Ready to Pivot

Pivot. Once again, we’re being told to be ready to pivot.  Some of us already have. Actually, haven’t we been continually pivoting for the past two years? Or, more accurately, as educators, haven’t we been pivoting throughout our careers?
 
According to Webster, to pivot is to make a marked change. Or, taking another of the definitions, it can mean to adapt, adjust, or improve.
 
So teaching is, and has always been, about pivoting. We take advantage of that teachable moment, building on students’ interests or a spontaneous event. We notice, mid-lesson, that students aren’t getting it, and we try a different approach. We drop our plans completely when there’s a fire drill, and we pick up the pieces when we come back. Yes, teachers are good at pivoting. They do it every day.
 
Teachers are also asked to pivot every year, it seems, to try the new “best practice” or the current district focus, to use a new curriculum, a new set of standards, or a new teaching method. Yes, teachers are good at pivoting.
 
And then there’s the kind of pivot we’re hoping for in coaching – usually more subtle and hopefully more sustained, we are nevertheless asking teachers to pivot when we focus on improving instruction. We are supporting investigation of practice, supporting change, supporting becoming better each day.
 
So I’ve been thinking about what it means to pivot. What’s the process? Since it is something we do routinely AND something we might be asked to do suddenly, is there a process that can guide us? In my search to unpack the process, I created an acronym (because don’t we need one more acronym in education?  😊).  Actually, since acronyms are good mnemonic devices, it’s probably worth having one to help us think through a pivot. So here goes:
 
Probe: First, test the water. Gauge the situation.
 
Investigate: Notice and evaluate. Take time to inspect and inquire. The data you gather will guide the next step.
 
Veer: The “v” is the center of the word “pivot,” and veering is the central action in the process of pivoting. This is the actual change. This is when we vary or venture.
 
Observe: Be open to what’s happening after the change. Listen. Attend. Pause. Be present. Evaluate again.
 
Tarry: This is kind of an obscure word, but it starts with “t,” and I like it!  After we change and observe, we settle. We land. We linger for a while. Interestingly, Webster’s definition of tarry also includes: to wait in expectation. I guess even while lingering, as educators we’re always expecting the next change.
 
Whether teachers pivot big (F2F-Virtual; new writing curriculum), tweak teaching practice (more discussion, more student agency), or respond in the moment (repeat directions, add a manipulative), it helps to probe and investigate before veering, then observe after the change so they know how to tarry.
 
As coaches, we are also on our toes, prepared to pivot with the big things and the small ones. Like teachers, the venue for our work may change. We will tweak our coaching practice, and we will be responsive in the moment. As coaches, we pivot.  We do it every day.

This week, you might want to take a look at:
 
This podcast about responsiveness:
 
https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests/kevin-leander
 

Affirmation stations for staff:
 
https://blog.teachboost.com/build-a-culture-of-appreciation-with-affirmation-stations
 
 
The sound environment and brain development:
 
https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/58835/how-the-difference-between-sound-and-noise-can-influence-our-ability-to-learn
 
 
If y’all need a laugh: A 54-second “Friends” blooper about pivoting:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWruEaP4ysI
 
That’s it for this week. Happy coaching!
 
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