From Difficult Teachers . . . to Dynamic Teams

Barbara L. Brock - Creighton University, USA
Marilyn L. Grady - University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA
From Difficult Teachers . . . to Dynamic Teams
May 2009 | 176 pages | Corwin
Create Flyer

Purchase

eBook
ISBN: 9781452272191
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781412913478
Available from January 0001

Description

"This book reflects a true understanding of the different personalities administrators face and clearly outlines what each leader can do to establish a positive environment for their employees and students. This is one book no administrator should be without."
—Patricia Bowman, Retired Principal, Los Angeles Unified School District
Adjunct Professor, University of California, Los Angeles

Proven solutions for toxic behaviors!

Unconstructive staff behaviors can disrupt a thriving school environment. School leaders need positive, generative communication strategies that can defuse negativity and inspire teachers to change their behavior and become contributing members of the learning community.

From Difficult Teachers…to Dynamic Teamwork examines the underlying basis of problematic behaviors and provides proactive, proven strategies for building teamwork and a positive school culture. Leaders will discover strategies for enhancing their interpersonal skills, determining if their own behavior is contributing to the problem, and encouraging behavior change in teachers and staff. Based on interviews with more than 50 experienced principals, this valuable resource connects content to practice via:

  • Key tools, practical resources, organizational charts, and behavior assessment forms
  • Sage advice and quotations from experienced educators
  • Sample dialogues to help identify behavior challenges
  • "Take Action" sections for specific implementation strategies

Maximize the effectiveness of your staff by building a culture of shared leadership, collegiality, and teamwork!

Contents

Introduction

Introduction

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Authors

Part I. Identification and Understanding

  • 1. Understanding Difficult Teachers
  • Who Are They?
  • How Did They Get This Way?
  • What Do Difficult Teachers Want?
  • The Effects of Difficult Teachers
  • 2. Difficult Teachers, Difficult Behaviors
  • Chronic Comnplainers
  • Negative Teachers
  • Inflexible Teachers
  • Noncompliant
  • Gossipers
  • Anarchists
  • Snipers
  • Bullies
  • Noisemakers
  • Selfish Teachers

Part II. Solutions and Strategies

  • 3. Facilitating Behavior Change: Conversations, Warnings, and Improvement Plans
  • Before a Problem Occurs
  • How to Encourage Behavior Change
  • When Conversations Fail
  • 4. Am I Contributing to the Problem?
  • Why Are Some Principals "Difficult"?
  • Could Your Behavior Be Considered Difficult?
  • Fertile Ground for Difficult Teachers
  • Gender-Related Differences in Difficult Behaviors
  • Strategies for Change

Part III. Prevention

  • 5. Interpersonal Skills That Help
  • Listening to Understand
  • Speaking for Understanding
  • Body Language
  • Defusing Emotionally Charged Conversations
  • 6. Creating a Culture of Teamwork
  • Building a Positive Culture
  • Focusing on Positive Teachers
  • Creating a Spirit of Teamwork
  • Rewarding Positive People

References

References

Resources

Resources

Index

Index

Additional materials

Description

"This book reflects a true understanding of the different personalities administrators face and clearly outlines what each leader can do to establish a positive environment for their employees and students. This is one book no administrator should be without."
—Patricia Bowman, Retired Principal, Los Angeles Unified School District
Adjunct Professor, University of California, Los Angeles

Proven solutions for toxic behaviors!

Unconstructive staff behaviors can disrupt a thriving school environment. School leaders need positive, generative communication strategies that can defuse negativity and inspire teachers to change their behavior and become contributing members of the learning community.

From Difficult Teachers…to Dynamic Teamwork examines the underlying basis of problematic behaviors and provides proactive, proven strategies for building teamwork and a positive school culture. Leaders will discover strategies for enhancing their interpersonal skills, determining if their own behavior is contributing to the problem, and encouraging behavior change in teachers and staff. Based on interviews with more than 50 experienced principals, this valuable resource connects content to practice via:

  • Key tools, practical resources, organizational charts, and behavior assessment forms
  • Sage advice and quotations from experienced educators
  • Sample dialogues to help identify behavior challenges
  • "Take Action" sections for specific implementation strategies

Maximize the effectiveness of your staff by building a culture of shared leadership, collegiality, and teamwork!

Contents

Introduction

Introduction

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Authors

Part I. Identification and Understanding

  • 1. Understanding Difficult Teachers
  • Who Are They?
  • How Did They Get This Way?
  • What Do Difficult Teachers Want?
  • The Effects of Difficult Teachers
  • 2. Difficult Teachers, Difficult Behaviors
  • Chronic Comnplainers
  • Negative Teachers
  • Inflexible Teachers
  • Noncompliant
  • Gossipers
  • Anarchists
  • Snipers
  • Bullies
  • Noisemakers
  • Selfish Teachers

Part II. Solutions and Strategies

  • 3. Facilitating Behavior Change: Conversations, Warnings, and Improvement Plans
  • Before a Problem Occurs
  • How to Encourage Behavior Change
  • When Conversations Fail
  • 4. Am I Contributing to the Problem?
  • Why Are Some Principals "Difficult"?
  • Could Your Behavior Be Considered Difficult?
  • Fertile Ground for Difficult Teachers
  • Gender-Related Differences in Difficult Behaviors
  • Strategies for Change

Part III. Prevention

  • 5. Interpersonal Skills That Help
  • Listening to Understand
  • Speaking for Understanding
  • Body Language
  • Defusing Emotionally Charged Conversations
  • 6. Creating a Culture of Teamwork
  • Building a Positive Culture
  • Focusing on Positive Teachers
  • Creating a Spirit of Teamwork
  • Rewarding Positive People

References

References

Resources

Resources

Index

Index

Additional materials

SAGE Publishing Logo

From Difficult Teachers . . . to Dynamic Teams

Barbara L. Brock , Marilyn L. Grady
Cancel Print

May 2009 | 176 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 01/02/2026 9781412913478 $37.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781452272191 $35.00

"This book reflects a true understanding of the different personalities administrators face and clearly outlines what each leader can do to establish a positive environment for their employees and students. This is one book no administrator should be without."
—Patricia Bowman, Retired Principal, Los Angeles Unified School District
Adjunct Professor, University of California, Los Angeles

Proven solutions for toxic behaviors!

Unconstructive staff behaviors can disrupt a thriving school environment. School leaders need positive, generative communication strategies that can defuse negativity and inspire teachers to change their behavior and become contributing members of the learning community.

From Difficult Teachers…to Dynamic Teamwork examines the underlying basis of problematic behaviors and provides proactive, proven strategies for building teamwork and a positive school culture. Leaders will discover strategies for enhancing their interpersonal skills, determining if their own behavior is contributing to the problem, and encouraging behavior change in teachers and staff. Based on interviews with more than 50 experienced principals, this valuable resource connects content to practice via:

  • Key tools, practical resources, organizational charts, and behavior assessment forms
  • Sage advice and quotations from experienced educators
  • Sample dialogues to help identify behavior challenges
  • "Take Action" sections for specific implementation strategies

Maximize the effectiveness of your staff by building a culture of shared leadership, collegiality, and teamwork!


Table Of Contents:

  • Introduction
  • Acknowledgments
  • About the Authors
  • Part I. Identification and Understanding
  • 1. Understanding Difficult Teachers
  • Who Are They?
  • How Did They Get This Way?
  • What Do Difficult Teachers Want?
  • The Effects of Difficult Teachers
  • 2. Difficult Teachers, Difficult Behaviors
  • Chronic Comnplainers
  • Negative Teachers
  • Inflexible Teachers
  • Noncompliant
  • Gossipers
  • Anarchists
  • Snipers
  • Bullies
  • Noisemakers
  • Selfish Teachers
  • Part II. Solutions and Strategies
  • 3. Facilitating Behavior Change: Conversations, Warnings, and Improvement Plans
  • Before a Problem Occurs
  • How to Encourage Behavior Change
  • When Conversations Fail
  • 4. Am I Contributing to the Problem?
  • Why Are Some Principals "Difficult"?
  • Could Your Behavior Be Considered Difficult?
  • Fertile Ground for Difficult Teachers
  • Gender-Related Differences in Difficult Behaviors
  • Strategies for Change
  • Part III. Prevention
  • 5. Interpersonal Skills That Help
  • Listening to Understand
  • Speaking for Understanding
  • Body Language
  • Defusing Emotionally Charged Conversations
  • 6. Creating a Culture of Teamwork
  • Building a Positive Culture
  • Focusing on Positive Teachers
  • Creating a Spirit of Teamwork
  • Rewarding Positive People
  • References
  • Resources
  • Index

Recent Product Reviews:

"This should be required reading for all principals, aspiring principals, administrators, and teachers. As a principal of 28 years, I was able to identify all of the descriptors of how people function and how one could react to different styles of personal interaction. The content will resonate with principals irrespective of the type of school."
Jennifer Fraser, Principal, St Michael's Primary, Baulkham Hills, Australia
“Recently, a colleague and I attended a conference that required a lengthy drive. During the drive, I read this book out loud. We laughed, made jokes, complained, and agreed and disagreed with the authors. This entertaining book is a painless way to study a disagreeable topic. The guidance offered is easily applied to situations we face on a daily basis."
Kaye L. Peery, Superintendent, Zuni Public School District, NM
"This is one of the most interesting books I have read to date. This book absolutely fills a void in the field: how to recognize difficult behaviors in teachers and how to reshape their behaviors to help them improve their enjoyment of school and a school’s culture."
Nora G. Friedman, Principal, South Grove Elementary School, Syosset, NY
“This book reflects a true understanding of the different personalities principals and administrators face and clearly outlines what each leader can—and should—do to establish a positive, proactive environment for their employees and the students. This is one book no administrator should be without.”
Patricia Bowman, Retired Principal, Los Angeles Unified School District, Adjunct Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
"What do you do as a principal when you encounter difficult teachers? Brock and Grady deal with this problem head-on as they identify frequently troublesome behaviors, strategies that have proven successful in dealing with problems, and suggestions to help prevent these behaviors in the first place by building a positive culture of shared leadership and teamwork."
Ronald G. Joekel, Emeritus Executive Director, Phi Delta Kappa International, Emeritus Professor, University of Nebraska

Recommendations