You know that if you’re hired here, then you’re going
to be working.”
“John Sevier Hiring Process”
http://thescoresheet.org/
2012/11/09/a-rigorous-teacherselection-process-increases-rigor-inthe-classroom/
ENSURING EXCELLENT TEACHING
Teaching excellence at John Sevier Elementary
starts with careful recruitment and selection of
highly effective teacher candidates and continues
through thoughtful nurturing and cultivation of
teachers’ instruction, intervention, and assessment
skills.
Recruiting and selecting teachers. Since high
performance expectations for both teachers and
students matter so much at John Sevier Elementary,
leaders look closely at their teacher candidates to
find those who will best fit at the school. John Sevier
uses a multi-stage process to hire teachers. First,
the school posts the job description, which clearly
highlights the school’s expectations for the position.
Wilson and Boles, along with a hiring committee
that is composed of a diverse group of educators,
attempt to meet with as many candidates as their
schedules allow. Second, the pool is narrowed
down to between three and five candidates. These
candidates are required to develop a 30-minute
PowerPoint presentation with criteria including data
analysis of John Sevier, school demographics, and
teaching pedagogy. They are also provided with
a scenario that presents a challenge to provide
the committee with insight into how the candidate
will engage students and their families. Last, the
interview process includes time for the candidates
to ask the committee clarifying questions. Current
teachers say this process helps the school identify
candidates who will be a good fit for John Sevier. “I
interviewed in another district and was offered two
other teaching positions. But I know they wanted
me here and wanted me for who I was and what I
stood for,” one teacher said. “I got to see that my
values matched the values of the school and so it
was the best fit for me.”
Another teacher added, “If you’re going through this
process and you see something and think, ‘I can’t do
that,’ it’s a filter almost and you shouldn’t be here.
17
Pathways to the Prize
Lessons from the 2012 SCORE Prize School Winners
Supporting new teachers. New teachers receive
support through instructional coaching designed to
develop and refine their classroom instruction. The
coaching is designed to help teachers build rapport,
understand best practices, reflect on their teaching practice, and encourage a passion for learning.
Coaching from peers in the school and district is
based on Quantum Learning Tenets. The Quantum Learning Tenets model immerses coaches in
self-reflection on their skills, talents, and resources,
their own learning trajectories, and their practices as
a teacher. Coaches discuss changes in the profession, learning beliefs, competency stages, and ways
to increase beginning teachers’ efficacy. Coaches
also learn about the goals of coaching, creating
rapport, the coaching cycle, and plans and strategy
for support. They receive training at the school on
district evaluation criteria, observation protocols,
walkthroughs, recording detectable data, and providing feedback on things the teacher is doing right
and opportunities to improve. Teachers become
proficient in coaching commands, paraphrasing,
mediating, clarifying, contextualizing, informing,
modeling, rehearsing, and debriefing. New teachers
say the coaching is very supportive, accelerates
their skills, and helps them feel competent.
Providing professional development for all
teachers. John Sevier not only offers training and
support to new teachers, but works to ensure that
all teachers receive high quality professional development tailored to their specific needs. Several
teachers at John Sevier have had many years of
classroom experience, and the school offers multiple forms of professional development for these
veterans to promote consistency in instruction and
depth of learning for students. Teachers discuss
topics like instructional pacing, establishing goals