Chapter 8 - Directive Control Behaviors Pamela Bailey

Scenario:

As the instructional leader in your building you were doing a “drive by” and heard a great deal of chaos in one of the classrooms. When you enter the room the first thing you notice is students are everywhere, foul language being said by many, teacher is leaning on a podium at the front of the room just watching the students, and a collaborative teacher was with a group of students and was as loud as the rest. The teacher nods and comes up to you and states that the students are finishing up a warmup that they had been working on for 10 minutes. You notice that student papers are blank. Within a fifteen minute timespan, three disagreements between different sets of students escalated to threats of fights. After talking to a few of the students you realize by their remarks that the teacher has lost control of the class, students are not completing assignments because “the teacher never looks at them and will never know if we do them or not”. After class you speak to the teacher and ask for their reflection of the class. The response from the teacher is that the students do not want to be in school and that the class was reflective of a typical day. You share your concerns and ask the teacher to come up with a plan of action and set a date to discuss its’ implementation.

On the day of the planned meeting you are to meet the teacher in the classroom to discuss the action plan and implementation. The teacher arrives late and has not developed a plan. The excuses range from “there is nothing I can do, they are what they are”, “the students are going to fight no matter what I do”, “they could care less what I say”….. In other words, one excuse after another.

What are you, as the instructional leader, going to do?

History of Overreliance on Control

· Strongly disagree with using directive control behaviors with all teachers and in all situations.

· Directive Control should be used when all other methods have been eliminated.

When to Use Directive Control Behaviors

· Teacher functioning level very low developmentally

· Teacher lacks awareness, knowledge, or tendency to act on issues that are critical to students, other teachers, the school, or the community.

· Teacher will not be the individual held accountable or be involved in dealing with the issue.

· Teacher is not concerned with resolving an issue which a supervisor deems important.

· In emergencies.

Moving from Directive Control toward Directive Informational Behaviors

· Supervisors may need to calm down a situation however they also need to progress toward Directive Informational behaviors with the teacher to encourage professional growth.

· Supervisor may use “restricted choice” to begin encouraging the teacher on a positive path of growth.

· Restricted Choice – Supervisor mandates an instructional goal but permits the teacher to select from 2/3 specific paths that are clearly defined.

Critical Reflection on Directive Control Supervision

· Reflection should occur during and after the usage of Directive Control.

· Questions to consider:

Ø Does the situation require implementation of Directive Control?

Ø Is the teacher at a stage that is developmentally low as to warrant Directive Control?

Ø What are the long-term effects of using Directive Control on the professional relationship?

Ø Are the decisions made likely to be implemented?

Ø How will the supervisor and teacher move toward Directive Informational Control?

Directive Control can only be implemented by a Supervisor who is in a position over the teacher. Those in lateral staff positions can only hope for compliance that will result from trust.

The Continuum

1. Presenting: Identify the problem

2. Clarifying: Asking teacher for input into the problem.

3. Listening: Understanding the teacher’s point of view.

4. Problem solving: Mentally determining the best solution.

5. Directing: Telling expectations to the teacher.

6. Clarifying: Asking the teacher for input into the expectations.

7. Standardizing: Detailing and modifying expectations.

8. Reinforcing: Repeating and following up on expectations.

“Directive Control is…an honest approach with teachers to an emergency.” (Glickman, Gordon, & Ross-Gordon, 2007)