Overview:
As teachers and colleagues, we often come up against situations where difficult topics must be addressed - with parents, colleagues, or students. What do we know about the best strategies for those moments? What questions should we be asking ourselves before we speak, and what environments are best for when we do speak? Based on Jennifer's book, Having Hard Conversations, and her work with conflict and interpersonal communication, this session will provide participants with action plans and scripting tools for having those necessary hard conversations.
 
Participants will learn how to:
  • Identify why they hesitate having hard conversations
  • Design questions to ask themselves before they choose to speak up
  • Articulate in professional language the challenges they are facing
  • Determine the goals of the conversation and write an action plan of support
  • Script the conversation avoiding trigger words that put others on the defensive
Choose the best 'wheres' and 'whens' for a productive discussion.
 
Agenda:
Day 1

Welcome, Introductions, Overview
What is a Hard Conversation?
  • Examples of what is beyond the scope of this workshop
  • Clarifying vs. hard conversations
  • Introduction to polarities vs. problems
Start a Case Study
  • Look at Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Speak Up
  • Focus on Factors to Consider - timing, do ability, likelihood for success
  • Review Professional Behaviors Around Which One Can Frame A Hard Conversation
  • Outcome Mapping - Action Planning with an Emphasis on Being Other-Focused
  • Identity Circle
  • Generational Savvy, Gender Savvy, Cultural / Country of Origin Savvy
Reflection and Feedback

Day 2

Moving into the Scripting of Hard Conversations
  • SCARF Model - David Rock
  • Scripting Protocol
  • Review of Samples - Calibrating
  • Time for Discussion re: Personal Case Studies
  • Quick Scripts
  • Wheres and Whens for Effective Conversations
Specific Conflict Responses
  • What Ifs?
  • Troubleshooting
  • Quick Scripts
  • Seize the Moment
  • Strategies to Help Listen More Effectively to Difficult Feedback
Reflection and Feedback

Suggested Resources
Having Hard Conversations, The Multi - Generational Workplace: Communicate, Collaborate & Create Community and Hard Conversations Unpacked - the Whos, Whens and What Ifs.
 
Potential Audience:
Teacher Leaders - Coaches, Team Leads, Department Chairs, Committee Chairs, and all who identify as leaders in their schools - as well as aspiring administrators and newly hired administrators and coordinators.
 
Jennifer Abrams
Formerly a high school English teacher and a new teacher coach, Jennifer Abrams is currently a communications consultant who works with educators and others on new teacher and employee support, being generationally savvy, effective collaboration skills, having hard conversations and creating identity safe workplaces.

Jennifer’s publications include Having Hard Conversations, The Multigenerational Workplace: Communicate, Collaborate & Create Community and Hard Conversations Unpacked - the Whos, Whens and What Ifs. Her newest book is Swimming in the Deep End: Four Foundational Skills for Leading Successful School Initiatives.

Internationally, Jennifer has presented at the EARCOS, NESA, ECIS, AISA and Tri-Association conferences, and at schools across Canada, Asia, Europe, South America, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as having been a PTC facilitator for the ‘Instructional Supervision’ course and the designer of the TTC course, ‘The Heart of Teaching.’ She is featured in ASCD’s video series, “Master Class,” and in the Ontario (Canada) Ministry of Education’s “Leadership Matters: Supporting Open-to-Learning Conversations” video series.

Jennifer was named one of the “18 Women All K-12 Educators Should Know,” featured in the blog ‘Finding Common Ground’’ from Education Week, and has also been awarded the International Educational Entrepreneur Award by the International Academy for Educational Entrepreneurs. More about Jennifer’s work can be found on her website, www.jenniferabrams.com, and she can also be found on Twitter @jenniferabrams.
 
Venue:
Melbourne

8:30 am to 3:30 pm
Registration at 8.30 am
on the 7th September 2020.
INVESTMENT
 
AUD 720 Early Bird Offer Till 1st April 2020
AUD 790 Closing Date Till 15th August 2020
INCLUDES: Certificate of Participation for 16 Professional Development hours, Lunch and 2 coffee breaks.
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Emails:
www.chaptersinternational.com
+91-9818362535