What+to+look+for?

As a principal I have the opportunity of opening my school environment to local colleges and universities for students teachers. It is so interesting to see students teachers entering the classroom so eager and absorbant. I recently meet with a College Advisor that asked me if I could meet with a group of student teachers to share what qualities and attributes principals look for when hiring new teachers. Wow, what a loaded question. In North Carolina we have recently adopted a new [|teacher evaluation tool]that outlines in detail what is expected of a of a 21st century teacher. The tool is used to evaluate teachers in stages of development so that teachers can plan professional goals for themselves in order to continue growing as an educator and a professional. Of course as a prinicpal I look for teachers that can articulate and demonstrate how they can meet some of the required expecations outlined in the teacher evaluation tool. So I thought this would be a good topic to get other principals to share their thoughts about. [|Todd Whitaker]the author of **//"What Great Principals Do Differently"//** and **//"What Great Teachers Do Differently"//** is my inspiration for this wiki.

= "What Principals Look for in Great New Teachers" = These are just my thought and suggestions for new teachers. I invite principals, assistant principals, directors and instructors to share what they feel principals look for in when interviewing new teachers for hire. Please post your discussion to the blog
 * = **Professionalism** || Teaching is an honorable profession that should be treated as such. People will treat you as a professional when you behave like a profession, dress like a profession, and speak like a profession.Principals look for teachers that are dependable and reliable. Teachers that are accountable for their actions and can use good professional judgement are seriously considered for employment. ||
 * = **Knowledge of Content** || Teachers that can demonstrate a clear understanding of content material are teachers that can deliver the content to students in a which that students grasp understanding. Teachers can develop and deepen students' understanding of material in a way that encourage and promotes critical thinking in students are teachers that can teach. Teaching is all about knowing the content well enough to make connections across content areas, to enrich the curriculum, to provide rigor and differention in order to meet the needs of students at all levels of development. ||
 * = **Relationship Builders** || Being able to build positive relationships is an essential character trait for teacher to possses. New teachers must be careful about being too friendly or too stern. A good relationship between teacher and students is about mutual respect. Students respect teachers that they view as fair and consistant. Building good relationships with parents is about building trust. Parents want to to know if they can trust you to do what is right and best for their child. New teachers must learn to build strong positive relationship with their colleagues, because there will be times where new teachers will need to seek assitance, support, and comfort from fellow teachers. They must also be willling to do the same in return. ||
 * = **Leaders** || New teachers are understandably overwhelmed by the layers of responsibilty they are faced with their first few years. Yet, so teachers are able to take show intiative, be creative, step outside the box and try unconvential nontraditional method of effective teaching practice and strategies. Prinipals look of teachers that encourage their peers to do the samething. Teachers that use the school as their classroom are considered teacher leaders. The teachers that embrace the realism all students as their students, and the are responsible for the success of them all are true teacher leaders. ||