SCHOOL VIEWS -- Duane Dishno

As our schools approach the new millennium, there is a trend that will

unquestionably affect education in our community well into the 21st

century.

Of far more impact than a temporary Y2K problem, or technology, or any

kind of legislation, is the fact that large numbers of our teachers will

be retiring.

As baby boomers reach age 50, the teachers who taught us to read, endured

our adolescence, and guided us through high school are retiring.

So how will our school district fill the void, and what criteria will we

be using to ensure that students continue to be taught with excellence?

First of all, teacher certification today is not only more strict than in

the past, it is also becoming more standardized among the states. Great

improvements have been made in raising standards for newly licensed

teachers to make certain that they are competent and that they have

mastered their subject matter.

Second, we actively recruit excellent teachers.

We advertise through college and university placement services. Job

fairs, sponsored by colleges and universities for their education

students, provide an opportunity for prospective teachers and school

district personnel to meet and get acquainted. Placement of student

teachers in our classrooms by area universities offers an opportunity to

observe and become familiar with candidates for teaching positions. From

these contacts, we gather a pool of prospective applicants.

We know that great teachers demonstrate three important characteristics:

- They have a belief in the importance of education and teaching,

together with a strong sense of satisfaction in helping students learn.

- They understand the importance of relationships. The adage, “Students

don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” is the

creed they live by.

- They have a passion for learning and for the subject matter they teach.

They also have the ability to motivate others to love learning.

Finding these characteristics in prospective teachers is the purpose and

goal of the interview and screening process. Our district involves

teachers and administrators in this process, and incorporates thorough

reference checks.

As we make selection decisions, we look for opportunities to shape our

future by continuously imaging what we can be five to 10 years into the

future.

The best of the new teacher candidates demonstrate an early and

consistent commitment to working with children, evidence of successful

experiences working with children of different ages and in different

settings, and evidence that children have learned because of their

teaching.

Once new teachers have accepted contracts, we provide support through

mentor programs, orientation and training, and ongoing support during

their first years of teaching. The district also participates in a

program designed to guide and support new teachers through a collegial

relationship with an experienced teacher during their first two years of

teaching.

As educators, we have a continuing commitment to find the best new

teachers for the new generation of students. Our schools take the

responsibility of selecting new teachers very seriously.

We recognize that today’s decisions influence the next generation.

* DUANE DISHNO is superintendent of the Huntington Beach City School

District.