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FAQs About The Four Domains Simplified Course for School Leaders

Are you curious about the Four Domains Simplified Course?

I know that you may have questions that you'd like answered. 🤩 So I thought I would address some of the questions that I’ve been getting about it. Here are the top questions I'm being asked. 

1. Is ‘The Four Domains Simplified’ better than ‘Help I’ve an Interview in a Week’?

In ‘Help I’ve an Interview in a Week’, I teach Looking at Our Schools through the lens of a variety of interview questions – each starting with the phrase ‘How do …

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How to Fill in an AP1 Post Application Form

How to Fill in an AP1/AP2 Post Application Form

Applying for an AP post is an important step in advancing your career in education. The application process can vary depending on the school's requirements. In this blog post, we will explore three common ways to apply for an AP1 and AP2  post, including applying through a cover letter, applying through a cover letter and CV, and submitting a standard application form created by the school/training board. We will also provide tips to make your application stand out and guide you on how to best s…

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PrincipalInterview

Questions to Ask at the End of a Principal Interview in Ireland

A successful principal interview not only involves answering questions with confidence but also asking meaningful questions at the end of the interview. This demonstrates your interest in the role, your research on the school, and your eagerness to engage with the interviewers. In this blog post, we will discuss some thought-provoking questions that you can ask at the end of a principal interview to leave a lasting impression on the hiring committee, including some additional questions to help y…

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6 unknown ways you're making a difference in school

1. As a student, I'm so happy that you listen to my news.
2. As a parent, I'm so relieved that you're noticing that my child has dyslexic tendencies. I really struggled in school.
3. As a principal, I'm grateful that you hand in your cuntas míosúil in time. I hate going looking for them
4. As a student, though I can't articulate it properly - my movement break really helps me listen better through the day.
5. As an AP post holder, I really appreciate that you're helping me with this project. Thin…

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These simple strategies will transform your leadership job application

  • Use positive words like impressive, special, support,

  • Give the results. Use the STAR technique in your job application. State what you did, break it down into the actions you did and give the result of your actions.

  • Expect that they will want to hear your best stories. (*No, they aren't judging you- you're supposed to be telling your best career stories).

  • Add your LinkedIn profile link if you're active on the platform.

  • Make your job application easy to read using headings and subheadings.

  • Remembe…

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Evidence of LAOS

What Are The Most Challenging LAOS Topics?

The main concerns in interviews that my clients have are...

  • How to answer the conflict question.
  • How to answer the challenging situation question.
  • The fact that they feel that their competition ‘is high’ for the role
  • How to answer the ‘vision’ question.

School principals can avail of coaching to help them plan their vision, to help them strengthen team dynamics, to help them reflect on how they responded to incidents of conflict or discuss challenging situations. Isn’t that cool?

Most …

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How do I answer what is your vision for the school/post of responsibility? 

My clients often find this question tricky! Why? Because they haven't taken the time to dream about the changes they could make. A great way to think about it is - If you had a magic wand and you could make changes - what would they be?

Here are some further tips: 

  • Be authentic – Think about what difference you would love to make in the school. Reflect: How would the school be different in 5 years’ time? What opportunities might the staff, pupils and community have? How would they be acting?…

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Coming across as overconfident in an interview

Coming across as overconfident in an interview

You may, like most people who are eager to make a good impression at an interview, do your best to keep your nerves under control. You want to appear confident and give the very best impression of yourself. Believe it or not, I sometimes hear from interviewers that they did not choose a certain candidate as they came across as over-confident. You may think that this is hard to believe as an interview can be a daunting prospect, but there are cases where an interviewee comes across as a bit too s…

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AP Applications: How to Prepare for Domain 2: Managing an Organisation

AP, DP and Principal Applications

The second in the series for experienced teachers applying for positions in management roles in their school or beyond - looks at how you can outline your experience managing an organisation.

If you have extensive experience behind you, over the years - you may have facilitated various initiatives, mentored many new staff in the school and adapted to many curricular changes. So, how can you succinctly and effectively communicate these management competencies i…

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Sample Questions for Domain 1  Leading Teaching and Learning

Sample Questions for Domain 1 - Leading Teaching and Learning

When preparing your application form and for interviews for management positions in primary and post-primary schools, it’s important to have examples prepared under the four domains – Leading Teaching and Learning, Managing the Organisation, Leading School Development and Developing Leadership Capacity.

The interview board will be looking for relevant, concrete examples of times that you have shown leadership qualities as evidence of your ability to perform at management level in the school. It’s…

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