Due to expansion in No Limits I needed to appoint a new Programme Coordinator (Front Line Manager). Recognising a great deal of skill and potential within the staff team, I decided to advertise this position internally. I carefully considered the qualities that would bring success to the role, and prepared an interview process that would really test applicant’s skills.
A key competency would be the ability to role model great teaching. So with the help of local managers we enlisted a group of willing learners to participate in the interviews. Candidates were given the task of facilitating a 20 minute teaching session on a subject of their choice. They were evaluated on:
- Planning skills
- Quality of resources
- Assessment for learning
- Great Interactions
All candidates delivered their sessions in an exemplary manner. The quality of interactions was second to none. Everybody brought excellent resources to support communication and understanding (including a real live guinea pig!). Most importantly learners were actively engaged in the sessions and had lots of fun.
The candidates showed enormous creativity, embedding literacy, numeracy and ICT into sessions that involved a range of activities; from making cloud dough with Danny, an eight year old, to preparing a fruit salad with teen aged Joel. Candidates assessed learning by observing and reflecting on what worked well, adjusting their approach where necessary.
From my perspective as appointing officer, this activity complimented and enhanced the interview process. One can assess an individuals’ potential to be a good people manager by formal questioning, but I also needed to be confident about role modelling ability. By involving learners in this way, I could be certain that I had made a sound decision, all the more so because it had been endorsed by people we support.
Rachelle Russell
Head of Operations
MacIntyre, No Limits
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