Over the past six years, I have interviewed and hired a lot of edtech coaches. As the position continues to grow in schools across the country, more and more individuals are excited to transition their career from the classroom to supporting teachers. I thought I’d share some of the top things that I look for when interviewing tech coaches (beyond having a solid understanding of high quality instruction and meaningful use of technology). Below are 3 tips for an edtech coach interview. If you’re an aspiring coach, I hope they help you!
- Must have a welcoming personality! This is the most important thing that I look for. Having a welcoming, non-threatening personality is also the top request I get from district administrators when I am getting ready to place a coach in their schools. This isn’t something you will want to fake in an interview. If you get frustrated and lose your patience easily with people, a tech coach role may not be for you. On the flip side, a lot of times people try to be super professional and they don’t really let their personality show in an interview. I want to see that you are going to be able to carry on a conversation with just about anyone and put people at ease. Let your personality show!
- Have a general passion for education. I can tell in an instant when someone is just looking for a new role because they are sick of the classroom. I don’t blame anyone for being ready to move on from the classroom, but this role will require you to have a general passion for helping people and impacting students if you want to do it well. If you have become overly jaded by the bureaucracy or politics in education, this job may drive you nuts. If you are generally excited about the impact you will have on a greater scale as a tech coach, you will love it. Be sure to share stories about your passion and how you have made an impact before.
- Prove you have Grit. You will absolutely, without a doubt, need some serious grit in this role. Because tech coaches tend to be super excited about the use of technology, it can be tough to understand why anyone wouldn’t see the value in using technology. It can create a bit of a false sense of simplicity about the role. As a tech coach, you’re not only working with individual teachers in their classrooms, but you are also working to support (and a lot of times change) the culture. You’re trying to foster a growth mindset and lifelong learning with adults, who are often set in their ways. You’re working to change the systems and structures that are counterproductive to the changes that need to take place in schools. It’s hard. Really hard some days. But it is all that more rewarding! Be sure to convey that you are in it for the long haul, you understand that change takes time, and you’re ready to do what it takes.
What tips do you have for an edtech coach interview? Share in the comments below!
Tech To You Later!
-Katie, Ed.D.