Principals Take Note: How to Hire Effective Teachers

Joanne Jacobs:

Training principals in how to recognize and hire good teachers is paying off in Baltimore with better teachers and higher retetion rates. Now Chicago is giving it a try, reports Teacher Quality Bulletin:

Principals are taught how to pick teachers that best fit their schools, how to create scenario questions that probe instruction and classroom management techniques and are encouraged to require candidates to teach a sample lesson as part of their interview.

Since implementing this same program this year, Baltimore has reported fewer early teaching vacancies in its lowest performing schools.

Principals are trained to keep in touch with new hires over the summer, when 5 to 7 percent change their minds and quit.

Since this is Joanne Jacobs' story, you'll need to go here to get at the source article. It's well worth your time.

Now if only we can get some sort of merit-based hiring for the school administrators, we could see even more progress... ------------------------------See our latest EduPosts here and this date's Extra Credit Reading there.