How should schools hire qualified computer science teachers?
Qualified computer science teachers are not quite as scarce as hen's teeth, nor do they grow on trees. Yet, hiring the right person for the job is essential to maintaining your school's reputation and promoting positive student outcomes.
As a rough guide, schools should follow the following steps when searching for good computer science teachers:
Define the job requirements precisely: Being as precise as possible about which specific qualifications, skills, and experience you're looking for will ensure a match between candidates' resumes and the school's expectations. Aside from saving time and effort, deciding on these parameters early on makes it much easier to choose between different applicants later.
Don't disparage informal credentials: Many of the top performers in the computer science field are wholly or primarily self-taught. Even with little practical classroom experience, some people have a natural gift for engaging with and explaining concepts to students. While accredited degrees count for a lot, you should look beyond these when qualified computer science teachers are hard to find.
Post the job opening: Two common hiring mistakes are failing to reach enough qualified candidates or being drowned in a tidal wave of unsuitable resumes. There are several popular websites where you can advertise the job opening. Don't, however, stick to only the most well-known platforms. Websites catering primarily to educators, relevant social media groups, and companies specializing in assisting newly immigrated teachers may yield fewer but higher-quality applications.
Screen applicants: Ensuring that applicants meet the defined minimum requirements is a time-consuming yet essential part of the hiring process. Some human resources software packages can partly automate this task, for example, by weeding out all resumes that don't contain essential keywords. You will also want to review cover letters, and any other materials applicants submit to ensure they are a potential fit. Ideally, you'll be left with a shortlist of between three and seven candidates.
Conduct interviews: In-person or virtual interviews allow you to get a better understanding of each candidate's teaching style, salary expectations, professional goals, and interpersonal skills. By the time you conduct these, you should already have a good idea of their qualifications and relevant experience.
Check credentials and references: Unfortunately, people often stretch the truth on their resumes – according to some HR industry sources, at least half of all Americans have done so at least once. This makes verifying their academic achievements, teaching licenses, and work history necessary. Previous employers can also provide feedback on their teaching abilities and general attitude. This is information you're unlikely to get through an interview alone.
Assess technical abilities. Depending on the job requirements, it may be necessary to test the candidates' knowledge of general computer science, network protocols, programming languages, and software development methodologies. A separate round of interviews may be required for this. You can find questionnaires and answer sheets online to test their abilities.
Evaluate teaching skills: A demonstration class is often a new hire's final hurdle. An experienced teacher, preferably teaching the same subject, will observe the candidate's classroom demeanor, way of explaining concepts, and ability to maintain discipline.
Make an offer: Once you've identified the candidate who best meets the job requirements and fits the school's needs, you must send them a formal letter outlining what remuneration package the school is prepared to offer them. Your school's salary scale may be pre-defined, so you could get creative with intangible or non-monetary benefits. You may end up having to shell out more than you'd like. Qualified computer science teachers are in perennially short supply; they're also one of the first things parents look for in a school.
Working through the above steps is time-consuming and tedious. There isn't really any better way of vetting your applicants, though. A qualified computer science teacher can equip your students with highly sought-after skills in the modern workplace. By contrast, hiring someone who doesn't work out is a colossal waste of resources.
Another hiring avenue to explore is partnering with local colleges and other educational organizations. Teachers in the final stages of their training may be happy to accept a job that starts after graduation. Such institutions may also offer abbreviated or tailored programs to upskill your existing teaching workforce.
At the end of the day, though, most schools still find it difficult to offer competitive wages, benefits, work environment, and opportunities for professional development to computer science teachers. One demonstrably effective way of attracting and retaining top candidates is simply to create a pleasant and supportive environment for all your teachers. With some luck and perseverance, you should find a computer science teacher who combines technical knowledge with a love of teaching.
2Sigma School works hard to find the best computer science teachers and practitioners and enables them to be highly effective teachers. With a strong ongoing professional development and support from a growing community of peer teachers, we create a highly diverse and inclusive environment that our educators find unique and invigorating.
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