How can you mentor a teacher who is resistant to change?

Take the time to understand the underlying reasons for the teacher's resistance to change. Resistance may stem from fear of the unknown, concern about losing control or competence, skepticism about the benefits of change, or personal values and beliefs that conflict with proposed changes. By understanding the root causes of resistance, you can tailor your approach to address the teacher's specific concerns and motivations.

1) Create awareness about the initiative 2) 2-way communication is a key here 3) Tell about the bigger picture 4) Frequent connects will help to create a positive bond between both mentor and mentee

There is a concept called Rolling with Resistance. While it may be fear, lack of confidence or attachments I often find resistance stems from frustrations of not being heard. As mentors, we need to listen to them and acknowledge what they are saying. And let the habit of correction take a back seat. Often the task of just being listened to goes a long way.

I have worked with some teachers who needed career guidance and some for career change. Their main concerns were the fear of change and the fear of being judged if things failed. So I spend a lot of time with 1-1 sessions to talk with them, and understand where these fears are coming from. When we can understand their reasons, and why they have those reasons, it is easy to support them to overcome those fears.

In my experience, helping a teacher who's hesitant about changing things up means first really getting to know where they're coming from. I've found that building a strong relationship based on trust works wonders. I like to ask questions that get them thinking about their own teaching methods and what might be gained by trying something new. It's all about guiding them to see the possibilities themselves, rather than just telling them what to do. And when it comes to making changes, I suggest starting small. Celebrating even the little wins can make a big difference and help them feel more open to new ideas.

Entender los motivos por los que una persona (maestro) no quiere cambiar es fundamental. Detrás de esa resistencia pueden haber diferentes motivos: falta de confianza, autoestima, de recursos, de habilidades, conocimientos, miedo, etc. En ese acompañamiento hacia el cambio es importante además que la persona confie en tí y para eso además de tus habilidades comunicativas una de las cosas que mejor funciona es hablar de tí mismo. De tus errores, problemas, de tus experiencias, del peaje que pagaste o de como lo solucionaste. Pero cuando nos volvemos humildes y humanos la confianza aumenta y desde ahí es más fácil influir en los demás (incluso para que cambien).

In my experience, I start with building a foundation of understanding, support, and shared goals. Here is my approach: 1) Listen and empathize: Uncover the "why" behind their resistance through open dialogue and respectful listening. 2) Collaborate and co-create: Involve them in finding solutions and adapting changes to fit their context and values. 3) Model and encourage: Show the benefits through your own experience and provide support and resources for their journey. Remember, patience and a focus on intrinsic motivation are critical for success!

It's been my experience, having taught at the college/university level, where older professors are very often stuck in a time warp because they've become so ingrained in knowledge base of their field of study that was popular at the time they were learning it, that in order to break that wall, you need to show them how new information can not only benefit themselves in their quest for continued learning, but, obviously, the student as well. It's literally a win-win. You also must show respect for their "era" of knowledge and show how it can be built upon to have a more current and robust POV. Though most schools require continued ed, many rest on their laurels, overconfident in the generational knowledge they're most familiar with.

In my perspective, I try to understand the beliefs and barriers behind their behaviors. For each of them, the mentor could lead a discussion with open-ended questions that invite the mentee to share their thoughts and feelings, and acknowledge their emotions, and see that there could be room for change.

Most teachers are very logical thinkers and so doing what they have always done, actually makes them feel safe due to internal programming on a subconscious level. Even when the results are not what they want. To do something outside of what they have always been taught will seem illogical and therefore bring up resistance. A teacher has a lot on their plate and time is not something they have a lot of. The only way to be open to change is to slow down. We can make up stories in our minds that the outcome will be bad. I encourage my clients to seek evidence to disprove the stories in these cases. Do you know of another teacher who has made changes and it’s working for them? Yes? What evidence do you have that it would not work for you?

I also have an academic background, so I can easily connect with them by sharing my experiences and asking about theirs as well. That helps them to open up and share their stories, insecurities and fears more, I think that builds a bridge between us and increases trust. Even if it is someone from total different industries, I think we can build their trust by communicating with them without being judgemental, being actively listening and encouraging them to open up by creating a welcoming space.

Building trust and rapport involves active listening, empathy, and consistency. Show genuine interest in their perspective, acknowledge their concerns, and validate their experiences. Demonstrate reliability by following through on commitments and being transparent. Engage in open communication, share personal experiences when appropriate, and offer support without judgment. Over time, these actions can foster a sense of mutual respect and trust, laying the foundation for a productive mentoring relationship.

It is important to understand that the time to build trust and rapport is before the change. Trust requires time. It is built through consistency over a series of interactions. It's also important to remember that the aim of any healthy mentoring relationship is not to build your clone, someone who thinks and acts just like you -- but someone who can think critically to assess a situation and explore options. Approach the relationship with curiosity - seek to understand their perspective and reasoning. Help them nurture their self-trust and confidence around decision making.

Building trust and rapport involves active listening, empathy, and consistency. Show genuine interest in their perspective, acknowledge their concerns, and validate their experiences. Demonstrate reliability by following through on commitments and being transparent. Engage in open communication, share personal experiences when appropriate, and offer support without judgment. Over time, these actions can foster a sense of mutual respect and trust, laying the foundation for a productive mentoring relationship.

There are so many free tools and resources out there for them to use to learn new things and improve themselves. So we can simply help them to identify those tools, the ways to access new knowledge, and support them when they need help when involved in learning new skills. Other than that we can always focus on their strengths, encourage them, and slowly but continuously improve the areas where they lack in skills.

With change often comes the need for new skills. It's important to recognize that skill building doesn't start and end with information. Developing a new skills takes time and requires a continual stream of feedback to enable refinement and reinforcement.

One of the most important aspects of "trying to influence" anyone is the willingness to look at our side first. What are areas where I am unwilling to change? What are areas where I feel most resistant? Responsibility cannot be imposed on anyone. Change cannot be imposed on anyone. We can only do our own work and people will either feel inspired or not. We don´t want to interfere in their own process - it is sacred. Some people will never change, no matter how much we insist that would the most reasonable thing for them.

Meet them where they're at. Don't press change upon them. Simply meet them where they are at and tweak just a little thing. Nothing major, just a hint of a twist. Make it small and manageable. Start there, show the impact and then continue to build upon it.

The best teachers are good learners. We should never get to a point where we stop learning. Being a lifelong learner is what enables you stay relevant in any industry.

Change is often difficult if the perspective seems so far removed from where they already are. Attitude formation is often determined by how functional a thought or idea is. If person sees a change as inhibiting them in functioning at their best they are less likely to change. There is no one size fits all, bringing curiosity to the person's needs and helping them have ownership over how the change might occur can help. It's also useful to remember that change can feel unsafe for some people and a trauma informed approach of voice, choice and agency can make changes seems less onerous.

First, find common ground and a great rapport with the person. Ask them questions to figure out what is stopping them from changing their perspective on change. You need to make sure that they come up with the idea that it's good to change and make sure that they buy into the idea and then create the ideas that can enhance the change and hopefully, they can lead others who might be resistant.

Firstly, identify the underlying issue before taking action instead of making assumptions. If the resistance stems from distrust in a mentor, address trust concerns and use help of Data! If it's due to stubbornness or a closed mindset, allow the individual to learn from potential failures. However, it's crucial not to assume the reasons behind the resistance and to approach the situation with understanding, empathy, and support.

Maybe also get their opinion on what they consider the strong points of the way or the content they teach. Maybe some of what they are trying to do is worthwhile. Reach a compromise.

Build trust and rapport: Establish a trusting and supportive relationship with the teacher based on mutual respect, empathy, and understanding. Demonstrate genuine interest in the teacher's perspective, experiences, and challenges, and validate their feelings and concerns. Building trust and rapport creates a safe space for the teacher to express their reservations and explore new ideas without fear of judgment or criticism.

Change is the fundamental law of nature, and those who don't change with changing times and are not flexible have to perish, that is the only way they have to end up with! So, when dealing with someone resistant to change, we have to motivate him by the process of negative motivation i.e. motivating him by making him aware of the real dangers associated with not changing with times, thereby giving a wake up call to him and making him come to terms with his senses and embrace change without delay or default, so that he doesn't become redundant! Similarly, a teacher has to remain abreast with modern and scientific teaching methodologies along with the curriculum, fulfilling needs of the pupil in sync with market trends to fit in the frame..!