Source: pinerly.com via Scott on Pinterest
Change. One little word. A word that can instill both excitement AND fear.
I wonder why change is such an easy thing for some people to embrace … such a difficult thing for SO many others. Fear. Denial. Avoidance. These are just a few of the emotions that can be brought on by change. Is it a genetic predisposition for those who find it less intimidating when change is occurring? This may be a part of the whole nature vs nurture debate. Maybe it’s a Master’s Thesis in the waiting! Can we TEACH people to be more accepting and positive when change is imminent? I’ve come to the conclusion, from personal experience, that it is most definitely not age related.
In the education field, one has the opportunity to work with a wide variety of people: colleagues, students, their families, etc. I’ve worked with people, both young and old, who fit on either side of the continuum, from terrified of taking risks and embracing change to welcoming it with open arms and a sense of wonder. Over the years, I’ve encountered people who are afraid to turn their computers on … just to check their e-mails. Some of these people were “born” into this technology … “digital natives” … for lack of a better term. And, on the opposite spectrum, who picked up these technology skills through sheer determination and personal investment. People who recall, VERY well, having to TYPE their university research papers and use WHITE OUT to correct their typing errors! Is it a personality type? I don’t know.
I clearly remember the day I toured a school I had been hired to work at, not long after being indoctrinated into the wonders of the SmartBoard. I was coming from a school that had portable SmartBoards and, luckily, not that many people were terribly interested in infusing them into their classrooms. On this tour, I was incredibly excited to see that most of the classrooms in my new school had these amazing tools mounted to the walls. This would be a HUGE step forward, for me, because one of the minor frustrations of using a portable board meant constant “realigning” … which the students LOVED to do but, needless to say, took up valuable class time! After the initial thrill … closer observation showed that these boards had been mounted … right … ontop … of … the WHITEBOARDS! I was SHOCKED! The teacher whose room I was “checking out” reassured me that, after a while, I wouldn’t even MISS the whiteboard!
In my head, I CLEARLY remember thinking, “You’ve GOT to be kidding me!?!” Change. Gulp. What was I EVER going to do without my whiteboards? I grumbled and I worried. I made SURE I had a NICE supply of chart paper to see me through the year. After all, I couldn’t POSSIBLY imagine teaching without having the visuals, the little reminders and notes we made as a class as we made our discoveries together. Funny … she was RIGHT. I DON’T miss all those whiteboards. Don’t get me wrong … I still use chart paper … I STILL use the tiny bit of whiteboard that is still visible beside my SmartBoard … but … she was right! Now … if I could ONLY get my hands on some more BULLETIN boards!
Source: pinerly.com via Scott on Pinterest
There is ONE thing for certain, although the older I get the more I realize there is a lot that I don’t know … I DO know that the GREATEST gift we can give the students in our care is to be learners alongside them – taking risks, making mistakes, persevering, wondering, sharing our passions and our own “I wonders” … role-modelling enthusiasm for life long learning. Creating a safe environment, which encourages taking risks and making mistakes as a part of the “messiness” of learning and the process of creating meaning, is critical.
These are EXCITING times to be teaching and learning in. I am THRILLED to be a part of the changes that are occurring globally in education. I am GLAD I don’t have all the answers. And, I am eternally grateful to the courageous change-making educators who share their journeys, daily, through my amazing on-line PLN. They continue to inspire me, push me and support my journey through these ever changing times.
I wonder:
- Who and what keeps you grounded through change?
- Have you always been comfortable with change or is it a skill set that you have had to work to develop?
- Do you have any advice to offer for people who are afraid to embrace changes?
- What has been the most powerful change you have been a part of?