About the Book
Check out The Better Conversations trailer: https://youtu.be/y3FrWTXC8Uw
"I thought I knew how to have a conversation; I’ve had millions of them. Some were good, others not so much so. But I want to have GREAT conversations, and Jim Knight has taught me how. The proof is in: better conversations are possible and the results are worth the investment."
--DOUGLAS FISHER
Coauthor of Rigorous Reading and Unstoppable Learning
Because conversation is the lifeblood of any school
You don’t want this book—you need this book. Why this confident claim? Think about how many times you’ve walked away from school conversations, sensing they could be more productive, but at a loss for how to improve them.
Enter instructional coaching expert Jim Knight, who in Better Conversations honors our capacity for improving our schools by improving our communication. Asserting that our schools are only as good as the conversations within them, Jim shows us how to adopt the habits essential to transforming the quality of our dialogues.
As coaches, as administrators, as teachers, it’s time to thrive. Learn how to:
Coach ourselves and each other to become better communicators
Listen with empathy
Find common ground
Build Trust
Our students’ academic, social, and emotional growth depends upon our doing this hard work. It’s time to roll up our sleeves, open our minds, and dare to change for the better of the students we serve. You can get started now with Better Conversations and the accompanying Reflection Guide to Better Conversations.
Table of Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter 1: Radical Brokenness and Better Conversations
Chapter 2: The Better Conversations Beliefs
Chapter 3: Listening With Empathy
Chapter 4: Fostering Dialogue
Chapter 5: Asking Better Questions
Chapter 6: Connecting
Chapter 7: Finding Common Ground
Chapter 8: Redirecting Toxic Words and Emotions
Chapter 9: Building Trust
References
Study Participants
Index
About the Author :
Dr. Jim Knight, Founder and Senior Partner of Instructional Coaching Group (ICG), is also a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. He has spent more than two decades studying professional learning and instructional coaching. Jim earned his PhD in Education from the University of Kansas and has won several university teaching, innovation, and service awards.
The pioneering work Jim and his colleagues have conducted has led to many innovations that are now central to professional development in schools. Jim wrote the first major article about instructional coaching for the Journal of Staff Development, and his book Instructional Coaching (2007) offered the first extended description of instructional coaching. Jim's book Focus on Teaching (2014) was the first extended description of how video should be used for professional learning. Recently, writing with Ann Hoffman, Michelle Harris, and Sharon Thomas, Jim introduced the idea of instructional playbooks with their book on that topic.
Jim has written several books in addition to those described above, including Unmistakable Impact (2011), High-Impact Instruction (2013), Better Conversations (2015), The Impact Cycle (2018), and The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching (2021). Knight has also authored articles on instructional coaching and professional learning in publications such as Educational Leadership, The Journal of Staff Development, Principal Leadership, The School Administrator, and Kappan. Jim is also a columnist for Educational Leadership and.
Through ICG, Knight conducts coaching workshops, hosts the Facebook Live Program, "Coaching Conversations," and provides consulting for coaching programs around the world.
Review :
"Better Conversations is just what the title says. Jim Knight moves learning conversations ahead for educators to deepen trust, meaning, and actions. He summarizes current thinking from multiple authors that will make learning for adults and students better. Activities at the end of each chapter can be used for self-reflection, team learning, and schoolwide focus on learning. The vignettes are real issues in schools, which makes this book very important for our profession."--William Sommers
"Better Conversations stimulates the mind, spirit, and soul of those who coach, regardless of their role or position, by unpacking and reshaping the mental models that drive how they think, speak, and act. . . I found myself frequently thinking about how helpful this book will be to nearly every human who interacts with others whether in school or beyond."--Joellen Killion
"I read more education books than I care to admit. Some are good, some are bad, and very few are great. Jim Knight's book Better Conversations is BRILLIANT! Insightful, innovative, and practical are the three words that kept coming to me when I was reading and learning from his book. Jim treats the subject of communication as an art and gives all of us, regardless of position or years of experience, practical ways to use our voice to improve the teaching and learning environment, as well as ourselves!" --Russell J. Quaglia
"I thought I knew how to have a conversation; I've had millions of them. Some were good, others not so much so. But I want to have GREAT conversations, and Jim Knight has taught me how. The proof is in: better conversations are possible and the results are worth the investment."--Douglas Fisher
"Doing the Better Conversation study, I think I have started to see a better version of myself, and who doesn't want that? . . . "
--Ben Collins
"I find that I am using the Better Conversations process in all walks of life, not just in professional coaching. I am seeing aspects of my personal life differently because I am focusing on what I can do to control my reactions to situations. It is forcing me to think more about practicing what I preach."
--Ron Lalonde
"I have been able to carry these practices into conversations with my children, which is really making for some great dialogue. When I talk to them and not judge what they say and truly listen and treat them as equals in the conversation, I find that they share more with me."
--Nicole Patton
"I've learned a lot by reading through the materials, practicing the activities, and changing entrenched responses. I have slowed down, learned to listen, and become keenly aware of choices I have in communicating with those I come in contact. This has become a very empowering series of skills."
--Julie Coburn
"The Better Conversations process pushed me to video record myself in the same way that I ask others to engage in video protocols with the purpose of deeper understanding. Reflecting on my experiences felt like a gift I gave myself. I actually savored the time and experience of answering questions and considering my strengths as well as areas in which I can grow."
--Michelle Murray
"Video forced me to take a hard look at my coaching skills and practices, as well as my relationships with the staff I work with. I have realized the true power of video through watching myself interact with others, and it has made me more willing and excited to continue using video to improve my communication skills."
--Shana Olson
