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When the unexpected happens, people either rise up to the challenge, or quit.

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Change is what inspires growth. If you don't have change, then you won't be able to grow.

Change and Growth can happen everywhere, not just the classroom. My son Brenden was notorious for diving into the water and having his googles slide down his face. He has swum many events with goggles blocking his mouth. Once he swam the 500 Free (20 laps) with goggles around his mouth, and when he got done his coach told him that most swimmers would of quit. My son learned how to persevere and to never give up. My son also learned how to adjust his head when diving in to the water so his goggles don't slip down his face.

As a teacher and a student perseverance is the key ingredient to growing during change. The change that one faces could be different from another persons' change, but growth part can be the same if the person doesn't give up.

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Does change and growth look the same everywhere?

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Does change and growth look the same everywhere?

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After listening to the Ted Talk, please tell me your opinion how educators could make a positive impact in our students' current and future lives.

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What if educators acted like change agents? | John Patton | TEDxStGilgenInternationalSchool

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After watching the Ted Talk, please tell me about her thought on, "Don't judge until you try."

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How changing schools affected my life: Lea Jaber at TEDxYouth@WellspringLC

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When an educator seek out an opportunity for growth, the student benefits.

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When an educator seek out an opportunity for growth, the student benefits.

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After watching "Be a Mr. Jenson" video, please tell me a time you had or wish you had a "Mr. Jenson" moment.

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Inspirational Video- Be a Mr. Jensen- MUST WATCH!!

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Please give a real life example of how a student grew through a change?

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Alyssa Rodriguez expected a rocky readjustment this school year. The Chicago social worker figured she'd see more students who felt anxious, frustrated by their schoolwork, or disoriented by unfamiliar routines.

A month into school, she says she underestimated the challenge ahead. Student behavior referrals are up, as middle schoolers hurt each others' feelings with comments they'd usually only be bold enough to say online. She and other social workers have seen more verbal and physical fights, and worried parents are calling with concerns about their child's shorter-than-usual temper.

"It's definitely a lot more than I think any of us were mentally prepared for, even though we tried to prepare for it," Rodriguez said.

Schools across the country say they're seeing an uptick in disruptive behaviors. Some are obvious and visible, like students trashing bathrooms, fighting over social media posts, or running out of classrooms. Others are quieter calls for help, like students putting their head down and refusing to talk.

"This is a prolonged adjustment period," said Dr. Tali Raviv, the associate director of the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. As children return to school, "There's much more interaction, there's much less downtime to recharge, there's much less flexibility."

The behavior issues are a reflection of the stress the pandemic placed on children, experts say, upending their education, schedules, and social lives. For students dealing with grief, mental health issues, or the layered effects of poverty and racism, big transitions can be even more challenging.

Anxiety and chronic stress also trigger a child's "survival brain," as Raviv put it. While some students retreat, others feel like they're on high alert - turning a nudge in the hallway into cause for an outburst, for example. "You can get these really big reactions over really small things," she said.

Coupled with staff exhaustion, the behavior challenges are making school environments more tense than educators and students had anticipated - and underscoring how much support students need right now.

'It's like we've forgotten how to socialize'​​

Alex Magaña saw behavioral challenges crop up last year at the two Denver middle schools he oversees as executive principal, Grant Beacon and Kepner Beacon, when students were largely confined to one classroom. Students would occasionally rip off their masks and storm away, leaving staff members to chase them around the building, trying to prevent more disruption.

When classes resumed last month, the acting out intensified, Magaña said. There was a fight on the first day of school instigated by a social media slight, plus more defiance and challenging of authority.

"It's hard when there are bumps," said Kelsy Schmidt, the schools' dean of instruction. "We want everything to be nice and smooth, and have high academic growth for students. But there are bumps now."

Across the district, fights are up 21% this fall from the pre-pandemic fall of 2019, according to statistics shared publicly by Denver Public Schools officials. Mike Eaton, the chief of safety for the 90,000-student district, said he doesn't know for sure what is driving the increase but suspects staff shortages are playing a role.

Chanyce Johnson, a junior at Houston's North Forest High School, has also noticed more student fights this year, especially among freshmen and sophomores. Social interactions feel different, too.

"Everybody is off in their own little la la land. It's like we just go there, get to class, get out of the class, go home,"said Johnson, who's also a member of Houston's student-led congress. During group projects in class, teachers have to urge students to talk with one another. "It's like we've forgotten how to socialize since we've been out of school for so long."

Among teachers of younger students, it's not uncommon to hear that students seem two grade levels behind socially. Educators have noticed that elementary schoolers who spent much of the last two years learning online are - to no one's surprise - struggling to share and walk slowly in the hallway.

One challenge is that teachers often can't point back to established rules and expectations, because those looked very different last year.

In Los Angeles, Cabrillo Avenue Elementary principal Nathan Mac Ainsh is hearing from parents asking why their children are getting hit on the playground. The reality is they're just playing "a little too rough," and not used to the rules on the playground after last year's recess consisted of socially distanced walks.

"We're doing a lot of conflict resolution," Mac Ainsh said. "But it takes time."

Some students have responded differently. In Chicago, Rodriguez has watched students who are fearful of the virus refuse to get out of the car or hover at the entrance of school, afraid to go inside.

Other schools that expected to see more emotional outbursts and disruptive behavior haven't seen them. In some places, staff have noticed behavior improvement, as students regain the structure and schedules they didn't have last school year - though they acknowledge it may be a "honeymoon phase."

"Kids are excited to be in this social environment. They missed each other," said Shirley Brown, the high school principal at Detroit Edison Public School Academy. She's noticed behavior is better than usual, perhaps because students don't want to risk being suspended. "The students really want to be in the building, and they're not quick to jeopardize that."

Holiday exhaustion hits early for teachers

Complicating how schools are responding to disruptive behavior is the fact that many educators are on edge, too. Staff shortages and quarantines have stretched teachers thin, leaving many with less of the patience needed to de-escalate student conflicts. Some say they're already as tired as they'd typically be by Thanksgiving.

"Normally we are really energized and rocking and rolling at the end of September," said Roxanne James, the principal of Jerome Mack Middle School in Las Vegas. This year, staffers are already exhausted. "They're being asked to be those emotional supports for kids, for their families, for each other," she said. "And they themselves have gone through the trauma of the pandemic."

That community-wide stress takes a toll, Raviv said.

"One of the things different about COVID is that it's not something just happening to one student and one family, and the teacher is on the outside. Teachers are right in there," she said. "What we see a lot of is teachers feeling overwhelmed and burned out, and that does make a difference in how available they can be for their students."

Sixteen-year-old Johnson has seen that dynamic at her Houston high school.

"You can tell some teachers really, really do love their job, but I feel like some teachers over the course of the pandemic, they really got a short temper," she said.

She's seen educators yell at students for talking and assign punishments usually used for younger students, like silent lunch. Johnson wants to see her school hire more counselors so they can spend more time talking with students and less time building schedules. Her counselor, she said, is always busy.

Teachers and students look for solutions

Schools are making changes meant to help, often with the help of COVID relief funding. Missoula County schools in Montana, for example, hired a dozen additional staffers to focus on student behavior and mental health. Now they have staff at every elementary and middle school to teach coping strategies to kids who are getting frustrated quickly.

Brown's school in Detroit adjusted schedules this year so every morning begins with 15 minutes students can spend on deep breathing, discussing something in the news, or venting about personal stress.

"The needs are different than in a typical year because there's such a high level of grief," Brown said. "If they don't have the opportunity to talk it out, they'll act it out."

Schools within the Indianapolis-based Phalen Leadership Academies charter network expanded their art and theater programs, and brought in adults - "semi-therapists," as the network's CEO Earl Martin Phalen dubbed them - to help kids make connections and sort through their emotions. The organization also boosted staffing by 10% across its 25 schools, with a focus on coaches and teachers who spend time daily with students to build "sticky relationships," Phalen said.

Students are working to improve school environments, too. When school was remote, 15-year-old Carlos Alvarado, like many teens, realized that LGBTQIA+ students were experiencing less bullying away from school. When Alvarado, who uses he and they pronouns, returned this year to Houston's Furr High School wearing a skirt, they were called names and filmed by older students.

He's now planning a week of activities to make his school more welcoming, including a day where students will be asked to wear pins with their pronouns.

"I know people's judgments and other people's opinions. I was like: 'Why not make an activity where people can learn?'"they said. "I feel these activities that we're creating helps."

At the two Denver middle schools, leaders are trying to take an empathetic approach. They have incorporated more downtime into daily schedules and loosened some rules, too - if students want to wear their hoodies up, they can.

One day earlier this month, Schmidt was making coffee when she saw another staff member consoling a former student sobbing in the hallway. She took the eighth grade boy under her arm, walked with him outside, and listened.

"Don't we all sometimes just need a safe person to walk with?" Schmidt said. "A lot of our kids need that right now."
Melanie Asmar, Matt Barnum, Sarah Darville, Eric Gorski, Tracie Mauriello, and Sharon Noguchi contributed reporting.

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Stress and short tempers: Schools struggle with behavior as students return

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Educators across the country say fights and anxiety are up as students navigate big shifts in routine.

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How do Educators seek out opportunities for growth?

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How do Educators seek out opportunities for growth?

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An example of growth and change in students. Sam helping Emily learn a foreign language.

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Collaboration helps growth in a world of change.

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Collaboration helps growth in a world of change.

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My children were forced to be homeschool when the Pandemic hit. We spent years learning at home. Their change was not listening to a certified teacher everyday. They had each other and me. When they only had a few people to learn from they each grew into teachers.

Now that they are in person again, they have the teamwork mentality with their peers. All of their teachers mentioned that they are extremely helpful and work well with others.

They took the change and made it an opportunity to grow.

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After reading this amazing article, I came a way with a lot of great tips on how to react positively to change. The one tip I found most helpful was to let the students know that you see the problem, and that you are part of the problem. As a former student I disliked when the teacher blamed the class for not trying hard enough.

I also agreed with the author when he talked about not being a lone wolf. When I was an aerobic instructor I found it helpful to take other instructors' classes. During the teaching program, Lindenwood has the future students observe a couple of teachers. During both my observations I learned so much. The current teachers had ideas that they were trying out. The teachers also shared their successes and failures.

I agree that change is hard when you are actively involved in your career. Asking for help or advice should be as easy for teachers as it is for students. So, to tie both my takeaways together; as a teacher let your students know that you don't have all the answers, and you often ask other teachers for advice. So, if a student isn't understanding, they should feel comfortable asking for advice too.

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My experience as an educator, paired with discussion with my colleagues, has led to several revelations as to how I can evolve my teaching over time. Below are my top 10.

1. Evolution, Not Revolution

The way you teach today should not be the way you teach five, ten, or fifteen years from now. Look for small ways you can continue to improve. Rapid change can be disruptive and may fail if you move too fast, so take it slow. At the end of the term, think about what you did well and where you can grow. Student feedback can be helpful in this regard. If there are consistent themes ("I wish Professor X made labs more exciting" or "The lab experience needs more hands-on time") start there and consider small changes in how you set-up your labs.

2. Continuing Education for the Educator

Growth is not always organic and, as the saying goes, none of us are as smart as all of us. Participating in workshops, seminars, and hands-on idea sharing where you get together with other educators can spur new ideas. A business friend of mine related that he often dislikes the thought of attending workshops, and he's honest about the reason: "I already know what will be discussed. My ego gets in the way." But he's learned to let some of that go because even though he might be well-versed in what he does, there's always a good takeaway that, in the end, is meaningful and impacts his work for the better.

3. Self-Evaluation

Student evaluations can hurt. Anonymity allows students to unload their gripes, and they can sometimes be less than kind. Harsh comments can leave some scars, create doubt in your abilities, and hinder your desire to try something new in fear that students will savage you once more. Self-evaluation means you reflect on your strengths and park the student negativity outside your head. Look at your student evaluations and find the positive. Notice the small clues if you have trouble identifying your strengths. If students do not harp on your inability to communicate, that shows you have good communication skills. Reading between the lines can enable you to find strengths. Sometimes strengths pop out as you sit back and reflect on your classroom experience. "Hmm, I seem to be able to make students laugh" (not at you, but with you). Humor, then, is a strength. Go with it. Use it more and watch to see how it impacts student engagement.

4. Connect the Dots

Is there a theme that runs through your teaching? Look at your course objectives and think about how each objective might tie into an overall theme rather than be discrete parts that seem disconnected from one another. Think about popular media, television series, movies, and novels. While each episode, scene, or chapter is unique, they are all pieces of a puzzle that fit together to form the whole. Labs, lectures, group work, and homework can all be pointing towards one overarching idea. The theme need not be grand. Here's an example: "Class, Algebra is more than about solving for X. Algebra is the foundation for understanding very interesting things involving higher order mathematics such as space travel, engineering, and innovative technology. Over the months ahead, we'll explore why solving for X is crucial for understanding our world through the language of math."

5. Timing Is Everything

Timing relates back to the first point discussed earlier. Wholesale change in the middle of the term can be jarring to students and you may want to wait until the next term to try out new ideas. That's okay. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Maybe the timing for a slight change is right if things aren't going quite as well as you planned, you recognize what the issue is, and you can fix it by acknowledging to the class that you understand the problem. In that case, tell them how you're going to alter the course to improve their experience. If students know you see the problem and recognize that you are part of the problem--not just them--the result will be less disruptive for the students.

6. Anticipate Potential Student Struggles

As you get to know your class, try to identify potential student struggles before they happen. You may see patterns arise through homework, or when students have difficulty grasping more complex concepts. Knowing is half the battle. Thinking ahead allows you to capitalize on teachable moments and more readily value the struggle as a growth opportunity rather than a pitfall. You may be able to create a "glue" for difficult material that allows concepts to stick, an idea that relates to the thematic approach to teaching discussed earlier.

7. Know the Difference Between Interference and Interjection

Ultimately, you want to teach towards independence. Anticipating student pain points as mentioned above doesn't mean you want to interfere with a student's natural learning process, but you do want to be prepared to interject and help move them in the right direction when this is helpful. This way, you are putting them on the path towards independence where they are not relying on you to swoop in and save them, but they still know they can look to you for guidance and encouragement. This approach allows students to become more comfortable with developing their problem-solving skills.

8. Build Power in Numbers

Working like a lone wolf isn't the ideal situation in education. There is power in the pack. Sure you've got your content covered, but thinking about how to deliver your instruction can be a daunting task. Create your pack by seeking out a few teachers who are open to sharing what they do. Then observe one or two classes, even if they don't teach your content area. Learn what resonates with students from a delivery standpoint. Focus on teacher-student interaction and find out what pulls the class into the lesson. Use these performances, for better or worse, to reflect on your own teaching. Utilizing a pack of peers to observe can be an effective way to improve your craft.

9. Read for Inspiration

I've done more reading for pleasure than I have for content since I've become a teacher. This may seem counterintuitive, but it's not. Reading books about business, running, and the Navy Seal mindset will help you brainstorm about how to infuse those best practices into your classroom. As a physics teacher, trying to find classroom connections between Newton's Laws and Psychology Principles may be tricky, but it flexes my creative muscles. Pushing your boundaries and stepping outside of your comfort zone as an educator will keep your ideas fresh. Identifying commonalities in non-related areas stimulates and feeds the creative process.

10. Be the Positive Solution

In the era of trolling and clickbait, it's always easier to find fault than find solutions. Negativity can get you down, but focusing on the silver lining of each dark cloud can keep you in a positive mindset. This can be as simple as avoiding the teacher lounge when the prevailing topic is "kids these days." Instead, opt for a solo lunch and watch a TedTalk. If the weather is cooperative, walk and talk (in person or on the phone) with someone about a positive event. Turn class problems into class solutions. If phones are a distraction, find a way to incorporate them into a lesson. If students talk too much in class, devise an activity that forces them to talk and share with each other and you. Be the sunshine in the room and believe it or not, your students will begin to feed off your energy.
Do these growth tactics resonate with you? Let me know in the comments below.
Image Credit: Oleg Prikhodko

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My experience as an educator, paired with discussion with my colleagues, has led to several revelations as to how I can evolve my teaching over time. Below are my top 10.