https://www.thoughtco.com/dealing-with-a-problem-principal-2081939 (accessed May 1, 2023). Dont want them there anyways and that is probably not worth the battle. These leaders have overcome four challenges that frequently frustrate the efforts and good intentions of leaders in more typical public schools. Principals trust teachers who are highly prepared. endobj Focus on supporting the teacher as long as she or he meets reasonable expectations. If it becomes clear that your principal is overstepping his bounds or preventing you from properly performing your teaching duties, consider talking to your union representative. endstream endobj 115 0 obj<> endobj 117 0 obj<> endobj 118 0 obj<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/ExtGState<>>> endobj 119 0 obj<> endobj 120 0 obj<> endobj 121 0 obj<> endobj 122 0 obj<> endobj 123 0 obj<> endobj 124 0 obj[/Separation/PANTONE#20464#20U/DeviceCMYK 146 0 R] endobj 125 0 obj[/Separation/PANTONE#20282#20U/DeviceCMYK 147 0 R] endobj 126 0 obj<> endobj 127 0 obj<> endobj 128 0 obj<> endobj 129 0 obj<> endobj 130 0 obj<>stream endobj Principals trust teachers who proactively report a mistake. As a result, Julie kept this teacher productive and engaged until he left. Develop team projects that need. Difficult, ineffective and damaging teachers are the scourge of education and provide much fodder for those who seek to bash education. 0000002871 00000 n Principals trust teachers who put their students first. 0000026008 00000 n Beth Lewis has a B.A. A good teacher is continuously evaluating, tweaking, and changing what they are doing in their classroom. Collaboration is a weapon for teacher improvement. 0000003427 00000 n Let them know that you are in charge and that it is your job to discipline them if they make a mistake. By mid-year, the principal becomes frustrated that more teachers are not helping to monitor hallway traffic. Dealing With Difficult Teachers provides tips and strategies to help school leaders improve, neutralize, or eliminate resistant and negative teachers who--- gossip in the teacher's lounge;--- consistently say it won't work when any new idea is suggested;--- send an excessive number of students to your office for disciplinary reasons; endobj Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web. Reviewed by William Evans. Never say that you want the resister to resign (although deep down you might like this to happen). Organization allows a teacher to accomplish more on a day-to-day basis and minimizes disruptions in the classroom. 1 The funny thing is that it was usually over some petty matter or a product of miscommunication. 0000109011 00000 n HWF}'Gr1oAEq#N8TKdL2I`fuS.-~Hw@A !Is*%.;h)CKB9$PDn| Principals often lose countless hours dealing with these employees and then find nothing has improved. : xZnH}7G i6ZZb`. 3 0 obj endstream This was a very good read. Learn about your protected rights and make a plan with the union rep to clear the air and come to a new understanding with the administrator. If a teacher yells at a student consider using this phrase: Are you ok? endobj 2 0 obj 0000090493 00000 n I have seen strong relationships between teachers and principals devolve into toxic ones within the blink of an eye. Keep it focused on building up the positive aspects of the employee rather than making it a punitive, experience. Use this as a rule of thumb: Teachers must initiate contact with parents before sending them to the principal (unless the event is dramatic). Working with difficult and resistant staff members is unavoidable if you want to make long-lasting school changes. "How Teachers Can Build a Trusting Relationship With Their Principal." Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2013. Dr. Todd Whitaker has been fortunate to be able to blend his passion with his career. Lewis, Beth. Julie knew Stan was a likeable, persuasive person who appreciated getting attention from leading others. Once we close the classroom door, we're in our own little worlds, rulers of our domains, and completely in control of how our day progresses overall. Use peer pressure to engage the employee. Lewis, Beth. A great read for administrator leadership teams to inspire and change school culture a definite professional read to add to your resource library, Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2014. Sometimes, teens just need someone to break the ice . 114 0 obj<> endobj 29 0 obj Such an attitude isn't restricted to senior staff members. An underminer works behind the scenes to weaken your leadership by fabricating or exaggerating negative aspects about you or the change you are implementing. part 2: motivating difficult teachers. endobj Julie was ready to build on this answer. 3. 2023 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. <> A group of covert resisters may develop. Underminers may actively work to slow or stop a change or intervention, such as by complaining to school board members, recruiting others to resist or complain, or half-heartedly implementing the change and then saying "I told you this wouldn't work." Remember, its not your fault, and everyone, even principals, must face the consequences of their actions. Prior to moving into higher education he was a math teacher and basketball coach in Missouri. An underminer can equally damage school climate and culture by. Therefore this piece provides tips for surviving the work place as you continue to invest in the lives of students. Must always look to reduce the power of negative teacher-leaders without losing the credibility of your staff; Negative leaders will almost always instinctively disagree with a new idea. All teachers must be able to communicate effectively with the parents of their students. 2022-03-07T13:36:08-08:00 Something went wrong. 0000015385 00000 n The purpose of this paper is to investigate the ways in which elementary school principals in Israel deal with teachers who are "challenging" in their behaviour, that is those who are perceived as underperforming. Keep it in perspective. Leadership can mean taking the initiative to fill an area of need. No teacher should attempt to tackle a problem alone. But mostly, we're the only adult around for five to six hours a day. If your child is clashing with his teacher, your approach can go a long way toward resolving the issue. Dealing with difficult teachers. The principal should be utilized as a last resort for minor classroom issues. Principals trust teachers who complete projects or tasks quickly and efficiently. endobj Principals want teachers to be independent decision makers capable of dealing with minor issues on their own. A teacher who is unwilling to open their classroom seems like they are hiding something that can lead to distrust. Solution: Let employees know you are interested in working with them in the long run for the good of the school. Sold by markable and ships from Amazon Fulfillment. We can imagine the reaction. Learning how to deal well with conflict and difficult people is a vital life skill that can support you to be a powerful, conscious and compassionate human being. | Try Prime for unlimited fast, free shipping, Previous page of related Sponsored Products. How Teachers Can Build a Trusting Relationship With Their Principal. Here are some strategies that you can use to deal with a difficult principal. In the end, the labor it takes to successfully deal with resisters will pay offin accomplishing your goals and attaining a positive working culture. xb```f``)g`c`bd@ AGx4QAAAc8F*|27<>PuAA\tEwjI5`]58z+uq4Y)5u{H2l( l]1=BFGe^TM-K\vIUQ!~ORK*?GP8Spd;ME'M{IP_@-S^e%Ql)!6dx_$MG0N*/"VYlAGIe8h$o|@@Dbi8='rr`XTf3i?aJ2G~B(k^2Nph4 Ag M It is time to use restorative justice practices to meet the needs of today's students now. The relationship between a teacher and principal can be polarizing at times. Challenge #1: Promoting A Compelling "Why" If school. 15 0 obj "Top 6 Tips for Navigating a Problem Principal." Teachers must figure out a way to implement resources that are made available to them. 13 0 obj 1. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. endobj It looks much better when you own up to the mistake instead of waiting to be caught or reported. Instead, go to them on their turn and present your concern. There . Teachers must accept suggestions from their principal and not let them fall on deaf ears. Principals trust teachers who love their jobs and are excited about coming to work each day. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average. 0000015332 00000 n endobj Teachers must embrace this to improve and help others improve for the benefit of every student in the school. His website is www.ToddWhitaker.com and his Twitter handle is @ToddWhitaker. "What makes Colleyville unique . Add a responsibility that requires a similar time commitment but would interest the teacher more. Take steps to open the lines of communication, and build a healthy reciprocal relationship with your principal. A lack of preparation will diminish the overall quality of the lesson and will hinder student learning. If you implement these strategies, you should have no problem standing up for yourself. % xWnF+xL{ a@")d nBp{OMHEI]4GdOOUuuf[QU7w__+VE.]iTW8JWL}|RX|? 0000010250 00000 n Offer a trade-off; get the employee to agree to continue to engage with efforts toward reform in exchange for a reduction of some other responsibility that it may be fine to take a break from (such as bus duty). &G ddbV5~zgsKsEhlqY2HC+D:g%+%&&lv-!b=Kq1W %N.7Fx`swJ6>s2^93Fio;JW@_m 2zBz5IzDnV7)6IP]ZxP}CD38e=B1P'76J[x{^||VxKdy#I,o tYS7 oTu3~hmsjS}sdox;vQotrau0U+HUVcZ^A%EWfe:EWiL;PYxP{qE' 5Q!Rk5~>~oK:R0R~JwC\Abm hB ^Qti(]YxEE+,HdVo[4uy|}3z^D;Vt(.Vv")N#*z exup. R (.^qQB(#+.#+.|^m/ C 0000092312 00000 n Every principal and employer will deal with difficult employees at some point. Some teachers may look up to the person and even reinforce these negative behaviors. Keep a log of all conversations, the subject matters, dates, times, and duration of his classroom visits. 2 Each type presents its own threat to school climate and culture. 0000010047 00000 n 52 0 obj Teachers should maintain a positive attitudethere are definite rough days and sometimes it is difficult to keep a positive approach, but continuous negativity will impact the job that you are doing which ultimately has a negative impact on the students you teach. Pair the on-the-job retiree with a younger teacher, sharing with each what you want them to gain from the relationship. What can you do when teachers undermine your leadership efforts and threaten your school's reform efforts? By mid-year, the principal becomes frustrated that more teachers are not helping to monitor hallway traffic. They want teachers who seek out professional development opportunities to better themselves. Principals trust teachers who can handle classroom management. trailer As an aspiring administrator it gave me a lot of food for thought. In schools we've led and in our work supporting principals, we've identified strategies anyone can use to deal with difficult and resistant staff members while maintaining a healthy school climate. endobj Underminers may develop as a result of unnecessarily controlling, autocratic leadership, which gives few opportunities to positively resolve issues. Teachers cannot be rigid in their approach. If you let people know you're really interested in listening to their complaints or worries and using their perspective to guide change, they'll be more willing to share with you. Bookmark this to easily find it later. stream What Educators Need to Know: How to Deal With a Difficult Principal, Your school principal serves as an immediate supervisor. The opinions expressed in Education Futures: Emerging Trends in K-12 are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications. Nothing lasts forever and your goal must be professional, sane, and calm. If a teacher realizes that you are aware of an inappropriate behavior, you must have dialogue regarding the behavior. - send an excessive number of student to your office for disciplinary reasons. Overbearing and micromanaging parents can be incredibly stressful to work with, so here are some mindset shifts that will help protect your energy. Then send your curated collection to your children, or put together your own custom lesson plan. conference with you, the parents, and the child's teachers and begin by asking the child to repeat what he told his par-ents. When you confront a covert complainer, he or she will often deny any negative feelings or actions. Lewis, Beth. He was also a middle school coordinator in charge of staffing, curriculum, and technology for the opening of new middle schools. Chances are, the union rep will already have fielded other complaints about this administrator. It's a lesson you learned early on in life, but the lesson totally works here. She scheduled a meeting with Stan and took the bull by the horns: When Julie and Stan met again, Stan reported that he wanted to leave a positive legacy at Barton Elementary. <> If you are not satisfied with this course of action, perhaps you should report the principals actions to someone further up the chain of command, but make sure you have done your part by having a heart-to-heart with your principal. Meador, Derrick. xXj1}7F7y`h%nX'!Csk{r&9#8*NN/:=gl_ -IBRiNI@YmDS{^\Xs9 K endobj I think principals will find it liberating to learn that they can make headway in turning around resistant staff. Use open-ended or probing questions to gain more details. Put in place positive processes to hear and evaluate your faculty's concerns as you implement any change or initiative. 0000068923 00000 n 0000001934 00000 n What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? <> Other titles include: Shifting The Monkey, Your First Year, Dealing With Difficult Teachers, 10 Minute Inservice, The Ball, What Great Principals Do Differently, Motivating & Inspiring Teachers, and Dealing With Difficult Parents. <> - consistently say "it won't work" when any new idea is suggested. Their mother might be sick. endobj Try to fly under the radar and just make it through his tenure at your school. In Dealing with Difficult Teachers, Todd Whitaker provides school administrators with a new approach to improve the culture or environment in their schools.For Whitaker, dealing with a difficult teacher is more than just removing them from the equation, and he suggests other options to transform the culture within a school. Never address the inappropriate actions of one to the entire group. xVj@}d]AHqM #9r}iwVv%[T ]gsfp}}5?1ir qiir &%4}O~ccqLYXDX \qAIJa$, Take Suggestions and Apply Them to Your Classroom, 20. Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2014. Here are some expert tips for when you encounter a pesky problem. Every school has multiple areas of in which teachers are needed to help out. 9 0 obj 0000001056 00000 n If poor staff leave for the day early LET THEM GO! Stop and Think Reflective Journal is the perfect resource for educators seeking to improve teaching practices and classroom management strategies. <>stream But if the underminer senses a critical mass of support, he or she may be very open about opposing you. Look for the following characteristics: The teacher openly states that he or she is leaving at the end of the year and has decided to "coast out" this time. <> When you are preparing to have a difficult conversation with a teacher,, approach them when they are off guard instead of giving them time to plan and react. Todd is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and emeriti professor at Indiana State University. If the problem does not improve over time with mediation and patience, then you can always request a transfer to another campus. The first, and best, piece of advice on how to deal with difficult parents and principals as a PTO leader is plain and simple: be kind. You may notice that. xUMk@hB!vZZhCmdKPK`;AJDE 33\_/WonvM,iy] pqr&!M8>Mf0irpw``gSy&g. They expect their teachers to follow all reporting and departure procedures. You should never argue, use sarcasm, or raise your voice at a student or teacher. When they are going to be gone, it is important to give notification as early as possible. School Shootings This Year: How Many and Where, Kids' Declining Mental Health Is the 'Crisis of Our Time,' Surgeon General Says. Teachers pull the memo out of their mailboxes and immediately salute the piece of paper it is on and think to themselves, "Yes sir, just let me difficult at one time or another. "How Teachers Can Build a Trusting Relationship With Their Principal." endobj z{HfUf^>JjvN*Ur,k"P,nMteE+v7M~;i=ne$RvIPbP8Vbj=oiOw2zdYY$-Z|~r_E!rv`Bx~xb7x2v\aXm5X/1\-2*Nv 9l89mXMS$3}/{_BKXQEnowjbpHz>X-i{&Kw? Life is good and there's nothing better than a kind and, If your relationship is going well but you've noticed that many other. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/build-a-trusting-relationship-with-their-principal-3194349. Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. A teacher must also recognize the value in building a trusting relationship with their principal. <> (62) In Stock. ThoughtCo. <>2]/P 14 0 R/Pg 39 0 R/S/Link>> endobj "Top 6 Tips for Navigating a Problem Principal." 30 0 obj 2022-03-07T13:36:08-08:00 Teachers must be able to move students from one academic level to another. Purchasing decisions are not taken lightly and are made to enhance the classroom. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> Consistently from book to book, Whitaker delivers essential survival tips for all leaders in education with his no-nonsense approach; Dealing with Difficult Teachers is another winner from Whitaker's collection. The situation can quickly get out of control.
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