Is the faculty in your school surviving or thriving? When it comes to lesson observations or appraisals, do your teachers find their emotions running high as they go into fight or flight mode? Under the traditional model, teachers feel their every word and action is being judged as school administrators and may feel threatened. This means that they are unable to decide whether to fight or fly, and this paralysis only adds to their anxiety. 

Or have you spent time building relationships with teachers to facilitate the integration of observations into a positive development plan? Sitting down with teachers to discuss goals and clearly explain the role of observations in their holistic development contributes to building trust. This, in turn, provides teachers with the sense of security they need to be open to opportunities for growth (per Kaufman’s Sailboat of Needs).

Plotting a course is far easier when you have an idea of the waters. Lack of clarity around observations can be stressful for all parties:

• The principal wants to ensure consistent quality, but is wary of giving into a perceived need for conformity
• The teacher wants to show they can do the job
• Students may wonder why their teacher is being observed and may wonder if there is a problem.

As we move beyond instructional coaching and coach a collective leadership model, we facilitate sense-making for all parties so that they can buy into the school culture, present and future, and feel engaged in this move forward. 

Pause for Reflection

• What steps can we take to move beyond a directive, goal-driven coaching approach to one that fosters collective leadership and innovation within our teaching teams?