The Teacher Performance Appraisal and Annual Learning Plan are often looked at as either a function to ‘get through’ or as a negative interaction. However, both can be used to examine and highlight teacher strengths and link them to school improvement efforts and student success. This work in strengths and mentoring can be used to make effective staffing decisions within schools.
School staffing is a widely varied exercise that is dependent on Board variables and processes as well as contractual obligations. In staffing a school, the Principal must consider Board processes, policies, and procedures as well as contractual obligations and qualifications while also ensuring that the 'right' teachers are placed in the appropriate placements in order to ensure maximum impact on student achievement and well-being.
Read and Review and Reflect on in your Comments:
- Implementation of a Strengths-Based Approach to Teaching in an Elementary School (2012) K Brownlee, E.P. Rawana, J. MacArthur
- Conversation Starters for Mentors and Mentees (2010) MOE
- The Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession
- The Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession
- Ontario Labour Relations Act
- Ontario Employment Standards Act
Please comment on/ describe how staffing is completed within your Board/School. Please include a discussion on how you would weigh student needs with procedural and contractual obligations. In what ways can you identify staff strengths and utilize them in effective placements? How can you use mentor conversations during staffing processes effectively?
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While being overseas at an International Private School with the Ontario and previously an International School with the British Columbia Curriculum offered, there are percievable differences than those onshore than there are similar practices to those also offshore.
Every year, no later than March, teachers are asked to provide insight into their intentions to return or conclude their contract/renewal for the coming year. Recruitment begins in November, interviews are usually conducted by end of December (if there is a predetermined need for specific staff within our program). Otherwise there will be initial conversations/introductions/webinars and then interviews to follow.
Our Staffing pool or draft usually begins in April (depending on the size of the staff), sometimes it may be as early as March if it is a high turnover year. In a larger setting Lead Teachers are asked consider names and current teaching assignments along with offered courses. The Lead Teachers take into account the current staff expectations, incoming staff qualifications (firstly and then their expectations) and what the precieved courses offered are for the semester. In a smaller school setting the Principal will usually refer namely to the needs of the program, being the OCT certified teachers to be strictly in OSSD credit courses versus the non-OCT teachers (but still international) placed in locally-developed, or program transfer credits.
Come June, teaching assignments end, student enrollment is continually underway, although the principal can speak to the “subject” placement of teachers, there is no certainty until August in regards to course specific assignments and class sizes (in any size of international school, there may be more certainty in a Foreign National School).
Come August, there are discussions that may occur, teachers can voice or discuss with the principal any needs or appreciable concerns. An example, a teacher who needs to participate in morning lectures between Feb and March classes, may request period 1 as spare to conduct themselves accordingly. If the Principal is willing and has the ability to understand the staff, the principal has quite a lot of pull in an International Private School regarding staffing needs, whereas in many other areas, their reach is more limited. In very rare cases, a teacher may need to take leave or may feel incapable of completing the contract, in those rare cases, a teacher may volunteer their spare/prep for compensation and teach that period so as long as they have that period off.
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