I definately look for the up to date field experience (in addition to all regulatory qualifications). We are preparing our students for entry level employment in a very competitive market. It is important for the instructor(s) to be able to provide real world knowledge/application to enhance curriculum delivery. I also look for the candidates who actually understand what it takes to be an effective instructor, so much more than simply delivering material. They have to demonstate a willingness to develop students entirely and prepare them as much as possible for success in the their chosen field.
Jay,
how do you determine if a candidate understands what it takes to be an effective instructor?
Jeffrey Schillinger
I look for a person who believes in the "horizontal" relationship, ie he does not partake in a power struggle with the students. An Instructor that has knowledge and skills, knows how to teach and also uses his intuition. We all know that even the best laid lesson plans can go out the window when questions are asked or it seems the class is not responding well to the set plan.
Knowledge in the subject they will teach, experience in the field (at least 3 years), abilities to inpart knowledge on the subject to the students and excite them to learn (attend, participate, respect instructors and other students).
Demonstrate confidence, discipline and be a caring person.
There are obviously many attributes and skills required for an instructor, however there are key attributes that seem to determine the instructors ability to be successful. Once basic requirements have been met, ie. prior education and training and demonstration of knowledge and/or skills, it has proven extremely valuable to have prospective instructors perform a mock lecture/demonstration. This has been a useful tool to determine the individuals ability to connect with students in a class room setting. Knowledge is key but being able to convey that knowledge well is an entirely separate skill set and must be evaluated.
Jonathan,
Many career college instructors do not have much formal training in instructional methodology. We usually loook for attitude and "presence" and teach them to teach.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Experience in the specific modalities that I am hiring for, a genuine passion for the work, knowledge and understanding of the "Core philosophies" that we focus on in our program and a desire to be the best instructor that they can be. I am looking for instructors that can convey to our students their love for their work through lecture, demonstrations and constructive feedback.
I am the director of education at a massage school. When performing an interview the first questions help to set the tone of the interview. I ask questions about themselves, their interests and their background prior to massage. In addition I want to see how well they articulate their personal philosophy/perspective about massage and the work that they do. This helps determine how well they communicate verbally and non-verbally. The other questions I ask have to do with why they want to work for our school, what they hope to achieve, why are they interested, what qualities does a great educator have, what experiences/attributes do they have. I am also interested in what questions they ask me about the position. I am looking for an instructor that has potential...a willingness to be part of the team, a you player not an I player, a willingness to grow and learn and someone who is passionate about being an educator who is not only inspirational but will actively engage the student in the learning process by helping them understand how this information is utilized in the big picture of massage and why it is important. Additional characteristics I am looking for are someone who is present, has a professional demeanor and is a role model for students. The second section of the interview has to do with their knowledge base, their ability to convey technical information effectively and efficiently, palpate muscles and describe how they would treat someone with a pathology in their practice. The third section of the interview has to do with how they would manage classroom situations. If interested in this candidate, I would invite the prospective person back for the second part of the interview which would consist of them teaching a subject for 15-20 minutes and the performing a hands-on assessment.
In reading other responses like doing a short interview on the phone I think this might help my process more before inviting a candidate in. E-mail, resume and written skills I do look at their skills. I recently had a inquiry about a teaching position and the prospective candidate went to corporate level to demand a response to his voicemail. Needless to say I was not impressed about how this person introduced themself while looking to find a position.
In addition to attributes of a good instructor I would include passion about teaching, have fun, ask alot of questions, who caring attitude.
Bobbe,
I agree that you can learn a lot about a potential employee from the questions they ask during an interview.
Jeffrey Schillinger
We look for candidates who have the appropriate subject matter expertise and years of experience in the field in which they will be teaching. After they meet these basic qualifications, we look for candidates who have a general love of sharing their experiences and want to give back to students. They have to be caring and insightful and have an excellent understanding and appreciation for what career colleges offer to our students. It is not necessarily a deal breaker that the candidate does not have any teaching experience. I feel it is our job to take qualified candidates and train them to be effective classroom instructors.
Michael,
Thanks for this post. What are one or two things you want your new folks to learn as they start their careers?
Jeffrey Schillinger
I agree with the motivation portion. I also look for someone who is good at assessing the students and checking for understanding.
My instructors need to still be active in their field of teaching, whether its still working in the field or a board member. They would need to be confortable in front of a group of students, and have the ability to manage the class
My faculty need to be present in their field. Either by working, writing article for magazines or attending board meetings
Passion, passion, passion. In my experience, if my instructors have a passion for the profession, that passion always translates into the research, knowledge and gained ability to present the information effectively. Because my instructors already have the knowledge base to present the information, what I want to see is that passion. That inspires students and creates a class filled with engaged learners.
Krikor,
How can you assess a potential instructor's "comfort" in front of students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
David,
Many career college faculty have knowledge of and passion for thie subject area. What do you do to help them develop effective teaching skills?
Jeffrey Schillinger
We look for instructors who are highly skilled in their field, have relevant experience and keep up with the industry's trends and latest information.
Carolyn,
What do you do to ensurre applicants with these qualities also can teach?
Jeffrey Schillinger
