Amy A. Peterman
ADMS 626
June 9, 2014
Personal Reflection #2
Meeting: Interview for a Special Education Teacher
Date: May 19, 2014
Attendees: Principal, Associate Principal, 5th grade team lead, 4th grade SPED teacher, SPED coordinator, 3rd grade team lead, 4th grade team lead
Summary:
This meeting was organized to interview perspective teachers for our vacancy in Special Education for the 2014-2015 school year. There were two candidates that were on the interview agenda for the day. Each part of the interview panel had a copy of the questions that were generated earlier. The questions focused on instruction, discipline, IEP’s, parental involvement and professional development. Each team member asked a specific set of questions and took notes. The first candidate was very energetic and enthusiastic. She came with a large portfolio and documents she had created for her students. Currently, she was on a provisional and had not completed the necessary coursework to be certified. The second candidate had more experience and came with all of her information on a flash drive. After each candidate completed the interview process, we met to discuss our thoughts and feelings about the candidates and their responses.
Take Aways:
The interview process went smoothly. There are several positives I took away from the process. First, it was great to have the interview questions formulated and agreed upon by everyone prior to the interview. I also like that we were responsible for only certain sections of the interview so we could listen intently to the other areas. The questions were succinct and easy for the candidates to understand and digest. In addition, our principal asked each member if they wanted to participate in the process. It was voluntary and open to others, but it was nice that we had the flexibility and option to partake in the process or not. Finally, I enjoyed the immediate discussion and decision afterword. The information was still fresh in our minds and we were able to debrief quickly and come to a decision.
As a part of the interview panel, it is an interesting experience to be on the “other side” of the table. Both ladies were energetic and handled the questions well. But it was easy to see once we got to the second candidate that she had a lot more knowledge and experience. Her demeanor was much more confident and she was able to expand on many of the questions in greater detail. The second candidate also had an impressive background in technology and using assistive technology in the classroom with her students.
The only negative part of the process, I thought, was the lack of candidates. This is no fault of ours, but the field of qualified candidates for SPED teachers is dwindling. Although we did like the second candidate, we only had three to choose from. It would have been nice to have a larger, more diverse pool to select from, but you have to make do with what is available.
Debriefing Session:
Following the interviews, I met with my principal to discuss her initial reactions and concerns about both of the candidates. I asked her what some “flags” were for her during the interview process and how she was able to come to a decision. We discussed how the candidates answered the questions and she pointed out the differences in their responses. One had more clear-cut, definitive answers, while the other candidate kind of beat around the bush. My principal also stated that she was not usually “swayed” or impressed by people who brought a lot of artifacts or portfolios to interviews. She wants to see how they respond to questions and can communicate effectively.