Schools around the world are in the midst of interviewing a plethora of candidates, while teachers are frantically sending out their resumes in hopes of landing interviews. Read through these tips and suggestions as you prepare for first, and hopefully second, interviews. Most of these tips will be good reminders of solid practice, however, a couple of them just might surprise you and help you land your dream school.

1. First Impressions: Interviewers often know within the first few minutes whether or not they want to proceed and offer you a second interview. Therefore, make sure that your first impressions are good ones. Dress the part: a tie may or may not be necessary, but make sure that you dress professionally. Choose a good background: the classroom setting is fine as well as the kitchen or living room (bedroom – no). Smile: Be sure to start with a smile to let the interviewer get an idea of your personality and charisma even before you start speaking. Sit still and upright: Be careful not to twirl in your chair or have constant movement that can be distracting for the interviewer.
2. Typical Questions: There are a few questions that just about every principal is going to ask. Be sure that you have considered these questions thoroughly and know how you are going to respond: “Tell us a little bit about yourself to give us an idea of who you are.” (Give background information of you personally as well as professionally). “Describe a difficult encounter with a colleague and how you worked through it.” (The second part of this question is most important). “What are some of your strengths and areas for growth?” (Sell yourself on your strengths and do not say that there are no areas for growth – everyone has them!). “How do you support students that are having difficulty learning and give an example?” (With just about every question, principals want to hear a current example).
3. Research the School: During the interview, you should be able to highlight how your own goals and strengths match those of the school. Many times during interviews, potential candidates do not research the school and it ends up being a deciding factor in the process. Imagine that there are many other teachers out there that hold similar credentials and years of teaching experience as you (which there are). Something has to differentiate you from all of the other candidates and that just might be your knowledge of the school. If you say something like, “I looked on your website and noticed…”, it gets recognized.
4. Know your Philosophy/Beliefs: Before you go into an interview, be clear about your own philosophy and beliefs as a teacher. What are those things about teaching and education that are most important to you? At the end of the interview, will the principal know that those beliefs guide your daily teaching and practice? For example, if two of these things are student-centered learning and collaboration, then your responses throughout the interview must be intertwined with these core beliefs. Spending time before an interview carefully conceptualizing your philosophy and beliefs will make a difference in you getting offered a job!
5. Ask Questions: At the end of the interview, the principal will give you an opportunity to ask questions. They want you to ask questions as it gives them a chance to sell the school. If you say you don’t have any questions, it leaves the interview on a sour note and might be a deciding factor on asking for a second interview. Be sure that you have written down at least a few questions to ask at the end. Keep in mind that some of your questions may be answered throughout the interview.

As a closing note, you need to be interviewing/analyzing the school and much as they are interviewing/analyzing you. Finding a school that is the right fit may be the most important part of the entire interview process. This school will be your home and community for the next two years (at least) and you need to make sure that it is a place where you, and your family, can grow professionally and personally.

Good Luck!

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Do you have the desire to move into an administrative position? Are you aware of the steps you need to take in order to make this a reality? Do you know how to find a mentor to help guide you in the right direction? Have you built an effective portfolio to highlight your strengths and current practices? Do you have a clear vision and philosophy of how you would represent and carry yourself as an administrator? If you are looking for more information and guidance with these questions, and the many other questions that we ask as aspiring administrators, then this blog might be exactly what you are looking for.

As a young administrator, currently in my third year as an assistant principal, I still remember all of the questions that I had as an aspiring administrator. I wondered if I had what it took to be a principal and tried to figure out exactly how to get started on that journey. I remember very clearly when an elementary principal position opened up, during my fifth year of teaching, at a previous international school in Quito, Ecuador. I knew that I was interested, and I spoke with some of my colleagues about the possibility, but I was also aware that I was nowhere near ready for the challenge. It was seven years later, after conversations with multiple mentors and obtaining a higher degree in educational leadership (among many other steps), that I found myself in a position to confidently apply for and be offered an administrative role.

Whether you are a classroom teacher, instructional coach, grade level coordinator, or teacher leader, there are very practical steps that you can take to move forward and enhance your role and position in today’s schools. Schools around the world need dedicated, talented educators that are willing and able to step into administrative roles and lead. If you have the capacity to lead change and support a positive school culture, then now is the time to begin your journey of becoming an inspirational and effective school administrator.

So, what’s the first step?

Tell others about your desires and ambitions! Most importantly, let your current administrators (and past administrators) know that you would like to move into an administrative role one day. Furthermore, expand your professional network to other like-minded people and start reading books, articles, and blogs on current topics and best practices. Your colleagues, and other educators, will be there to support you and encourage you along the way if they know of your future goals. Hopefully you will be able to take this a step further and find a mentor that can support you. A mentor should be able to give you guidance, as well as start providing different opportunities for you to take on leadership roles and responsibilities within your current school. Hopefully you are able to find a mentor that takes this Michael Fullan quote to heart:

“The main mark of a school principal at the end of his or her tenure is not just that individual’s impact on student achievement, but rather how many leaders are left behind who can go even further.”

Go ahead, take that first step…

I was fortunate to have recently attended three professional learning workshops within a span of two weeks. I’d like to offer a reflection as well as some valuable take-aways that others might also be able to reflect upon and incorporate into their own professional journeys.

The three conferences that I attended were the EARCOS Leadership Conference in Bangkok, the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Conference at International School Bangkok, and the Next Frontier Inclusion Conversation at Hong Kong Academy. Professional learning opportunities are extremely valuable for educators as an opportunity to learn from colleagues and stay current with best practice. At conferences, such as the ones listed above, we are able to network with other educators and learn from one another what strategies and programs have worked well and which ones have been an opportunity for growth based on less than desirable results. Yes, the world of international education is competitive and most schools do everything they can to out-market competitors; however, at the core, we all want the exact same thing; to provide all students with the best possible learning environment so that they can go out and make a positive difference.

Here are a few valuable take-aways from my most recent professional learning experiences:

1. Harvey Alvy focused on school leadership and the power of personal example. Throughout this workshop, we discussed the characteristics of effective leadership and specifically the importance of having your own personal philosophy and vision of education. As I reflected upon this, I realized that as a teacher I had a philosophy of education that was written down and always ready to refer back as needed. I was reminded of how important it is for me to follow the same example as an administrator. I have already begun drafting my own vision and philosophy as an administrator that I can hang on the wall next to my computer. I want to ensure that my core beliefs and vision, in conjunction with the mission and vision of the school, are at the forefront of daily interactions, discussions, and decisions. A few of my core beliefs are: a continual focus on improving student learning and teacher instruction, building a collaborative school culture, supporting teacher leaders and future administrators, and creating positive relationships with all school stakeholders through the power of listening.

2. Next Frontier Inclusion (NFI) conference with Bill and Ochan Powell. I was able to get a better idea of how inclusive opportunities for all students is becoming increasingly popular and necessary in international schools. Adopting and creating an inclusion model within international schools can be difficult because it’s change and sometimes people are scared of change. Especially in international schools where the clientele is generally a rather homogeneous group. Making drastic changes within schools is not easy as careful consideration and planning is necessary to ensure the school community is supportive of the change and that there’s a significant amount of buy-in from key stakeholders. Our role as educators is to provide all students with the best possible education in a safe and nurturing learning environment. As I reflect upon this goal, am I doing everything I can within the context of my current school environment to service the learning needs of all students (exceptionally able learning needs as well)? What am I doing to create and support a culture of inclusion?

3. The culture of inquiry workshop with Laura Lipton. It was a good reminder for me on the importance of having specific protocols and expectations in place to ensure a culture of positive collaboration and inquiry. It is important to recognize that sometimes people confuse collaboration with coordination. Simply because people are together on an initiative, does not necessarily mean that they are working together. In order to have a spirit of inquiry and collaboration, here are a few valuable reminders:

a) Ask genuine questions, avoid quick conclusions, and develop novel solutions

b) At the beginning of a meeting, make it clear to everyone if the goal is to start dialogue/discussion or to make a decision

c) Conversations should be data-focused with sufficient triangulation

d) It is important “to have comfort with discomfort” – we need to cultivate relational trust, presume positive intentions, and maintain clear communication

e) Seeking equality within groups can ensure balanced participation and safety for all when sharing ideas and perspectives

f) Find a way to separate the idea from the individual giving the idea – based on past encounters with the person sharing, we are often inclined to think one way or another even before the idea has been shared

I continually seek out opportunities to strengthen my own professional learning through attending different workshops and networking with other administrators. My goal is to continue learning from others and strive to be the best administrator possible.