Teacher Hiring, Classroom Numbers, and Other Stuff

With Maricopa Christian Academy being my third school, I plan on being even more particular in my criteria for who I hire. It should make a big difference in the quality of people I hire to instruct and ensure the safety of our students.

The obvious first criteria is the teacher must be a Christian. Someone who understands it was Christ alone their salvation relies on. Faith alone. This Christian teacher must be an active member of a church. Being accountable and supporting other Christians is how Christ set-up his church.

The teacher must have a college degree, just not in education. A college degree implies some general knowledge of basic liberal arts skills. People with education degrees as a strong general rule have a very difficult time with looking at a student as an individual learner with individual needs.

This future teacher has to have a strong work ethic. I need each teacher to set an example for his students.

New teachers will as a general rule have smaller class sizes. It usually takes about three years for a teacher to begin to understand my teaching expectations and to be comfortable with those expectations. While an experienced teacher may have seventeen students and ask for more, a new teacher may only instruct thirteen students and feel quite challenged with that.

Our teachers need to be people who like people. It is very important to have teachers who accept the idea we are all unique creatures made in the image of God with different experiences, bachgrounds and hopes.

I don't hire the best looking teachers necessarily or the most athletic. But the excellent character, knowledge, stamina, love and faith of the person who spends a lot of time with your child and represents my school and God is the teacher I hire.