In
last week’s post, we acknowledged the fact that change is a constant in
education. Let’s start out this week by listing the top eight ways
instructional leaders can increase resistance to change.
8)
Fail to be specific about a change.
7)
Fail to explain why change is needed.
6)
Don’t consult.
5)
Keep people in the dark.
4)
Create excess work pressure.
3)
Expect immediate results.
2)
Ignore resistance.
1)
Don’t deal with fears and anxieties.
Clearly,
each of these ways to increase resistance suggests the inverse action that
supports change. Let’s take a moment to reflect on those ideas. Although I’ll
talk about them generically, it might be helpful for you to read through this
list with a specific change in mind.
When
changes are imminent, it helps to be
specific about what will change. Ambivalence leads to concern and
confusion. In addition to being specific about what will change, it’s important
to highlight what will not change.
Those familiar practices provide a comfortable foundation from which change can
occur. Create a giant Venn diagram about the old way of doing something and the
new. Make sure you are clear about the similarities and differences. Then,
after some introduction to the expected change, ask teachers to do the same. As
they think through what lies in the overlap between the old and the new, they’ll
know how to focus their energy.
Another
important reminder is to create opportunities to explain the why
of a change. A three-year-old’s favorite
word is “why.” Although we gain some social morays (and unfortunately lose some
curiosity) as we mature, our minds still seek
for understanding. We will be more willing to change if we understand the purpose.
Consult
with others about the change, and schedule time for others to do so. As you
gain other perspectives, you’ll be better able to support the change process.
Recognizing the nuances of how the change is playing out in different grades or
subjects may lead to some enhancements in the change process.
Share
information about the change. If there are snafus, acknowledge them. Everyone
probably knows about it anyway, and bringing it into the light reduces the
grumbling and might lead to solutions.
Be
mindful of the extra work created by change, and do what you can to minimize
unnecessary requirements. As a coach and valued member of the leadership team,
your recommendations will hopefully be acknowledged and acted on. Clearing away
required paperwork is especially appreciated.
Acknowledge
that change takes time. It always does. Be the voice of reason pointing out
that steps are being taken in the right direction. I love the book, ish, by Peter Reynolds; the message of
this picture book is clear: It’s okay to give something a try; you don’t have
to be perfect.
Take
notice of resistance. Ignoring it won’t make it go away! Giving public voice to
criticism is likely to be more productive than letting it continue behind
closed doors. And there will likely be something learned from the discussion.
Finally,
acknowledge that change is hard. The Concerns-Based Model of teacher change*
describes very real concerns that surface during a change process. In addition
to concerns for information about the change, teachers have personal concerns
and concerns about how they will manage the new expectations. Talking about
these concerns as they arise makes the process smoother.
*Hall, G. E., & Hord, S.M. (1987). Change in schools: Facilitating the
process. Albany State
University
of New York Press.
This week, you might want to
take a look at:
This blog post about the power of pronouns when coaching:
New
picture-book biographies to shop for:
A podcast on how to use your summer to reenergize
your teaching (you might want to skip to 1:40 in the recording):
Developing guiding questions so you have a strong
plan for what to teach:
Technology
and young children: What’s the right fit?
That’s it for this week!
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