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Change is an inevitable part of both personal and professional life. Knowing how learners and educators respond to change is essential for building supportive environments that promote growth, adaptation, and success. In education, change can appear in many ways, including new technologies, new teaching methods, or updates to curriculum and assessments.

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This video examines the evolution of education over time, highlighting how each era introduced new methods and advancements. Today, technology is revolutionizing education and creating new opportunities for inclusivity. Throughout history, change has been a constant in education, with learners and educators experiencing both positive and negative reactions.

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The Evolution of Education - From Ancient Times to Modern Era (12 Minutes)

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This blog is excellent! I strongly believe that teachers often teach the way they were taught, and I’ve noticed that pattern in my own teaching as well. However, through these education courses, I’m finding that my attitude towards adopting new teaching methods is becoming more positive. These courses are helping me embrace change, encouraging me to explore new strategies and approaches.

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Am I A Change Agent? How can I advocate for change in Physical Activity.

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Alfonzo Gonzalez – Ed News. When I was in school, PE was always one of my favorite classes. It was an opportunity in the middle of a day to relax and unwind with my friends, have some fun and…

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Matt Davies, a consultant, helps leadership teams turn strategy into reality using workshops, stakeholder research, and design thinking. His 7 Stages of the Change Curve - shock, denial, frustration, depression, exploration, decision, and integration, outline how people adapt to change. These stages could apply to how learners and educators react to change.

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Understanding Change Reaction with the Change Curve

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Major changes are not normally undertaken by us unless we are challenged. We tend to like routine and what we know. We don’t like uncertainty. Usually, we all need a push though to make a change. We need a “call to adventure”. A reason to change. It takes effort. Effort we’d usually rather not spend on yet another change.One thing is for sure though. Change is a part of life. And in the modern world, especially at work, change is constant. So much so many of us suffer from change fatigue. But ch

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LEARNERS' REACTION TO CLASSROOM CHANGES POLL

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LEARNERS' REACTION TO CLASSROOM CHANGES POLL

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How do learners typically respond to changes in the classroom? This can be changes in curriculum, technology, or classroom environment.

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Excited – welcome new technology and hands-on learning tools

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Overwhelmed –  feel anxious when presented with unfamiliar content.

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Curious – see changes as an opportunity to explore new concepts and methods

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Resistant – prefer routine and may resist changes, especially if they feel it disrupts their learning style

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EDUCATORS' REACTION TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM CHANGE POLL

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EDUCATORS' REACTION TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM CHANGE POLL

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How do educators adapt to changes in the education system? This can involve new teaching methodologies, technological tools, or administrative policies.

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Adaptable –  quickly learn new tools to enhance student engagement

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Resistant – feeling forced or rushed, leading to initial resistance.

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Innovative – rethink their approaches and incorporate creative solutions

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Skeptical – skepticism about the effectiveness of new policies or technologies, leading to cautious adoption

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Professor Dweck emphasizes the power of "yet" in fostering a growth mindset. She shares how the "not yet" grade encourages learning from failure, while a fixed mindset leads to defeat. Dweck advocates for praising effort and strategy instead of intelligence, using examples like the "Brain Points" math game.

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Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck

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As a lab instructor, I can encourage a growth mindset by sharing my own learning experiences, showing students that science involves trial and error. I’ll praise their hard work and problem-solving skills instead of just their successes. When they face challenges in experiments, I’ll remind them that mistakes are valuable learning opportunities. I’ll also try new lab activities and be open about what worked or didn’t. Using quick reflections after labs will help them feel comfortable asking for help. By promoting this mindset, I hope to create a positive lab culture that encourages curiosity and resilience.

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The concept of a growth mindset, pioneered by Carol Dweck, Ph.D., Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, is continuing to make an impact in the field of education and rising to the forefront of pedagogy due to recent advances in neuroscience.

As students head back to school this term, educators are preparing to not only address learning gaps but also drive student engagement and restore confidence after various unexpected changes due to the pandemic. As a complementary component to intervention, growth mindset could do the trick to assist educators. Let's take a closer look at growth mindset, see what it can do for your students, and show how it can work in your classroom.

What Is Growth Mindset?

Simply put, our mindsets are beliefs about our most basic qualities and how we perceive our abilities. According to Dweck's theory, when it comes to learning, a mindset can be classified as a fixed mindset or growth mindset. An individual with a fixed mindset believes intelligence is something innate-an aspect of every person's nature at birth that cannot be altered or changed. An individual with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believes that intelligence is more like a muscle-something that can be developed, trained, and strengthened over time.

Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report found that having a growth mindset is associated with positive attitudes toward learning-motivation, self-efficacy, less fear of failure, ambitious learning goals, and appreciation of the value of school. These positive attitudes toward learning can result in higher academic achievement.

Can Mindset Really Impact Student Success?

The short answer is, in most cases, yes. According to the 2018 PISA report, students who were taught a growth mindset dramatically outperformed their peers with fixed mindsets, although there were outliers in which this was not the case. Also, teaching growth mindset was shown to potentially counter the disadvantages of low-income students on academic success.

Research has shown that a fixed mindset, as opposed to a growth mindset, has major impacts on student learning. Individuals who believe their ability to learn is innate may avoid asking questions or seeking help, may be less motivated to put effort into schoolwork, and may not reach their full potential because they believe they already have. In contrast, those who subscribe to a growth mindset generally perform better both academically and socially, embrace challenges, and achieve higher rates of overall success.

Furthermore, a recent article published by OECD reported that, on average across countries who participated in the 2018 PISA study, students who present a growth mindset score higher than their peers with a fixed mindset. According to their findings, a growth mindset could even help vulnerable students who are at the greatest risk of poor performance by helping to buffer the negative effects of biased perceptions, curbed aspirations, and economic deprivation on students' academic achievement.

It's easy to see why promoting a growth mindset in the classroom could help nurture a more positive classroom culture, but it's just as important that educators are subscribing to the belief as well to give it a fighting chance. Here are a few simple ways that you can make sure that you are fostering a growth mindset in your classroom:

1. Buy in wholeheartedly

The first key to establishing a growth mindset in your classroom is believing in it yourself. Take time to reflect on your own personal attitudes about learning. Are there subjects or activities you avoid or dislike because you aren't "good" at them? A fixed mindset can easily breed the belief that if you are not immediately successful at something, there is no point in putting forth any effort in the future.

This kind of attitude could be harmful not only to your own personal success but to your students' as well. Giving in to the idea that if something is difficult to learn, you "just aren't going to get it" deprives you valuable learning opportunities and experiences. When you catch yourself falling into a fixed mindset, try to switch up your thinking and carry that new attitude into your classroom.

2. Encourage hard work, not cleverness

Who doesn't love being told they are smart? It's a great feeling-and one everyone deserves to experience. But, while it's important to be supportive of students, applauding them for cleverness alone may not be beneficial in the long run. Instead of telling your students something like "you're smart" when they accomplish something, compliment their process and their progress.

Although a growth mindset does recognize that not all students will have the same abilities across all subjects, acknowledging the work they put into learning something rather than their inherent abilities helps encourage a sense of accomplishment in students as opposed to pride. In turn, they'll be more motivated to continue improving.

3. Recognize the opportunity in failure

Sometimes, for any number of reasons, students fail. It's an unavoidable part of learning (and life) and a frustrating one at that. Failure and mistakes can create anxiety, especially when they occur in an environment where something negative, like a bad grade, embarrassment, or even punishment, could happen as a result. Fear of failure can prevent students from stepping outside of their comfort zone and may even cause them to avoid challenges or shut down when faced with certain obstacles. But, handled in the right way, failure holds a lot of opportunity.

When students are unsuccessful in a particular lesson or skill, remind them they are not "failing"-they just haven't succeeded yet. Remind your class that failure or mistakes are not final outcomes; they are a chance to start over or try again.

4. Step out of your own comfort zone

As education becomes more and more innovative, it's important for educators to demonstrate the power of some wisely calculated risk-taking by stepping out of their own comfort zones in the classroom. Open yourself to trying out new teaching practices every now and again, and if you try something new with your class that doesn't work out, be straight-forward with your students about what you think worked, what didn't, and what you can improve. Invite them to give you feedback, and apply it when possible. Your students look up to you, and by setting the example that when things don't work out perfectly, that just means there is opportunity to improve, you're showing them how to practice a growth mindset.

5. Don't forget about formative assessment

Formative assessment is a strategy perfectly designed to foster a growth mindset in your classroom. Formative assessment activities are designed to be quick, low-pressure checks for understanding. Not only do they help you keep tabs on students' progress and make adjustments, but they'll also encourage students to be upfront about what they're struggling with and ask for help when it's needed. Exit tickets, journaling, and other creative formative assessment tactics are great ways to build a feedback loop in your classroom that fosters continuous improvement.

Growth mindset is a not a cure-all; it's not as simple as cheerleading students to academic improvement. Rather, growth mindset teaches individuals to embrace challenges and learn from setbacks by praising and celebrating progress and the process of learning, not just effort. As a complement to intervention, encouraging a growth mindset in students can help drive success.

Looking to establish an engaging classroom culture from day one? Discover how Edmentum's tips can help teachers set clear expectations, build relationships, and create a supportive learning environment for student success.

This post was originally published September 2016 and has been updated.

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5 Tips to Develop a Growth Mindset in Your Classroom

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Individuals with a growth mindset tend to embrace challenges, persevere, and generally achieve higher rates of overall success.

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SAFE SPACE TO GUIDE STUDENTS THROUGH CHANGE

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SAFE SPACE TO GUIDE STUDENTS THROUGH CHANGE

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This is a great video for teachers to create Creating safe spaces for students is essential, especially in K - 12 where teachers can provide close emotional support. In universities, instructors can encourage open communication, promote flexibility by allowing students to step out as needed, build community through group activities, and ensure students are aware of available mental health resources.

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How to Create a Safe Space in Your Classroom

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Positive student-teacher relationships are crucial for student success but often overlooked in favor of academic standards and test scores. Building authentic, trust-based connections with students has a direct impact on learning. Research shows that factors like empathy, respect, and encouragement play a significant role in academic performance. To foster these relationships, educators can believe in every student’s potential, get to know them personally, greet them daily, incorporate humor, offer choices, and accept mistakes as part of learning. These strategies help create a supportive and motivating classroom environment where students can thrive.

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As schools and districts focus on state standards, scope and sequence, and test scores, they often neglect one of the most important factors in student achievement. Positive student-teacher relationships, research shows, have a huge impact on learning.

Why Positive Student-Teacher Relationships Matter

The research is clear: Student-teacher relationships significantly impact teacher effectiveness and student achievement.

John Hattie's meta-analysis Visible Learning is perhaps the best-known study on this topic. Hattie synthesized 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. He found that numerous student-teacher relationship variables were among the most influential factors on student performance. These include empathy, warmth, encouragement, authenticity, and respect for student backgrounds.

Hattie said, "It is teachers who have created positive teacher-student relationships who are more likely to have above average effects on student achievement."

Research aside, it's common sense that students will work harder and learn better from teachers who care. Think about relationships you've had with your bosses, or with your own teachers in the past. How did the quality of those relationships impact your work ethic and performance?

A student who feels respected, cared for, and connected to their teacher has increased motivation to listen, learn, and achieve.

6 Strategies to Build Positive Student-Teacher Relationships

So, positive student-teacher relationships matter. But how can you foster a bond that encourages learning, especially if you have 20-plus students in your classroom? Try these six tips.

1. Believe that all students can succeed.

Your beliefs about your students will subconsciously affect how you treat each child in your classroom. For this reason, you must believe that every child is capable of succeeding. In addition, you must expect them to do so.

The next step is to clearly demonstrate these beliefs to your students. Show that you expect good behavior, effort, and improvement from every child in your classroom. Push them to achieve more than they thought possible. If you don't believe your students can learn and improve, why should they try?

Of course, some students will need more support than others. Hold them to high standards, but support them along the way. Scaffold your lessons, offer helpful resources, and teach according to your students' learning styles. Provide extra help as needed.

2. Get to know your students.

Take the time to know your students as individuals. Learn about their families, backgrounds, interests, likes and dislikes.

A "Getting to Know You" questionnaire at the beginning of the year is helpful. Other strategies include talking to your students at the beginning and/or end of class, or having students keep a journal that you regularly read and respond to.

Once you learn information about your students, bring it up in conversation. Asking, "How did your soccer game go?" or, "Did you get to see the latest Marvel movie yet?" means more to your students than you might expect.

3. Say hello and goodbye to every student, every day.

Connecting with students in the middle of a lesson isn't easy. It's important to take advantage of time before and after class to build bonds. Stand at the door as your students enter and as they leave, saying hello and goodbye to each child.

Perhaps you've seen viral greeting rituals, including having a special handshake with each student or allowing children to choose how they would like to be greeted (e.g. high five, fist bump, or smile).

However, it's not important how you greet your students. What matters is that you take the moment to be fully present and attuned with every child. Make eye contact, smile, and use their name. In these seemingly small moments, relationships are built.

4. Laugh with your students.

Humor is an excellent way to build bonds with children. It also makes learning more engaging and encourages children to pay attention.

Make jokes, share funny stories, and don't take yourself too seriously. Although humor shouldn't be a priority in the classroom, you should work it in whenever possible. Through shared laughter, you'll easily foster positive relationships with your students.

5. Provide students with choice.

As often as you can, provide flexibility and choice in assignments. Sure, you must assess specific skills and knowledge. However, how students demonstrate these abilities may vary. For instance, students can show vocabulary knowledge by writing a story, singing a song, or even making a collage.

You may also allow students to choose a book, design their own experiment, play a role in creating class rules and expectations, etc. The more you provide students with choice and autonomy, the more they'll see that you value them as individuals.

6. Accept students-and their mistakes in the classroom.

Accept all students, despite their quirks and differences. Treat all students with the same respect and kindness, and don't allow students to tease or disrespect one another in your classroom. Create an environment where all children can feel welcome and comfortable.

When you struggle to remain patient, remember that the children who need your love the most often show it in the most destructive ways. Try to give a fresh start each day, continue trying to connect, and consider how you can help even the most challenging children succeed. What skills are they missing? What do they need?

In addition, accept that mistakes are a natural part of learning, and instill this belief in your students. When they make mistakes, ask them, "What did you learn from that?" and celebrate the lesson learned.

Final Thoughts: Building Positive Student-Teacher Relationships

State standards and test scores are important, but we can't forget the necessity of positive student-teacher relationships.

When students don't feel comfortable or cared for in the classroom, learning becomes difficult. On the other hand, if a student feels connected to their teacher, they're likely to flourish.

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6 Keys to Building Positive Student-Teacher Relationships

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As schools and districts focus on state standards, scope and sequence, and test scores, they often neglect one of the most important factors in student achievement. Positive student-teacher relationships, research shows, have a huge impact on learning. The research is clear: Student-teacher relationships significantly impact teacher effectiveness and student achievement.

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EDUCATOR GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES POLL

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EDUCATOR GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES POLL

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This poll is designed to explore the different ways educators seek growth and identify professional opportunities.

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What has been the most significant factor in your professional growth?

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Attending workshops and professional development

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Experimenting with new teaching strategies

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As educators, we can pursue growth in many ways. One of the most common ways I’ve found is through professional development, attending workshops, conferences, earning certifications, and taking online courses. Many of us also grow by collaborating with our colleagues and connecting with educational communities. For me, engaging in self-reflection, seeking feedback from students or peers, and setting personal growth goals has been one of the most powerful ways to grow. It helps me stay innovative and drives me to try new teaching methods.

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Even though this article is a bit dated, I think it's a great read with valuable insights that explain what professional development is and why it's so important for educators.

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At Wildwood IB World Magnet School, collaboration among teachers builds a supportive professional culture, reduces conflicts, and ensures students benefit from school-wide best practices.

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Teacher Collaboration: Spreading Best Practices School-Wide

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Taking time to reflect on teaching methods and classroom interactions is essential for growth. By journaling or thinking about what works and what doesn’t, educators can identify patterns in their instruction and understand how to improve. Questions like "What went well?" and "What challenges did I face?" help teachers gain valuable insights that can enhance future lessons.

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The Ultimate Guide to Reflective Practice in Teaching

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Encouraging reflective practice in schools not only benefits individual teachers but the school as a whole. Find out how to get it started! Read more.

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Actively seeking feedback from my students and colleagues has been incredibly helpful. By asking for their input, I can see how my teaching impacts my students and discover new ideas I might not have considered. I enjoy having informal conversations, using surveys, or inviting peers to observe my classes. To encourage this feedback, I even offer it as extra credit to be added to any assignment or quiz they didn’t perform well on.

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NEW TEACHING METHOD THAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR

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NEW TEACHING METHOD THAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR

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The flipped classroom is an innovative approach that reverses traditional teaching by having students watch videos or read materials at home to establish a baseline understanding, freeing up class time for hands-on activities, discussions, and group work.

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Flipped Classroom Model: Why, How, and Overview

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INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO TEACHING PRACTICES

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INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO TEACHING PRACTICES

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These apps and websites can help teachers boost their productivity, personalize learning, and create lesson content.

Over the past five years, I've explored ways to integrate AI into my teaching practice-even before ChatGPT and other generative AI became some of the most talked-about topics in education. Every educator needs to learn about AI and how we can leverage this technology to benefit our students and enhance our own work. To best provide for our students, we need to understand how this technology will impact them and us. What better way than to explore new tools via AI in our teaching practice?

Why Educators Need to Understand AI Tools

Our roles as educators have continued to change over the years. With technology comes a bit of hesitancy, especially with something as powerful as AI. In our schools, we have to provide opportunities for students to learn about changing technology because of the impact it may have on their future. Not only can AI tools enhance creativity and productivity, but also they can provide educators with valuable insights into student learning and assist with some of the time-consuming tasks that educators have.

Even with all of the promises of AI, it is important that we take time to talk about artificial intelligence in our classrooms. Not only do we teach the content, but we serve as mentors, facilitators of learning and co-learners with our students, especially as we embrace these emerging powerful technologies. It's important that we help our students learn about the benefits of them and also show how to use these tools properly, responsibly, and ethically.

How AI Can Improve A Teacher's Job

Personalized learning: Educators can provide tailored learning experiences based on AI-driven analytics that provide valuable insights into student performance and learning trends. Using this data, AI can instantly adapt student learning materials. Teachers can then use this information to provide personalized learning experiences, adapting to each student's strengths, weaknesses, and learning pace.

Productivity and efficiency: Greater efficiency comes with AI as well. Educators are responsible for a variety of clerical tasks, such as communicating with students and their families, grading assessments, and providing feedback. Educators may find they spend more time on these clerical tasks rather than on teaching and working directly with students. The right AI tools can help to automate or streamline these tasks, which allows teachers to have additional time with their students.

Creating and supplementing content: Through AI-powered platforms, teachers can curate a range of educational resources. With generative AI in particular, teachers are able to create lessons, activities, assessments, prompts for discussion, and presentations simply by providing a short prompt with keywords.

7 education Tools that work

Here are seven AI-powered tools that will help teachers with personalized learning that enables them to become more efficient and save time that can then be spent with students. I have used each of these for my own personal writing and creating of presentations, and the amount of time they save by generating the slides alone helps me to focus more closely on the content. I also appreciate that the tools offer translation options and a variety of templates and other resources that are commonly used by educators.

The recently released Teaching with AI guide for teachers was created to help educators use ChatGPT in their classroom. The guide comes with several suggested prompts and includes explanations that clarify exactly how ChatGPT works and what its limitations are, and it provides reminders of the importance of verifying information and checking for bias. With ChatGPT 4, which is a paid version, there is greater accuracy and reliability of information than with the original version.

Creating and sharing these resources with our students leads to rich conversations about the benefits of AI and proper use of this technology for creating and learning. There are many more tools available for teachers to explore that can help with each of the key areas that I mentioned. Most important is selecting a tool to start with and reflecting on how it impacted your practice.

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7 AI Tools That Help Teachers Work More Efficiently

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These apps and websites can help teachers boost their productivity, personalize learning, and create lesson content.

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Growth as an educator means continually seeking new paths, igniting passion, and building connections.

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Does Change and Growth Look the Same Everywhere?

This question sparks an important conversation about the differences between change and growth. This article introduces the fascinating idea that change and growth, although connected, are not the same. Different environments, cultures, and situations shape how they manifest. While change can happen quickly and be caused by outside factors, growth is slower and happens from within. One important idea that stands out is small changes can be the beginning of growth.

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6 Ways Change & Growth Differ – Which Do You Need? | Danielle Bernock

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Change and growth are not the same. What if your happiness depends on which you choose – to change or grow? How do you decide which you need?

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Change is constant. This article lists some common sense ways to help children navigate changes.

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byElizabeth Preston
6 min to read

Children may encounter a variety of changes that can be difficult for them to handle. Some changes may be drastic and stressful life events, such as saying goodbye to a pet, experiencing a change in familial structure, or changing schools. The change may also be as seemingly minor as having a substitute teacher for a week or changing desks. Whatever the event may be, kids need to learn how to handle change, because change is unavoidable in life. Learning how to cope with change is critical for children so they can grow into happy, successful, and resilient adults.

How can parents and Learning Coaches help children handle change? They can do so by talking with their children, showing empathy, giving them routines in which to find comfort, offering choices when possible, and connecting as a family. Explore some coping with change activities for you and your family below to help your child build this vital skill. First, though, it's important to address why change may feel uncomfortable for children.

When is Change Uncomfortable

Kids, particularly children in kindergarten or elementary school, like routine and dependability because it gives them a sense of structure and security. So, when that dependable aspect of a child's life is changed, it can feel overwhelming to them and cause fear and anxiety.

Some manifestations of children experiencing stress from change may include:

emotional outbursts

sleeping difficulties

social withdrawal

a negative change in academic performance

physical maladies such as stomach aches or headaches

increased anger or defiance

Part of why change may cause children anxiety or stress is because they may not understand why the event happened, so there may be feelings of confusion and of losing control and stability. Part of these feelings may also be caused by not knowing what will come next. However, parents and Learning Coaches may be able to address and soothe these feelings and help their children handle change and discomfort through the following ways.

How to Help Children Navigate Change

1. Find the root of the fear.

Talking and listening are keys to helping children handle change. Yet, young children may not have developed the tools yet to clearly express what is bothering them.

Part of talking and listening may be investigative work. Parents and Learning Coaches may want to ask their children questions to help guide their children to what may be bothering them. Some helpful options that also work as coping with change activities include:

Asking, "What are you feeling right now?"

Asking, "What feels scary to you about this?"

Encouraging the child to draw what is bothering them to show how they are feeling.

Thinking about any recent differences that have occurred in the child's life and asking them how they feel about each difference.

Once you have a better understanding of the issue, parents and Learning Coaches may be able to determine what is bothersome to the child about that change. For instance, if the child is changing to a new school, then the child may be anxious about the logistics of how school will work-where will they put their backpack, where will their desk be, how they will find the lunchroom, etc. These are all elements that can be addressed with your child ahead of time to help the change go smoothly.

If a child is still having trouble discussing what is bothering them, then parents and Learning Coaches might consider talking about these things during an activity. Research shows that having an activity to focus on while having a conversation can help to take off pressure that a child may feel, encouraging them to be more open with their feelings.

2. Show empathy.

As parents and Learning Coaches talk about change with their child, they may want to acknowledge their child's emotions. Doing so will help them to feel heard and will build trust. For example, a parent could say, "I understand that moving schools is scary. There are a lot of new things that are going on, and new things can feel scary sometimes."

Rephrasing the child's emotions may also help to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence, because it helps them to better identify and give labels for their emotions and can thereby talk about them more easily and clearly.

3. Find routines.

If a change has broken a child's routine, then consider creating them a new routine to hang on to for a sense of security. For example, maybe you as a family can start cook together every Thursday, watch a movie every Saturday night, or read a story before bedtime each night. These types of simple, new routines can help increase a child's sense of stability by providing additional structure to their lives.

4. Offer choices.

Another reason change can feel overwhelming and scary to children is because it often signals a loss of control. These feelings can be lessened by parents and Learning Coaches, offering the child a sense of agency by making choices. For example, if the child is transitioning from a brick-and-mortar school to an online school, consider allowing them to decorate and organize their learning space at home.

5. Connect as a family.

Sometimes, family activities, conversations, and playtimes can provide comfort for children who are navigating change. A reminder that your child is loved and cared for, regardless of what changes they may face, can leave them with a sense of support and stability.

6. Try Other Coping with Change Activities

In addition to the above strategies, some coping with change activities for kids also include:

Read a book together about the change the child is experiencing.

Practice deep breathing exercises together to reduce anxiety and stress levels.

Use art and music as emotional outlets.

Engage in humor and silliness to brighten spirits and shift a child's mood.

Develop an exercise routine to promote a child's natural endorphins and provide a sense of structure.

Try a self-care activity that the whole family can enjoy.

Explore a new hobby.

Change for kids can be difficult. It often disrupts their sense of stability and, ultimately, their feelings of safety. However, parents and Learning Coaches can help children learn how to handle change and discomfort to give them the necessary skills to navigate change on their own as they grow up and become adaptable and resilient adults.

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Change for kids can be difficult. Here are 6 ways parents can teach their children to handle change and some coping with change activities for kids.

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A fantastic video of how we can choose to learn from our experiences and help others grow by sharing the lessons we’ve gained. Appreciating opportunities and the time we have together is key.

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Change Is Inevitable, Growth Is Optional

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UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AND GROWTH IN EDUCATION

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UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AND GROWTH IN EDUCATION

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In today's fast-paced educational landscape, both growth and change play crucial roles for students and educators. Growth refers to gradual, internal development, while change often involves external shifts that can happen instantly. Whether through adopting new technology or evolving teaching methods, both elements work together to enhance the learning experience.

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Change in students occurs when they feel supported both emotionally and academically. When teachers build strong relationships and show empathy, students are more likely to take intellectual risks and embrace challenges. This leads to personal growth, as students gain confidence and resilience.

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4 examples of students as partners in school change : Innovative Education in VT

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4 examples of students as partners in school change: in building a makerspace, redesigning PLPs, serving the school community & negotiating curriculum

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The example of Mojo highlights the importance of a growth mindset in student development. Like Mojo, they can embrace challenges by tackling difficult problems instead of avoiding them, recognizing that struggle is part of learning.

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Growth Mindset (1 of 5) | Social Emotional Learning for kids

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Franchone Bey reflects on her journey as an educator, moving from a strict, curriculum-focused approach to one that prioritizes building meaningful relationships with her students. She emphasizes that reaching students is just as important as teaching them, and she believes that relationships and empathy are crucial for effective teaching. By focusing on these connections, she values the seeds of growth in her students, recognizing that their emotional and personal development is integral to their overall success. This evolution mirrors the growth all teachers experience, as they learn that balancing academic instruction with emotional support is essential. Teachers grow alongside their students, realizing that cultivating empathy, adaptability, and open communication not only enhances their teaching but also fosters a stronger, more supportive classroom environment.

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Teacher Talk: The Growth Mindset in Teaching (A Journey of Evolution)

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As I’ve grown as an educator, I’ve learned that real change happens when I focus on building relationships with my students, not just teaching the content. Embracing empathy and flexibility has transformed how I approach my role, helping me connect more deeply with students and support their personal growth. By evolving in this way, I’ve felt that I have become a more compassionate and effective instructor.

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Educators share key moments that catalyzed change.

In order to serve our students, we too must change and grow. As teachers, we need not frantically chase the next new thing in education, but we must improve the core of our craft as research, best practices, and the world evolve. But how?

The Systematic Approach

We often think of growth in a gradual and systematic way. We improve incrementally as a result of our school leadership and district systems.

But focusing solely on systems-level change in education is problematic. Researchers examined professional development systems in three large districts and concluded that many were a mirage, noting, "We found no evidence that any particular kind or amount of professional development consistently helps teachers improve."

Although the research doesn't mean we must abandon formal professional development, we recognize that in order to truly grow, we must look beyond systemwide options to make change.

The Moments That Change Us

I recently posed a simple question about change on Twitter: "What moments cause us to actually change our practice?"

As the comments rolled in, patterns appeared-each illustrated by powerful stories of real teachers and real change. Many responses showed a picture that was drastically different from our prevailing systematic view. (The responses below have been lightly edited.)

Listen and Respond

Elementary teacher Kory Graham shared, "I think my teaching has always been out there-I've never been a great rules follower when it comes to what I do in my classroom. But this answer by a fourth grader on a student survey really hit home, and reminded me to keep pushing the boundaries as much as I possibly can."

Her student had written, "I did not really enjoy all the talking you did. I enjoy more doing than explaining. I think that next year you should think about letting us figure some stuff out ourselves." The response struck a chord with Graham and prompted her to move toward change.

English teacher Adrianne Moe described a similar experience: "One day I just got tired of talking. I was tired of performing. I asked myself why I was the one doing all the work when the students were here to learn. After that, I have completely shifted to student-centered everything. If I talk for more than 10 minutes, it's too much."

By simply gathering feedback and being open to listening, Graham and Moe experienced moments of change that had a lasting impact on their practices and students.

Soliciting feedback from students and then reflecting on the information they provide can be catalysts for change. Giving students a formal way to offer their suggestions-such as a survey-can be a powerful tool in shaping how an educator approaches change. When change is driven by student input, educators may find deeper engagement and motivation.

Use a New Lens

Secondary English language specialist Bret Gosselin was presented with-and was willing to reflect on-a new view of his former students: "After I left the classroom, I got to work with my former students post-graduation as they tried community college. None of them tested into college level and most failed their developmental courses. I went back into the classroom and changed everything."

By observing his students in a different environment, Gosselin confronted the results of his teaching and changed "everything." Finding opportunities to interact with students outside of your typical routine can provide a space for better understanding their needs. A simple practice of observing students outside of your classroom could offer an unexpected insight about how you teach.

Teacher and writer Jennifer Wordsworth changed her viewpoint after an exploration of research: "I researched homework and learning outcomes, realized homework is useless, and stopped assigning everything except reading/spelling and larger projects. I'll never go back."

By being willing to challenge an assumption she held, Wordsworth applied research to improve her craft and help her students. Finding relevant research can provide new insights on your practice.

Teacher Brandy Heckman experienced powerful shifts in perspective through an event in her own life. "Becoming a parent changed all of the above. Sheds a whole different perspective on things. Also, seeing the homes of students can shift thinking," she wrote.

Seeing students as whole people can inspire teachers to make real change.

Create Defining Moments

Each culture has big moments-birthdays, weddings, graduations-and "every last one of them was invented," according to Chip and Dan Heath. In their book The Power of Moments, they argue that moments provide the spark for change. "In organizations, we are consumed with goals. Time is meaningful only insofar as it clarifies or measures our goals," they write. "But for individual human beings, moments are the thing."

The Heaths write that we "can create defining moments" if we're conscious of them as a tool for change. Although many of the moments described in the Twitter comments above seem random, certain practices can increase the likelihood of transformative experiences. By gathering student feedback, reflecting on our experiences, challenging our assumptions, and seeking to see students through new lenses, we lay the groundwork for important moments to occur. Systems and goals remain important for professional development, but don't forget the power that moments have to transform.

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Educators share key moments that catalyzed change.

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Here’s a wonderful article I’d like to conclude this Padlet with.

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Change is Inevitable; Growth is Optional

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We, humans, are creatures of habit. We are all comfortable in familiarity – to see, to hear, to feel, to do.