**CONFERENCE CALL \-- AUGUST 23, 2005\
**

**TURNING DOUBTERS INTO BELIEVERS: CONFRONTING RESISTANCE**

**Turning Doubters into Believers: Confronting Resistance:**

Susan Pimentel discussed different ways to confront resistance in
standards-based reform. She highlighted some common responses by
resisters and provided the group with effective counter point strategies
for dealing with doubters. Susan also discussed the importance of
getting teachers and program directors involved in the standards
development process. The following is a summary of key points that arose
during the presentation. The power point slides for the conference call
are available on the Consortia Community Center.

**Turn Teachers from Doubters to Believers** *- Two points before
beginning*

\(1\) Resistance is a natural part of any change process. Welcome it,
embrace it, expect it and don't be discouraged by it. It can be
discouraging sometimes, but resistance really is a precursor to change.\
\
(2) Don't be afraid to bring some levity, laughter to the process. My
colleagues wrote "The Grinch who Loathed Standards" to bring some humor
into the process. I've read some stuff from Georgia, that had some
levity in their presentation of the standards which that really lessened
the tension.\
\
Other ways to deal with tension and resistance are....\
\
**Slide: Turn Teachers from Doubters to Believers by:**

> 1\. *Creating a safe environment for grumbling*.\
> You want your field to feel safe with you. Let them vent and speak
> honestly. You don't want them to think you're reporting on them. If
> you sense resistance, ask them what they are thinking or feeling. Body
> language and tone of voice have discouraged people. I've stopped
> meetings and said "Let's talk about this so we can get it out of the
> way." It really helps. When I'm in a room and there's a lot of
> resistance, I try to reassure them. When they bring up good points, I
> try to legitimize their upsets and their worries by saying "Yes I hear
> you, and ..." Have that kind of conversation instead of defending
> yourself the whole time. Creating a safe environment is very
> important.
>
> *2. Running Best Hopes/Worst Fears Exercises**\
> ***One of the exercises that works really well is "best hopes, worst
> fears." On two big pieces of papers, write the words "Best Hopes" and
> "Worst Fears." Ask people in the group to call out their hopes and
> fears and write them on the flipcharts. Usually, you'll see pages full
> of worst fears and a short list of hopes. Next, work with the group to
> identify ways the groups can make sure the worst fears don't happen.
> By having people name what their fears, you can talk it out to make
> sure bad things don't happen. They will feel as if they've been
> listened to and that they have some concrete ideas to help in the
> process.

3.  *Giving Teachers Time, Lots of it.\
    *It shows you're serious and allows them time to understand.
    Teachers can feel a bit overwhelmed with the idea of change.

4.  *Not Assuming---Ask Teachers What They Need\
    *Do not make assumptions. Ask teachers what they need. Ask them how
    they think it should be done. Once they become part of the solution,
    the resistance can fall away. **\
    **

5.  *Giving Teachers Something "Real" to do with the Standards\
    *Give teachers something to do with the standards whether it's
    putting together classroom activities, doing something related to
    assessment and alignment, or building curriculum. Getting them
    involved creates a sense of ownership. They become part of the
    effort. It is much harder to resist when one is part of the effort.

**Doubters to Believers continued**

6.  *Providing incentives*\
    One way to being respectful of teachers' time is to provide
    incentives. An example would be giving them release time so they can
    attend professional development to become comfortable with a
    standards-based system.

7.  *Demonstrating your Seriousness about Standards (System's Approach)\
    *They need to understand standards aren't going to just come and go.
    There are people who will wait to see the seriousness of this. They
    need to understand that this isn't just an "add-on".

8.  *Understanding "Change Theory"***\
    **I would recommend reading *Who Moved My Cheese.* It's a great book
    about change, and it's something to tell your program directors they
    can get for their teams. It helps bring people out of their
    grumpiness and move into good things.

9.  *Make sure the program director is on board.*\
    Program directors may have other priorities and may not give
    teachers time that they need unless they fully understand their role
    in the process. They set the tone. They are the leaders.

***[See handout Point/Counterpoint\
\
]{.underline}***The following are some common comments you are likely to
confront and some sample responses. The messages about resistance are
really similar. Here are a few standard responses:

*Point #1: We shouldn't have to change what we are doing. Everything is
going well.*

---Your response could be: Standards go beyond your program. We want to
codify what's going on.

*Point #2: It's going to stifle the creativity of the teachers for the
sake of accountability.*

---You can say: Standards only determine *what* to teach, not *how* to
teach. Ask them to take a look at the standards and tell you where or
how it's going to cramp the teachers' styles. Standards hold us
accountable to the learners. It's a contract with our clients, this is
what our promise is to learners, "You will be able to know and be able
to do this \_\_\_\_".

*Point \# 3: There is contradiction between standards-based and
learner-centered education.*

---One of the things you can say about that is that standards define the
skills needed to accomplish goals. There is kind of a bridge between
learner goals and the standards. The one thing that you know about adult
education is that the learners know what they want.

*Point \# 4:* Expect this one! *Now we are trying to model after -12,
but they aren't doing their job, otherwise we wouldn't have any of the
clients we have now*.

---Adult education will continue to be learner-centered. Quality
standards will include the skills that learners need to accomplish their
goals.

*Point \# 5: We have a test, now we have standards. Are we only teaching
what gets tested?*

---The assessment is a snap shot; it doesn't test everything. If you
teach to these standards, students will do well. Our instruction based
on the standards can go beyond the test items.

*Point \# 6: I only work part-time; I have no time*.

---First provide teachers time to adjust. Find out what assistance they
need (e.g., "Tell us what you need? What will work for you? How we can
best deliver assistance?")

*Point \# 7: Why do students have to learn the same stuff?*

---We really want to make sure that learners learn the skills and
knowledge that they need to know. We don't want to close doors. Not
everyone has to learn the same things.

Susan pointed out that there is some difficulty in how we present the
standards since adults will come to us with different needs and
knowledge. When you are in a standards-based education system, you can
ask learners to prioritize what they already know and what they need to
know. We need to have "checks and balances" and to ask, "Do you think
this is the right stuff?" This is true of any standards-based system.

One state said that their involvement with EFF gave them credibility
with the teachers. It was really research-based.

Susan also likes to invite folks to say, "This is why we believe in
these". Standards are not static; they are living and breathing
documents. After a few years, we'll look at the standards again.
Sometimes people will say, "Where did this come from?" Give people the
opportunity to weigh in and build ownership.

***[Return to Slides...]{.underline}***

**Introduce Program Directors to the Role of Instructional Leadership**

We've talked a lot about program directors and bringing them on board.
They are critical. One thing that needs to happen is to view program
directors as educational leaders. You can go online and find information
about educational leadership.\
\
Program directors should work with instructors to identify what their
goals are. They have to (1) create a vision and (2) translate that
vision into action and (3) allocate the resources. Ask the directors to
inventory their staff -- their goals and expectation. Ask the program
director to work with their staff as a team to plan in-service. Create a
supportive environment for purposeful engagement.

**Curriculum, Alignment and Assessment**

Give teachers time to come together around standards. Program directors
can actually teach a little. It's a good idea to have them teach and
it's a good reality check. Program directors need to meet with
instructors and make goals for the class and the year. Make sure program
directors are in and around classrooms so they can monitor what's going
on for continuous improvement.

Put incentives into place so they can be instructional leaders -- they
can mentor and coach teachers and each other. They should be a partner
in what's going on there. It helps to lower the resistance of
instructors. Understandably some program directors are busy so they
don't really get to be instructional leaders. But by opening the doors
and getting out there, they become a visible part of the system and that
makes a huge case for improving instruction.\
\
Program directors are the direct links from the instructional staff to
the state office, so it's important to give your program directors room
to "fuss or vent" as you do with instructors.

In your annual and quarterly meetings with program directors, make
instructional leadership a prominent piece. You might include
instructors and program directors in professional development on
standards. It's nice to have mix and it is real important not to leave
the program directors out -- they can clearly make it or break it with
standards. Make sure your professional development also offers some
different sessions targeted to administrators -- ask them to work on
different tasks.

**Questions and Comments**

Participant: We confronted this by having both instructors and directors
on the writing teams. That really worked for us. They were made part of
the process.

Susan: There are certain people who are likely to be resistant. Bring in
"the prickly folks" and make them part of your team. Their fear
diminishes. And they see that standards are not the "boogie man."

Participant: There's a difference between fearing resistance and actual
resistance. When we learned that there was no federal mandate for
content standards, we realized that we had some control and we could get
ahead of the curve. We could be thoughtful and collaborative on a
measured effort. We asked for opinions and gave people time to digest
the drafts. We said, "We don't have everything figured out". It allowed
people to feel as if they are part of the solution and we've gotten
really positive comments about how well we are doing.

Susan: Yes it helps immensely when you focus on collaboration,
continuous improvement, and understanding that no one has all the
answers. When you bring that message forward with the field, it's hard
for people to resist. I will leave you with a message "When I am on the
defensive, I prompt attack. When I'm not defensive, communication
happens and resistance drops."\
\
When program directors say that they need something, do everything you
can. I've had people request things that I couldn't give, but I let them
know I would check into it. It's those actions that create trust and
bring down resistance.

Participant: One of the things we've experienced is a couple of
directors who can be assets, but they act as if they were resident
experts. They have very strong opinions about standards and alignment
and seem intent on believing a certain way. We've struggled. They latch
onto philosophy and aren't very open-minded. Is there a way to involve
them so that they don't derail the process?

Susan: To the extent that you can, use their expertise. Sometimes when
people get resistant, it's because they are insecure. Honor them for
what they know and their contribution. Don't be afraid to bring them in.
Ask them for their expertise and thank them for raising questions and
issues.

Participant: We brought in people like that to review our drafts. It
worked well and we were able to find some gaps. Once they get behind the
standards, it was easier for everyone to move forward.

Susan: Part of it is asking and listening. Don't expect them to do it
overnight. There are going to be others that are thinking the same
thing, so it's good to encourage open expression and applaud it.

**Closing**

Renee- We developed management competencies for program improvement and
monitoring with Pro-Net. I will post the competencies on the website.

Participant: There's a really cute 10 minute video that goes with *Who
Moved My Cheese* that we've used at the beginning of our professional
development. We have also used the Pro-Net competencies and they have
been extremely helpful to us over time so I want to thank the developers
involved with that.

**Announcement:**

The next conference call will be held on September 20.