Interview+Questions

**__Style__** **What would you say was your leadership style?**  >  >  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">**How do you prioritize your duties?** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif"> > <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">**__<span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif"> Goals __** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">**What one piece of advice you recieved has been the most important?** > <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif"> > <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">mainly the idea of 'pressure and support' suggested by Fullan
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">trying to develop a sense of urgency and intrinsic pressure while giving teachers all the support they need
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">establishing a vision for the district and/or department using a combination of best practices, discussion with teachers to establish their needs, state requirements, community needs etc.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">challenging people outside their comfort zone
 * What series of beliefs that you base all your tough decisions around?**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">a lot of work needs to be done before tough decisions are made. Lots of 1 on 1 conversations with teachers and department heads, relying on their expertise in their subject areas, picking peoples brains, getting perspectives, asking for feedback from other administrators, talking to teachers, generally collecting as much info as possible, and ultimately making the decision based on whats best for the students and teachers
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">need to generate a big picture which is then moulded and modified after that. The decisions and the movement forward needs to be discussed with teachers in the form of 'how can it work for you, how does it make sense for you?'
 * How can supervisors move away from being just managers and towards being leaders?**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">'perception is reality', so supervisors have to be visible, need to be in the schools and showing people that they care, talking to staff, taking care of their needs, presenting a positive, enthusiastic front, asking 'what can I do to help you?'
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">management duties and paperwork can often be done at home
 * What are the most important qualities/skills you think a supervisor should possess?**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">openess, ease of communication, desire to help,
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">don't see myself as a supervisor, I just have a job to do like everyone else, and part of my job is to help other people not hinder them,
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">comfort with the process of getting in and working with people and showing them your character, sitting down and listening not imposing as an authority figure, being part of the process not an external observer
 * __Job Strategies__**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">state testing material unfortunately has the highest priority and everything stops for that. You have no options but to follow state guidelines
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">it is the most 'unchild centered' and an omnipresent stressor in the back of the mind
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">everyday there is a long list of things that need doing, and some days nothing is done!
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">can't work as far in advance as I would like and sometimes I have to fly by the seat of pants,
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">free time, if any, is spent preparing for up coming concerns
 * How would you spend a free day which you had no other pressing obligations in the district?**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">in the schools talking and visiting the teachers, watching the students engaged in the learning
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">but always need to be in communication with secretary in case of emergencies, can't let issues get to a crisis level so they need to be dealt with quickly, also need to deal with 40-50 emails a day,
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">job includes staying in contact during vacation so I don't have to undo wrong decisions on return, undoing is very difficult
 * How do you deal with conflict between you and other teachers or within your department?**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">conflict is omnipresent, there are always people with different ideas on the vision and of student achivement,
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">principal's major concern is to manager their building and to support their teachers, and this is sometimes in conflict with the supervisors vision so supervisors need to communicate, bring everyone together, get on the phone, work like a politician, get 1 on 1 with principals
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">supervisors need to provide flexible support and provide people with the opportunity to meet the vision in which ever way they can
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">ultimately teachers and administrators are responsible for active compliance of the district vision
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">sometimes there is a need for differentiated conflict resolution, and a shifting the process
 * What would you like to accomplish as a supervisor but haven't yet?**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">we are moving forward but we are not completly there yet. I would like to get more technology for those who want it, develop a better way of allocating the money and sorting it our
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">continue to work on how to keep supporting teachers
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">more differentiated reading assessments at the elementary schools
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">more workshops conducted by the teachers, for the teachers based on their needs
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">more students centered evaluations, evaluating teachers on what the students are doing
 * __Advice__**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">'perception is reality' so you really do need to be in the trenches with the teachers
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">don't ask teachers to do something you are not prepared to do yourself
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">you have to work harder than anyone else you are supervising
 * What did you not learn during your supervisory training that you wished you had?**
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">nothing conceptual can really prepare for the authentic experiece
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">in the real world, in a new job, in a new district everyone tests the limits, teachers, parents, other administrators so there is a real importance in the 1 on 1 communication
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">how to be a facilitator <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">
 * If you could do anything differently in your job what would it be?** <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia, serif">not having to implement something you don't agree with, something you feel is wrong, because its the party line.