CHAPTER 1: STAFFING AND STAFF INDUCTION
As a mentor - empower novice teachers to deal with problems
• Administration support – assistance with regard to class registers, stock take,
assessment forms.
• Personal support – acting as resource for the novice teacher (travelling, accommodation,
local)
• Inducting the novice into a new institutional context
• Guiding the professional growth of the mentee
• Teaching skills – lack of teaching skills and knowledge.
• Matters relating to the school – school culture, vision, policies.
Induction programme in 5 steps.
New staff members should receive help in the form of a planned induction progamme
1. WELCOME BEGINNER EDUCATORS – they need to feel welcome, invite photographs, luncheons.
2. INITIAL ASSISSTANCE – select a mentor to offer ongoing support and feedback.
3. ORIENTATION – Introduce to colleagues, tours, provide information, school rules and procedures.
4. NEEDS ASSESSMENT – include beginner teacher when designing professional development
programmes.
5. ONGOING ASSISTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT – provide ongoing support, meetings with
principal, mentor meetings, skills training, peer observations, social functions.
Suitable questions during an interview
• Interview panel should test applicant on skills
• Question what the person has done in the past and why
• What would the person bring to the position
• Open-ended questions are important. Who? What? How? Why?
• Behavioural-based questions will help to see if applicants qualities will strengthen or weaken
the program
Examples:
Tell me more about the time… (when you worked with a group of high-energy children)
Describe specifically how you have…
Give an example of time… (when dealt with difficult patents)
Describe your roll in…
Questions you should avoid and why.
• Don’t ask questions when the answers are already on the application form, such as “Where
do you teach now?”
• Avoid closed (yes/no) questions. “Do you use corporal punishment in the class?”
• Don’t ask if applicants have children, plan to have children or about childcare arrangements
• Don’t ask candidates if he/she has AIDS / HIV
As a mentor - empower novice teachers to deal with problems
• Administration support – assistance with regard to class registers, stock take,
assessment forms.
• Personal support – acting as resource for the novice teacher (travelling, accommodation,
local)
• Inducting the novice into a new institutional context
• Guiding the professional growth of the mentee
• Teaching skills – lack of teaching skills and knowledge.
• Matters relating to the school – school culture, vision, policies.
Induction programme in 5 steps.
New staff members should receive help in the form of a planned induction progamme
1. WELCOME BEGINNER EDUCATORS – they need to feel welcome, invite photographs, luncheons.
2. INITIAL ASSISSTANCE – select a mentor to offer ongoing support and feedback.
3. ORIENTATION – Introduce to colleagues, tours, provide information, school rules and procedures.
4. NEEDS ASSESSMENT – include beginner teacher when designing professional development
programmes.
5. ONGOING ASSISTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT – provide ongoing support, meetings with
principal, mentor meetings, skills training, peer observations, social functions.
Suitable questions during an interview
• Interview panel should test applicant on skills
• Question what the person has done in the past and why
• What would the person bring to the position
• Open-ended questions are important. Who? What? How? Why?
• Behavioural-based questions will help to see if applicants qualities will strengthen or weaken
the program
Examples:
Tell me more about the time… (when you worked with a group of high-energy children)
Describe specifically how you have…
Give an example of time… (when dealt with difficult patents)
Describe your roll in…
Questions you should avoid and why.
• Don’t ask questions when the answers are already on the application form, such as “Where
do you teach now?”
• Avoid closed (yes/no) questions. “Do you use corporal punishment in the class?”
• Don’t ask if applicants have children, plan to have children or about childcare arrangements
• Don’t ask candidates if he/she has AIDS / HIV
