Teach & Serve V, No. 9
Everybody Knows This Is a Bad Idea
October 2, 2019
… challenging non-specific language – asking for that language to be clarified – is a necessary step in good communication.
Walk into the faculty room in your school. Try to be unobtrusive. Find a seat in the corner and settle in. You won’t have to be there too long, I promise.
Okay, now, listen. Take a moment and listen to the conversations around you. They are going to be about your colleagues. They are going to be about your students. They are going to be about administrators. They are likely to be unfiltered.
Then, note when things like this are said:
“All these kids are not doing their work.”
“All faculty members have to be at their desks working on a Teacher Work Day.”
“Teaching five classes in a day is really hard.
“This app well really work well for you.”
“My Department Chair hates me.”
How long do you think you’ll have to wait to hear these sorts of statements and do you think you’ll hear very many of them?
I think I know the answers to both of those questions. You will not have to wait very long and you’ll hear many statements of this or similar nature.
The problem with these statements is that are not effective forms of communication. They do not accurately convey what someone means to say. They employ nonspecific language specific that does not carry the weight of effective dialogue.
John Grinder and Richard Bandler developed what they called The Meta Model as a tool to challenge non-specific language with an aim towards improving communication among adults. I have not done a hard and deep study of The Meta Model, so I will not pretend here to be an expert. What I will say is that employing a handful of their techniques to challenge non-specific language aids me greatly in my role as a teacher and administrator.
I often apply Meta Model theories to search for deeper meaning in what I am hearing.
If I hear “all these kids are not doing their work,” I can challenge the statement by saying “You really can’t think of one student who is doing all her work? Aren’t there any who are doing all that you ask?” The tone with which I ask the question and the seriousness with which I approach it depends, of course, on the particulars of the situation, but asking questions like this generally forces clearer communication and helps me get to the root of the teacher’s frustration.
“All faculty members have to be at their desks working on a Teacher Work Day.” Statements like this – ones I have made myself – are easily confronted with a question: “What happens if they are not at their desks?” This question is so healthy, we might consider asking it more frequently. “What happens if…” is very powerful.
“Teaching five classes in a day is really hard.” Okay, sure, but “how is it hard?” Let us get to the root of your concerns and then we can try to do something about them.
“This app well really work well for you.” I hear statements like frequently around the latest technology. I can respond “How will this work well for me?” An answer to this question could be quite helpful.
“My Department Chair hates me.” There are many variations on this statement. “Why do you think your Department Chair hates you?” “What evidence do you have that your Department Chair hates you?”
Whiles some of these responses may seem trite and others may appear too incendiary, challenging non-specific language – asking for that language to be clarified – is a necessary step in good communication. When you are a leader in a school, clear communication is, obviously, very important. Taking steps to ensure it is a good goal for one to have.
If you’re interested, you can find works by Grinder and Bandler at Amazon.