MS Principal interview Flashcards

Question

What qualities (both academic and personal) do you look for in a good teacher?

Answer 1

Teacher self efficacy - the belief that they can do things that impact student outcomes Reflection - think back on continuous improvement on what things to do to impact student outcomes Positive student teacher relationships Positive classroom management Looks to create engaging learning experiences

Answer 2

I have a long-standing commitment to middle level education. Focus of my doctoral work. Served on MAMLE board (president). Served on AMLE Research Advisory Board, Board, President. Worked with school across Maine and the country to implement strong middle level practices - Calcasieu Parish for 15 years, shared vision of learning in Cheyanne WY and Leonard Middle school, Keynote MAMLE this past year. Want to serve the students and staff of a school I’m affiliated with, rather that other people’s schools. Why Spruce Mountain - I’d like to be able to bring my skills at MLE and shared leadership to a school I’m affiliated with. Carrie did a lot to bring good middle level practices to SMMS (don’t know about Kris). SMMS has a reputation of having good student-teacher relationships and ML teaming structures, so think I can help the school continue to improve how it reaches middle grades students. Of course being my local middle school would be a bonus.

Answer 3

Right off the bat, let me start by saying that decisions for which would be defined by policy, law, or safety issues will be decided swiftly and decisively. Aside from that, for the most part, I believe in shared decision making. Involving students, teachers, and others in either voice, vote, or veto, depending on the type of decision to be made. For ongoing operational decisions, I’d like to have a school leadership team, with representation from all the academic teams to help review key issues as they arrive and make collaborative decisions around how to proceed. For specific initiatives, I’d like to have a design team of diverse stakeholders who will roll up their sleeves and on the design and implementation of the initiative. (Where I’ve done this) In general, I’d like to have a set of shared standards by which we could all make decisions and judge our work based on both shared vision for the middle school based on a staff book study of The Successful Middle School - This we Believe, and a shared vision for learning developed collaboratively with families and the community (describe process and where I’ve done this). We’d use these to shape decisions we make individually or as a group.

Answer 4

Prioritize safety Understand the student's disability Create a behavior plan Implement accommodations Communicate with parents Seek outside resources

Answer 5

The first is student discipline because of being isolated and independent during the pandemic. But I really believe that that will take care of itself as student return to structured learning environments for the next couple years. I think the larger long-term issue to address is finding out how to better reach, engage and motivate all learners, especially those with diverse aspirations, or those with great challenges like housing insecurity, food insecurity, economic insecurity, or those simply seemingly unmotivated and hard to teach. We have to start by spending some time thinking deeply about the difference between student motivation and student compliance.

Answer 6

Assess where the culture is - USDE has pretty good culture surveys with normed results data Build trust - I care, that I’m consistent and fair, that I’m sincere and I’m competent. Build buy-in - shared leadership and decision making helps build buy-in from diverse stakeholders. Focus on emotional and physical safety and respect - this is a safe and caring place for everyone - Resources at the National Center for Safe Supportive Learning Environments Seek input and address concerns

Answer 7

Speak out against racism Educate the community Provide support to affected students Enforce disciplinary action Create a diversity committee National Center for Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

Answer 8

School culture - Student/teacher relationships - building trust and respect - welcoming environment = National Center for Safe Supportive Learning Environments A strong safety plan that gets regularly reviewed and updated and is implemented with fidelity. Practice and drills for emergency procedures

Answer 9

Listen to both parties Work to remain neutral Gather information Identify common ground Encourage communication Take action For example: HoS and Director of founding organization Talked with both about perceived issues Discrepancies between actions and statements from HoS Started having regular meeting between both board chairs, the director, and HoS on neutral ground Worked to find common ground and collaboratively decided on actions Made some progress, but HoS behavior (and deception) spiraled and HoS moved on

Answer 10

“Mistakes are proof that you’re trying” - when did I try, but made a mistake, then improved everything… Definition of an Expert - someone who has made all possible mistakes Lunch on a workshop day We were an outside educational management group with a contract to create a school for overaged underachievers in Buffalo. The context is that the environment was a bit hostile with lots of folks, in the school and in the district wanting to go back to the old “warehouse” approach where they don’t have to worry about much other than warehousing the kids and teachers the other schools didn’t want. Sent out schedule for workshop day with professional learning in the project-based, career academy program we were striving to implement - we had included providing lunch to the staff Union leaders got quite angry and told us we can’t require them to come to lunch. I went around and talked with each of the building union leaders (Buffalo has many unions) - got their perspective, but was able to share that our intention was to do something nice. We sent out an apology to the staff explaining that we were trying to be nice by providing lunch, but now understand that staff can and should choose for themselves if they come or not. In the end, most everyone joined us for lunch that day.

Answer 11

* Create a Vision for the Work * The “Why?” * Changing mindsets * Provide ongoing and sustained professional learning * Initial training * Model restorative practices

Answer 12

* Foster understanding of the impact of behavior * Repair harm * Attending to needs (of those around you when you messed up) * Resolve conflict, hold individuals and groups accountable - consequences - avoiding shaming & embarrassment & discomfort (focus on “what’s next?”) * Active involvement

Answer 13

* What did you think when you realized what had happened? * What impact has this had on you and others? * What has been the hardest thing for you * What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

Answer 14

- What happened? (Not - what did you do - take deed away from the doer) - What were you thinking at the time? - What have you thought about since? - Who has been affected by what you have done? - In what way have they been affected? - What do you think you need to do to make things right?

Answer 15

1. TEACHERS ARE COMMITTED TO STUDENTS AND THEIR LEARNING. 2. TEACHERS KNOW THE SUBJECTS THEY TEACH AND HOW TO TEACH THOSE SUBJECTS TO STUDENTS. 3. TEACHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING AND MONITORING STUDENT LEARNING. 4. TEACHERS THINK SYSTEMATICALLY ABOUT THEIR PRACTICE AND LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE. 5. TEACHERS ARE MEMBERS OF LEARNING COMMUNITIES.

Answer 16

I would start by finding out what we are already doing about attendance (and possibly what other Schs in district are doing). I’d examine our data to better understand our situation and to learn more about our data tools I’d become familiar with (or implement) automatic family communications around absence and potentially chronic absence Depending on what we’re already doing, I’d see what programs/resources are available - like MDOE, Attendance Works, Every Student Present, Ect. When I can confirm that immediate interventions in place, I’d focus on systemic issues, like safe/caring environment, bullying, engaging learning activities, family engagement, etc.