From Difficult Teachers . . . to Dynamic Teams

Barbara L. Brock is a professor of education at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She has held a variety of positions in education, including education department chair, director of school administration, elementary principal, and K-12 teacher. She presents nationally and internationally on topics of beginning teacher induction, leadership succession, teacher and principal burnout, and educators with disabilities. She is coauthor with Marilyn Grady of Principals in Transition: Tips for Surviving Succession, From First-Year to First-Rate: Principals Guiding New Teachers, Rekindling the Flame: Principals Combating Teacher Burnout, Avoiding Burnout: A Principal's Guide to Keeping the Fire Alive, and Launching Your First Principalship. She has published in a number of journals, including The Journal of the Mid-Western Research Association, Educational Considerations, Connections, Clearinghouse, and Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice. She received her bachelor of arts degree in art education from Briar Cliff University, a master of arts with a specialty in school administration from Creighton University, and a doctorate in administration, curriculum, and instruction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Marilyn L. Grady, is professor of educational administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). She is the author or coauthor of 23 books, including From Difficult Teachers to Dynamic Teamwork (2009) with Brock, Getting it Right from the Start (2009) with Kostelnik From First Year to First Rate (2007) with Brock, 194 High-Impact Letters for Busy Principals (2006), 20 Biggest Mistakes Principals Make and How to Avoid Them (2004) and Launching Your First Principalship (2004) with Brock. Her research areas include leadership, the principalship, and superintendent-board relations. She has more than 175 publications to her credit. She is the editor of the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership. Her editorial board service has included Educational Administration Quarterly, International Studies in Educational Administration, International Journal of Learning, Rural Educator, Journal of At-Risk Issues, Journal of School Leadership, Advancing Women in Leadership On-Line Journal, Journal for Rural School and Community Renewal, International Journal of Learning, and Journal for a Just and Caring Education. She is the recipient of the Stanley Brzezinski Research Award, NCPEA's Living Legend Award, the Donald R. and Mary Lee Swanson Award for Teaching Excellence, UNL's Distinguished Teaching Award, and UNL's Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Status of Women. Grady coordinates an annual conference on women in educational leadership that attracts national attendance and is in its 24th year. She has been an administrator in K-12 schools as well as at the college and university levels. She received her bachelor's degree in history from Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, and her doctorate in educational administration with a specialty in leadership from The Ohio State University.

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

"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 "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 "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 "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 "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