Question

Last year a school began implementing a new district policy regarding instruction. Teachers have had extensive opportunities for training in use of the new instructional approaches, and at this point all but a handful of resistant teachers appear to be doing their best to implement these approaches. When the principal meets with one of the resistant teachers to discuss the issue, the teacher insists that he has been doing his job well for more than 20 years and is certain that the instructional changes currently supported by the school would be disruptive for his students and ineffective in improving their learning.

Which of the following would be the principal's most appropriate initial response to the teacher's comments?

Choose an answer
A. encouraging the teacher to propose alternate strategies for instructional change to promote his students' achievement of the new vision and goals and promising to review the strategies with an open mind
B. agreeing to extend the teacher's timeline for implementing instructional change in order to give him additional time to adjust and to receive further training as needed
C. arranging for the teacher to meet with colleagues who have been particularly successful in incorporating the mandated instructional changes to provide him with role models and potential sources of assistance
D. reinforcing the idea that instructional change is required of all faculty and soliciting the teacher's ideas about the kinds of support that would help him ease the transition

Answer 1

The principal should reinforce the necessity of change while collaborating with the teacher to ease the transition by understanding his support needs. Option D is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The principal's most appropriate initial response to the teacher's comments regarding the new district policy on instructional approaches would be option D, reinforcing the idea that instructional change is required of all faculty and soliciting the teacher's ideas about the kinds of support that would help him ease the transition. This approach acknowledges the teacher's experience and respects his professional autonomy while emphasizing the collective responsibility to adapt to new educational strategies. It offers a collaborative path forward by involving the teacher in the process and understanding his needs to successfully implement the new instructional changes.