As administrators, coaches or teacher leaders, we often come up against situations where difficult topics must be addressed. What do we know about the best strategies for those moments? What questions should we be asking ourselves before we speak up and what words shall we use so the conversation can be as humane and growth producing as possible?

Having Hard Conversations is an interactive workshop and personal approach to mastering the art of challenging conversations. The strategies in the workshop address a wide range of situations, including communications with supervisees, peers, and supervisors. The workshop helps educators at all levels speak with clarity and courage to directly address difficult situations within their schools.

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

Presenter:

Jennifer Abrams, author of Having Hard Conversations (Corwin Press) is a professional developer and national and international educational consultant for public and private schools, charter schools, universities and non-profits.

Dates and Locations: