Behind the Magic: Exploring the Process Behind Hiring the Right Teacher

• In Event: Getting Ready for Post-Pandemic Classrooms: Insights on the Hiring and Training of Teachers

Abstract

Few researchers crystalized the methods of Black teaching, and fewer have attempted to understand the recruitment and hiring process to fit the needs of Black students. At the intersection of business and research is the lean launch pad philosophy and NSF ICORPs. Here, researchers engaged in a design thinking process geared towards building a tool that assesses the extent to which prospective teachers espouse mindsets and beliefs grounded in Black teaching pedagogies. Researchers test three hypotheses: 1) Principals and HR professionals do not objectively assess teacher mindsets about Black children or underserved children; 2) Principals at public schools rely on intuition to identify candidates that will impact Black student outcomes; and 3) District HR professionals purchase technology and resources for hiring.

Authors

• Ashley R. Griffin, Bowie State University

• R. Davis Dixon, Hampton University