Teachers: Selecting the Best for Woodstock

As a school that has been in continuous operation for 156 years, there is no question that it has been successful in rallying in times of uncertainty. Looking back over time, the school is now, by most counts, in a quite enviable situation in relation to certainty, compared to the troughs that were present in parts of the 20th century. However, Woodstock cannot rest on its laurels and there is the need for a continuous watch on government regulations and restrictions to maintain the school as a unique entity that adds value to the educational milieu in India.

One of the biggest challenges of running Woodstock as a premier educational institution is finding and keeping excellent teachers. One can have the finest of buildings, the latest equipment, and most up-to-date text books, but without the best teachers, the best of resources are mere statues of promise. One objective for the immediate future at Woodstock is keeping faculty at the school for longer periods than is currently the norm. Students have been heard to say "there is no point in getting to know Mr. Q for he will be gone in a couple of years." This is a rather short-sighted view on the part of the student but none-the-less points to a situation that must be addressed. Recruiting staff who are willing to commit to at least three years at the school is now the norm-we offer an initial three year contract. In so doing we must determine if the applicant is truly aware of the challenges of living in a remote location in a climate that can be challenging. The added value that a person might bring to the school, such as willingness to coach a team, can benefit both the applicant and the school for it gives the teacher an added interest outside of the routine of the classroom. Another challenge in recruiting teachers is to determine just how adaptable their family might be. It is all very well to be enthusiastic about living "in the foothills of the Himalayas" but unless newcomers can adapt to living in new surroundings the "glamour" of living in such a unique location soon wears thin.

First and foremost in recruiting teachers, however, is the challenge of finding dedicated teachers who are at the forefront of their profession in both pedagogical and content knowledge. At Woodstock we espouse an activity-based, interactive learning environment but finding teachers who practice what they preach is another matter. I once wrote a paper on teacher beliefs and my research informed me that the vast majority of teachers form their beliefs about teaching from what they themselves experienced as a student. Only in the rarest of cases do teachers change their beliefs. So in interviewing a teacher candidate, not only must one ask questions about how they would teach a certain topic but also how they were taught that topic at school themselves. If a candidate relates that the way they were taught was different to what they practice as a teacher, further probing is necessary to determine if they actually have changed their beliefs about teaching.

I believe that strength in subject content knowledge is an absolute must for a teacher to be able to address the needs of all students and the challenges that excellent students will present. Average is not good enough-teachers with a broad and deep knowledge in a subject are best equipped to serve a school well. Another challenge in recruiting great teachers is determining their ability to adapt to change in the classroom. Generally change is tied to beliefs, but the willingness to embrace technology, for example, is possible within ones belief system. A clue as to how adaptable a teacher might be is how proactive they have been in their own professional development. While one occasionally comes across the professional development junkie, taking courses and participating voluntarily in workshops about teaching is generally a good sign that a person is interested in thinking about different ways to approach teaching their subject.

In the decade just passed there have been hundreds of technological advances that add vibrancy to the teaching profession. Without a strong content knowledge, and without the desire to critically examine their practice, a teacher's classroom will remain static. Woodstock students deserve more and it behooves us to be rigorous in our selection process when looking to appoint teachers.

Interested in a teaching position at Woodstock? Please contact me at davidlaurenson@woodstock.ac.in

David Laurenson, Ph.D.