committed teachers strive
for these results through collaboration, teamwork, ongoing professional development, and shared
ethical and professional values, which produce long-term investment in a program, the children,
families, and the early childhood profession." In a nutshell, the team you employ either
makes or breaks your program. You need to hire and maintain quality!
In my early years as a director, I learned a very important lesson to follow my gut when
hiring staff. At the time, we were very short staffed - when centers are short staffed,
directors can make very bad errors in judgment. I interviewed someone and had a nagging sense
that perhaps it wasn't the best plan, but she seemed nice enough and we were desperate.
It was a disaster - not long into her employment we learned she was restraining children against
their will as a form of punishment and I ended up terminating her employment. Very stressful
- and it all could have been avoided if I had listened to that little alarm going off
in my head! I subscribe to an email newsletter called
Exchange Everyday -- it has some really great thoughts -- you might want to consider subscribing.
I received one called: Bad Interview Questions -- Here are a few examples.
• If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? Whatever the applicant answers,
it's probably not going to tell you anything useful.
• What's your favorite animal, and why? If you're hoping for the applicant to reveal
something about a desired characteristic ("I like mules because they're very tenacious!"),
it's much better to ask about that characteristic directly.
• What are your weaknesses? Applicants have been conditioned to spin a negative into a
positive here ("I'm a relentless perfectionist!"), so you're not going to get a truthful answer.
No job applicant is going to volunteer info about his spending problem, or her procrastination.
• How do you feel about workplace gossip? Again, even if she is an enthusiastic participant
in workplace gossip, the applicant is not going to level with you on this one. Additionally,
this type of question can make applicants worry that your workplace has a gossip problem
— which will drive away the strongest candidates.
• Tell me about yourself. This is too broad, and too vague to elicit the type of information
you're seeking in an interview situation. Additionally, it opens the door wide for disclosures
about the applicant that you're better off not knowing from a legal standpoint.
This week, ponder the importance of making good decisions in the hiring process! Good
decisions actually start with a good process! The two quizzes provided are just to further
your own understanding -- and you will not be graded.
Next week's Job Description is nothing to worry about -- it is just a Wiki where everyone
will contribute their thoughts. Pretty easy. However, there is a director interview assignment
due the 23rd of March. You need to make arrangements now regarding who you will interview. See
the assignment information below. Have a great week!