Unmistakable Impact- Partnership- Ch. 2
What causes trouble with having a helper in a partnership relationship?Effective coaching experiences are built with a foundation of partnership. As Christy has shown us Knight even describes further, 8 partnership principles that create that strong foundation. If coaches implement these principles into practice, what might cause teachers to have an issue with being helped?
The issue is just that - being helped.
Knight states 5 simple truths about helping:
1. People often do not know that they need help.
A teachers perception of instruction in the classroom may not be the same as the perception of students' or other teachers' regarding that same instruction. A teacher's experience, planning, and intentions may skew that perception somewhat.
2. If people feel "one down", they will resist help.
Adults prefer to work in relationships that are on an "even playing field". Realization is present that teams need coaches, yet the teams working together actually get the jobs done.
3. Criticism is taken personally.
We as teachers identify ourselves with the quality of work we devote ourselves to - thus there is no other way to take criticism.
4. If someone else does all the thinking for them, people will resist.
Teachers are paid for their services based on their education, experience, and expertise. Change is much more productive when the idea originates from the teacher individually.
5. People aren't motivated by other people's goals.
Well I can totally relate to everything about this post! I was at a training today conducted by our new Vice Principal and the Pearson representative and they read the teacher's manual to us! We thought we were getting training on the Common Core. I know I shut down and was insulted. Reading this post I was just thinking EXACTLY how I felt!
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how we tend to go through the same struggles as educators, yet can feel so isolated at times.
DeleteI am struggling with my issues project and thinking of these challenges even before you presented them to us. I am concerned that our teachers may not "know" their children. I have taught many of them when in K-2 and know that a large number have various cultural backgrounds, hear Spanish at home, do not live with their birth parents, etc. Yet, my survey doesn't show the results I expected. Our teachers fee that all parents have equal opportunity to be involved. Yet, most teachers continue to send home "Parent Letters." Our district's website continues to have a link"Parent Page." I have strong feelings for changing these to represent "families" not just parents since many students do not live with both birth parents and some live with a large extended family in which many people have a role in the child's education. Thank you for putting my challenges into words. I need to find a way to get the faculty and even district on board with "family involvement."
ReplyDeleteAwareness is key, you are definitely on the right track Cynthia. The teachers that don't see the obstacles that are standing in the way of family involvement for whatever reason simply "don't see". The tricky part is finding the most effective manner to get them to be aware, which is your concern. The reason it is so tricky is because lack of awareness may mean there is something personal that needs to be fixed and this can be a hard "pill to swallow". The issue is a delicate one, yet very important. It has to be handled with time, patience, care, and persistence. Many times awareness has to be allowed to be discovered individually instead of just being told. The creativity has a place in how to create opportunities for discovery to happen. Once genuine awareness is obtained, change will happen.
ReplyDelete