Introduction
Introduction
This paper is a summary of an interview conducted by a professional in the field. Below are each of the questions of the interview with a summary of its answers and a short explanation of the findings and lessons learned from it.
Questions and summary of the answers
1. What is your title?
2. How long have you been working for the Burke County Public School System?
The interviewee used to work for 27 years, starting as a Paraprofessional, fourth-grade teacher, Assistant Principal, and then the director position.
3. What motivated you to move from a teaching position to the administrative position?
The interviewee took administrative courses and a Master’s Degree in the field, plus another Master in educational leadership to become a better teacher. What moved her to improve her professional knowledge was to have a greater impact on students. However, it was the high school principal who asked her to apply for the position of Principal Assistant. That is how she moved from a teaching position to an administrative one.
4. What level of education and training/certification did you need for the position you have held?
The only requirement at the time was a Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. However, at the time she began her post, she also had a Master’s Degree and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership.
5. What form of training/education/certification do you need to maintain this position?
All teachers and administrators are required to keep a certain number of professional learning units or college credits yearly to keep their certificates. Changes came recently, at least in Georgia, where continual professional learning has more weight and value than short courses or one-day workshops, especially if they are not related to each other.
6. How much can someone just coming into the field expect to get paid?
All certified teaching and administrative personnel in Georgia have a salary based on a matrix (salary schedule) that takes into account two major factors. One factor is the number of years of services the other factor is the level of certification at each time. This is called the “step”. When a professional has many years of service, combined with the highest academic qualifications, he/she is placed on the highest level of the matrix. The base salary for any teacher or individual beginning in teaching with a 190-day contract and a BS would be built on this matrix is rough $34,000 per year. Each county normally has a supplement and would pay more for longer contracts or extended day contracts. However, for the position of Director of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education, a minimum requirement of years in both teaching and administration is required. For that reason, the salary supplement is much higher.
7. What are you daily primary duties, secondary?
The primary functions that were mentioned in the interview were: to oversee the programs specific to career and technical education for both High School and Middle School levels. As part of this, the position requires contacting foundations to acquire grants and financial support for the program. The management of these grants is also part of this post as to evaluate the best way of spending the funds in lines with the federal and state guidelines.
Other secondary duties include serving on various committees within the school system to assist in the operation of the day to day activities of the schools.
8. On a daily basis, what is your interaction with the students?
9. What is the age range of these children?
The age group is from 12 to 19 years old. Mostly from Middle School but also one course in each level of High School.
10. What kind of recommendations would you make to someone looking to enter this particular field of work?
The first suggestion that was given in the interview was to make sure that the expectations are realistic, with an explicit knowledge of what is expected not only as a teacher but outside the classroom. It is essential that the person looking to enters in that particular field of work understands clearly that teachers need to have continual training and know how to adapt to new situations. Another important consideration is the ethical responsibilities of working with children, regardless of the age. Finally but critical is to have a real desire to make a different in children’s lives, and not just seek to have summer’s off as most teachers and professionals in educations do.
But the most important recommendation that was given in the interview was to interact with the students whose age you are most comfortable with, and on the subject, you like the most. Trying new age groups and subjects, it is also a good idea.
11. Out of the various positions, you have held in the Education System what has been the most rewarding one?
The most rewarding job for this particular interviewee was teaching the younger children. She taught the self-contained fourth graders for many years, and she enjoyed teaching the entire grade all subjects, that means that she remained all day long with the same group. However, after reflecting on what she liked the most, and where she made a greater impact, she realised that it is in her actual position that she has a greater capacity to make a bigger difference.
For the next three questions rate on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest level.
12. How satisfied are you with your job? 9
13. How satisfied are you with the work environment? 8
14. How satisfied are you with your pay? 10
Learning Reflections
The interview made me realise that holding an educational administrative position, requires more than what appears at the start. There are many variables and factors to consider. A person holding that position needs to be aware of many distinct subjects. Developmental psychology, educational psychology, some basic counselling knowledge, management and financial experience, together with human resources are all areas where such a professional needs to learn, focus and continue training during all her/his professional period of service. IT is important also to know how to keep a good relationship not only with parents and students but also with teachers as they are the first in line interacting with students. That position also requires political and organisation knowledge as it requires to deal with foundations, governmental agencies, teachers, other educational professionals, parents and mainly teachers. Each has different needs, and the person in this position needs to see the best for each of them. Because if one of them fails, students will not receive the best they deserve to have.
I realised that to be able to handle of these variables; it is essential to have the required experience, qualification and continual training, something I was not so awarded before the interview. Professionals in these positions have a high impact in education and thus, in the future society.
But what impacted me most, and what I learned mainly from this interview was the particular need to be trained in the challenges that students and families face today. Each student arrives at the school with different backgrounds and personal circumstances. As we know fashions change always, emerging technology is at the feet of these children, and unless teachers, parents, and particularly heads of schools are aware of the challenges they are facing, they will not be able to provide the necessary tools and aids to help them grow healthy and ready for their future (Jordn et. al., 2011).
Under this light, educational psychology and developmental psychology continue are essential areas where educational authorities need to develop their knowledge. These are sectors that continue to grow in research findings and theories, and new teaching and counselling methods are developed and improve year after year to be able to tackle and solve contemporary challenges that teachers, parents and students face today. A specialist in Educational Leadership has many things on its plate, and in each of those areas are challenges, and unless a regular learning program is in place, it would be very hard to do a successful job, and thus have a positive impact on students and the community.
Educational leaders need to be continually trained in contemporary issues such as how to deal with drugs, alcohol, sexual education, and particularly with social difficulties as students come from different backgrounds and family situations (Leithwood et.al 2004).
Finally, it is essential that Educational Leaders, particularly those in administrative roles, need to be aware of career perspective and changes in the world, what businesses are looking for, political changes, academic requirements, and degree contents, to orient and provide the best advice to students. They cannot be static but require flexible and continual training.
References
Jordan, C., Orozco, E. & Averett, A. (2001). Emerging Issues in School, Family & Community Connections. SEDL-Advancing Research, Improving Education.
Leithwood, K., Seashore, K.L., Anderson, S. & Wahlstrom. (2004). Review of research How leadership influences student learning. University of Minnesota, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at The University of Toronto and The Wallace Foundation.
