The relationship between a teacher and principal can be polarizing at times. If your child is clashing with his teacher, your approach can go a long way toward resolving the issue. PDF Working with Difficult Parents - NAESP And chances are, you're not going to know about it. Dealing with Difficult Teachers - 3rd Edition - Todd Whitaker - Routl "When the difficult parent approaches you with the issues, always let them speak first," Wong advises. Principals trust teachers who are never stale. As long as you are a sane and goodhearted professional, it will rarely be you who brings up the first complaint about a given individual. We enable strictly necessary cookies to give you the best possible experience on Education.com. endobj mR$MJ=^8@#8E}W3E*isX? YPjnX4x*c89 endobj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 25 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 5>> Ricardo committed to periodically checking in with Gloria to assess how things were goingfirst weekly, and eventually monthly. Meador, Derrick. endobj 0000013773 00000 n Some teachers may look up to the person and even reinforce these negative behaviors. They will be much easier to deal with after they are calm. endobj 116 0 obj<>stream 36 0 obj endobj : 5 0 obj 0000012604 00000 n 2023 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. Develop team projects that need. Educators should be encouraged to learn from each other. 0000003360 00000 n part 8: general tips and guidelines DeD]P`l6XNpv>qCC>9bn1X$ i)i! d 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. Put in place positive processes to hear and evaluate your faculty's concerns as you implement any change or initiative. Confronting others, putting them on the defensive, and turning the workplace into a hostile environment. : Founder and Writer. `2pC4XZeYRrga1/kZEj n\_0.ESw[kB0HE@v4*>%D;m" NBSp}X'#x+59%k GRh{No XR[]7jO7~v{ZTz%eg4V~b@.(a w}1Yjs{?b24(A7 7 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. This book shows you how to handle staff members who: Some of these items ship sooner than the others. You cannot allow teachers to use, but, in my personal life! as an excuse. : There is nothing more damaging than a negative teacher/leader; those who constantly complain can have a crippling effect on the school. endobj . One of the nation's leading authorities on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness, Todd has written over 50 books including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Julie knew she had to address the situation quickly. b+..Jn Minimize the Number of Students Sent to the Office, 18. Or give the teacher a choice between several tasks. Experience is the greatest teacher, but soliciting simple advice can go a long ways in dealing with a difficult issue. They must be adept problem solvers who can remain calm making the best of strenuous situations. 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. Purpose. Teachers must accept suggestions from their principal and not let them fall on deaf ears. School leaders face many challenges in implementing change. xref Stop and Think Reflective Journal is the perfect resource for educators seeking to improve teaching practices and classroom management strategies. Top 6 Tips for Navigating a Problem Principal. Optional staff meetings with poor staff members can work to your favor. Appligent AppendPDF Pro 6.3 Dont want them there anyways and that is probably not worth the battle. The following are twenty-five suggestion that teachers can utilize to build a trusting relationship with their principal. I really enjoyed this book. Be careful to communicate that you care while helping the teacher stay responsible. <> 3 0 obj 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. <> You should never argue, use sarcasm, or raise your voice at a student or teacher. , ISBN-10 Citation: Whitaker, T. (2015). Develop an open communication channel to ensure that any potential underminer informs yourather than othersabout his or her concerns, no matter how unpleasant or trivial. When they are going to be gone, it is important to give notification as early as possible. 0000010250 00000 n 1 <> Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! It may make sense to have an administrator near the most difficult staff. endobj endobj Some tips on faculty meeting: Everyone should sit together at meetings. Keep a log of all conversations, the subject matters, dates, times, and . <>stream <>2]/P 14 0 R/Pg 39 0 R/S/Link>> Nine times out of 10, the child will change the story to the truth and the parents calm down and apologize." Parents, teachers, and principals today are all likely to be . Students should always be a teachers first priority. 24 0 obj How Georgia Elementary School Principals Manage Difficult Teachers Prior to moving into higher education he was a math teacher and basketball coach in Missouri. If they dont know you saw it, you may have the option not to address the behavior. <> Todd is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and emeriti professor at Indiana State University. Teachers should be experts on the standards related to what they teach. Learn strategies and techniques on dealing with difficult staff, teachers, and students from subject matter experts that will assist Early Career Principals with these challenges. I thought I was buying a new book. Something went wrong. I have seen strong relationships between teachers and principals devolve into toxic ones within the blink of an eye. If poor staff are breaking rules and other good teachers are affected by it deal with it. Use this as a rule of thumb: Teachers must initiate contact with parents before sending them to the principal (unless the event is dramatic). individual administrator. Dr. Todd Whitaker has been fortunate to be able to blend his passion with his career. We have worked with people in early- or mid-career stages who exhibit characteristics of on-the-job retirees. Not every teacher can be motivated by an appeal to his or her best self or future legacy. 0000010047 00000 n stream COVID-19 Self-Care Resources Resources for teachers, parents, and students to help deal with stress and changes during the pandemic; Social-Emotional Development Discover the importance of social-emotional learning and activities to promote empathy in the classroom; Teacher Well-being Best practices for resiliency and self-care for teachers; Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools Strategies and . We dont allow this by our students - so why should we allow our teachers to use this excuse? 5 0 obj Principal Craig Spiers 01-McEwan (Deal)-4632.qxd 4/22/2005 5:57 PM Page 4 When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Listen : In Whitaker's section, "An Ear, Not an Answer," he encourages administrators to listen to their students' parents during a discussion. If your teen is adamant about not meeting with the teacher, than step it up a notch and help your teen set up a student/teacher conference. All schools have difficult staff members. A teacher who is unwilling to open their classroom seems like they are hiding something that can lead to distrust. By Angela Watson. As an administrator, you never want a reputation for being . If you do not yet have a permanent or. Chief among these challenges is preserving a positive climate when one or several teachers are resistant or difficult. , Item Weight Principals trust teachers who are highly dependable. Whitaker does a great job in this short read providing examples and techniques for working with our most difficult teachers.. For instance, Julie, an elementary principal at a school we'll call Barton Elementary, heard from key staff members that a teacher named Stan was planning to retire at the end of the year. Todd then served as a principal at the middle school, junior high, and high school levels. Focus on supporting the teacher as long as she or he meets reasonable expectations. Principals want teachers to be independent decision makers capable of dealing with minor issues on their own. If you implement these strategies, you should have no problem standing up for yourself. Professionalism is having the ability to handle yourself in a manner that reflects positively on the school you represent. 0000004609 00000 n endstream 6@K GS4DhA9*DuBm~ ^mH&LF!ZUZY+2'TX PDF Dealing with Difficult Teachers - SCCOE endobj How Teachers Can Build a Trusting Relationship With Their Principal. 2 0 obj The teacher may brag about the fact that nobody can make him or her do anything. The Underminer: Toxic to Climate and Reform. Dealing With Difficult Teachers | Psychology Today HWF}'Gr1oAEq#N8TKdL2I`fuS.-~Hw@A !Is*%.;h)CKB9$PDn| endobj What You Need to Know as an Educator: How to Deal with a Difficult 0000001934 00000 n But, still, it would be reckless to forget about the wider school power structure and thus ignore the importance of a good relationship with an administrator. endobj Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer this morning described Sue Gray as a woman with a "formidable reputation" as he faces pressure to explain the circumstances of her job offer. Keep a log of all conversations, the subject matters, dates, times, and duration of his classroom visits. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. 28 0 obj Please try your request again later. Set goals, be straightforward, and try to give him what he seeks. 114 38 Keep it in perspective. Underminers may develop as a result of unnecessarily controlling, autocratic leadership, which gives few opportunities to positively resolve issues. Listen, everyone has stuff going on in their life. A lack of organization leads to chaos. This means that you dont need to set up a formal meeting. Develop a growth plan.