Working with Difficult and Resistant Staff

To move forward in the school improvement process, school leaders must address the behaviors of difficult and resistant staff members while sending the message that a few people cannot halt change. This book will help school leaders understand how to prevent and address negative behaviors to ensure positive school change.

Benefits:

• Find bullet points, checklists, and brief descriptions to assist in finding solutions fast.
• Read authentic stories and specific insights that show exactly how to address each situation.
• Gain helpful planning exercises and templates.
• Answer reflective leadership questions to extend your learning.

Contents:
Introduction: How Did They Get This Way?
Chapter 1: The Underminers
Chapter 2: The Contrarians
Chapter 3: The Recruiters
Chapter 4: The Challenged
Chapter 5: The On-the-Job Retirees
Chapter 6: The Resident Experts
Chapter 7: The Unelected Representatives
Chapter 8: The Whiners and Complainers
Chapter 9: Defending Yourself and Next Steps
Chapter 10: Influencing Your Staff Members' Behaviors

John F. Eller, PhD, has served as director of the educational leadership doctoral program at St. Cloud State University, worked with educational leaders at Virginia Tech University, and developed teacher leaders in a master's program. He is a former principal, director of a principal's training center, and assistant superintendent for curriculum, learning, and staff development.

Dr. Eller specializes in dealing with difficult people, building professional learning communities, employee evaluations, conferencing skills, coaching skills, strategic planning strategies, school improvement planning and implementation, differentiated instruction, leadership for differentiation, employee recruitment, selection, and induction, supervisory skills, and effective teaching strategies. He has served as executive director of Minnesota ASCD. He has written articles for Superintendents Only and is author of Effective Group Facilitation in Education: How to Energize Meetings and Manage Difficult Groups, and coauthor of Working With and Evaluating Difficult School Employees, So Now You're the Superintendent, and Energizing Staff Meetings and Creative Strategies to Improve School Culture.

Dr. Eller earned a PhD in educational leadership and policy studies from Loyola University Chicago and an MS in educational leadership from the University of Nebraska Omaha.

Sheila A. Eller has worked in a multitude of educational settings during her career. She is currently an elementary school principal in the Mounds View Public Schools in Minnesota and has served as a principal in the Fairfax County Public Schools and in other schools in Minnesota and Illinois, a university professor, a special education teacher, a Title I math teacher, and a self-contained classroom teacher in grades 1 4. In addition to her work in schools, Sheila has served education on a regional and national basis. She has been a member of the executive board of Minnesota ASCD and has been a regional president of the Minnesota Association of Elementary School Principals. She has completed advanced coursework in educational administration and supervision at St. Cloud State University and holds a master's degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University.

Sheila is a regular presenter at the ASCD national conventions, sharing her expertise on the topic of effective staff meetings and multi-age instruction. While she worked at National-Louis University in Evanston, Illinois, she helped to develop a classroom mathematics series that was adopted by several districts in the region. A video that accompanied this series featured her instructional techniques. In her work with educators, she specializes in energized staff meetings, school improvement initiatives, multi-age teaching strategies, employee supervision, and teaching and learning in the content areas. Sheila is co-author of the best-selling Energizing Staff Meetings, Creative Strategies to Transform School Culture and Working With and Evaluating Difficult School Employees.