Principle 6: Give Her Control
Principle 6: Give Her Control
Whatever control you can give, give.
Offer:
- "Would you rather meet in the morning or afternoon?"
- "Do you want me in the room or would you prefer I stay out this time?"
- "What would you like me to focus on when I observe?"
Sample Dialogue
> Coach: "Before we plan for next week, I wanted to check in. I know you've been teaching successfully for many years, and having someone come in can feel... complicated. I'm curious how this is feeling for you."
>
> Teacher: "I mean, I'm fine. It's just one more thing."
>
> Coach: "I get it—you're already managing so much. I want to be useful, not another thing to manage. What would actually be helpful to you right now? It doesn't have to be CS."
>
> Teacher: [Surprised] "Well, honestly, what I could use is help with my guided reading groups. I'm struggling to fit everything in."
>
> Coach: "Tell me more about what's happening with that. Maybe we can think through it together."
>
> [Later in conversation...]
>
> Coach: "Thanks for sharing that with me. I can see you're managing a lot. For CS specifically—what feels most daunting about it?"
>
> Teacher: "I just don't know this stuff. I didn't grow up with computers. And the kids know more than me."
>
> Coach: "That's really common, and honestly, it's okay for them to know more in some ways. What if we started with something where your teaching expertise matters most—like the classroom management and instruction part—and I handle the tech troubleshooting?"
Anticipating Complications
If she remains closed:
- Keep showing up consistently
- Stay warm without being pushy
- Look for any small opening
If she complains about you:
- Don't take it personally
- Understand it as part of her processing
- Continue being professional and helpful
If she says "I don't need this":
- Validate: "You've been successful for a long time"
- Explore: "What would make this worthwhile?"
- Offer alternatives: "What if we just focused on [her interest]?"
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SCENARIO 4: Technical Problems Derailing Lessons
The Situation
> "Every time this teacher tries to use Scratch, something goes wrong—devices won't load, internet crashes, students can't log in. She's becoming afraid of technology."
Diagnostic Questions
1. Pattern recognition:
- "What specifically goes wrong most often?"
- "Is it the same issue each time or different?"
- "Does this happen to other teachers in the school?"
2. Infrastructure check:
- "How old are the devices?"
- "How reliable is the WiFi?"
- "Is there IT support available?"
3. Teacher preparation:
- "Does she test the technology before lessons?"
- "Has she done the activity herself on the devices?"
- "Are there procedures for common issues?"