The impact of current hiring criteria and practices on the performance of catholic schools:towards a more effective hiring model

النوع : Mémoire

The purpose of this study is to describe the hiring practices used by Catholic school principals in Lebanon and to compare the components to what research indicates as effective practice. This study also examines the criteria that principals most often utilize when making teacher-hiring decisions. Four research questions were developed based on a review of the literature. A mixed-method approach was used to address the research questions. The sample was purposefully selected using maximum variation. The researcher interviewed ten principals. Principals also completed a survey with questions based on the related literature to quantify the desired target areas focusing on criteria and strategies used in the teacher-hiring process. Based on an analysis of the data, the researcher came to six conclusions. First, principals played a major role in teacher hiring and the amount of training in hiring varied from principal to principal but was insufficient. Second, all of the principals relied on at least one other person when making their decisions. Third, all of the principals had a process in place to select and hire teachers but procedural guidelines were scarce and there was no formal systematic method of candidate evaluation. Fourth, the use of written guidelines, rubrics and rating scales was absent. Fifth, participants utilized a number of different criteria to evaluate teacher candidates but these criteria were developed informally, and there appeared to be no evidence that any criteria were written, shared or consistently used. Sixth, additional research to investigate hiring procedures used by principals is needed. Suggestions for further research were offered as well as recommendations to administrators for creating a strategy and a systemic process for recruiting, hiring, and retaining high-quality teachers.