Blocked Progress
What seems to be blocking progress for you in another important area of coaching?
posted by Diane Starnes @ 10:56 AM
6 comments
SCRI Regional Blog
This blog is a place for SCRI coaches to come together and reflect on their practices as well as share accomplishments at their individual schools.
6 Comments:
I would definitely have to say teacher apathy. I think some of them are so overwhelmed that they just can't comprehend anything else right now and that is very unfortunate.
(Gosh--can we only list one?) At first I thought I had my admnistrator's support, but it seems lately I'm being squeezed out of everything. My principal told me in August that she wanted me to work with the 9th and 10th grade English teachers, yet I am not allowed to use professional planning time (late start for students) or our mini-professional development sessions every third Thursday of the month. My principal was supposed to work with me on demonstrating a reading strategy at each faculty meeting, but that only lasted for August and September. Since then she has been too busy to meet with me about that. Literacy was supposed to be a school-wide focus this year, but after a visit from the committee that gave us a federal grant, our focus has shifted to professional learning teams and smaller learning communities. Oh--my description of my plan that I'd like to use to work with the 9th and 10th grade English teachers does not fit the official definition of a "professional learning team," so once again--I have been declined the opportunity to work with them. They want more info about SSR--they are frustrated with the vocabulary workbooks--they want ideas and time to plan--but we are not given the time at school like we should have.
My biggest problem is the department chair of the English department to be honest. He has been extremely difficult for me to work with. He refuses to allow me to come to PEP meetings and has offered me no support whatsoever. Fortunately, a lot of the department just comes directly to me, but it's not the tone I'd like to set with new teachers.
A first year teacher just keeps saying, "I can't. I'm a crappy teacher." She keeps sabotaging herself. She'll say things like, "My kids can't do that. They won't like that book." ARRRGH!!! I try to boost her confidence, but it's not helping...
I am frustrated by a divison of traditional teachers who do not see the need to grow and change and the dynamic go getters. The division bothers me because the majority of the traditionalist who don't see a need for change are in leadership roles at my school.
I recently had a very hurtful exchange with the traditional members of the English department when I broached the subject of curriculum. They don't see a need to revise anything and the discussion moved from professional to personal. I know we have to be thick skinned in leadership roles, I just didn't see it coming from my own department!
Time has been the most frustrating thing for me this year. While the number of teachers in my building who really want my help is small, it is still a struggle to help those in meaningful ways. Sometimes it is my schedule and sometimes theirs--but it seems to always an issue. I feel like a run from the time I walk into the building until the time I leave. I am still learning to best manage the day.
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