Inevitable/Optional by Hanna Andress

Reaction to Change

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 16:15:53 UTC

How educators react to change varies greatly. Some educators are open-minded and are willing to try new things if it's for the betterment of the student. Other educators are comfortable with what they've been doing and don't want to change. I think the biggest component to why many educators don't want to change is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of failure. I believe that teachers who have already lived the majority of their life embracing difficulties and challenges are more likely to embrace change in the world of education and try new things.

Reaction to Change

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 16:26:46 UTC

I think students are much more willing to try new things and embrace change. From my experience, when I try something new in the classroom there may be a couple groans in the beginning, but by the end of the activity, the students are smiling and have had great conversations. As the year progresses, my students have experienced so many learning opportunities that were once new to them, that they embrace anything I throw at them.

How can we guide students through change and nurture their growth?

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 16:33:25 UTC

In this video, the speaker talks about how children are afraid of change and growth when they feel threatened. Maybe they will be embarrassed in front of the class. Or maybe they will be "punished" for answering incorrectly. I think by making the learning atmosphere as encouraging as possible will help guide students through change and help them to push past their perceptions of threats. I say "it's ok to be wrong" all the time in class and encourage students to share their thoughts whether it's "wrong" or not.

How can educators seek out opportunities for growth?

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 16:41:52 UTC

This more than attending professional development. According to this article, teachers must be willing to reflect on their practices to make change, seek out help from other educators (or even a mentor), and use research-based teaching strategies. Teachers are stuck in a bubble all day, which makes it easy to stay isolated and not change. But there are so many ways to increase effectiveness, efficacy, and efficiency. The first step is desiring it.

Examples

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 16:47:51 UTC

Here is an example of a teacher who has written a blog about her experiences in changing. She didn't want to have to "just deal with it" -referring to wiggly students or disruptive behaviors- she sought out ways to change. She experimented, asked other educators for help, and even asked the students what they needed.

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 16:51:40 UTC

This creator of this video goes a great job explaining growth vs. change in learners and what educators can do to guide students away from failure mentality and more toward a growth mindset.

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 16:53:25 UTC

This is something I can show as an example to my students when they get stuck in their fixed mindset. I can encourage them to show effort or accept feedback with a growth mindset.

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 16:59:44 UTC

This video highlights how I, as an educator, can grow. It is applicable to students as well, but I think many educators, specifically, can be encouraged with this video and inspired to be better for their students. "By embracing failure as part of the learning process, you open yourself up to the endless learning possibilities and opportunities for growth." Many teachers are afraid of failure, but embracing failure is how we grow.

Overcoming Fear

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 17:03:11 UTC

"If you’re trying a new guided reading technique, you might tell your students how excited you are about something new you’re trying and that even though they might not notice, you are learning and growing just like they are. Then go for it, welcoming any mistake is an opportunity to learn."

This article provides practical strategies and examples for educators to try to boost their confidence and overcome the fear that cripples them to change.

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 17:06:00 UTC

"A student with a growth mindset sees the value in the effort as well as the outcome. The skills gained when trying are just as important as achieving a particular goal."

This article reflects a lot of what George Couros has been talking about in The Innovator's Mindset. This is especially helpful for me as I need to work on valuing effort in my students instead of just congratulating them on getting the correct answer.

My Personal Experience

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 17:12:35 UTC

When I moved to my 3rd district in 2019, I was confronted with a choice to grow. There was a lot of internal tension between doing what I've always done and meeting the expectations and goals of the new district. The new district had lofty goals- achieve above state average on all 5 EOCs and increase collective teacher efficacy through Impact Teams. I was scared because I didn't think we could do it. I decided to push through the fear and work extremely hard on what I had control over. I became an effective leader in not just my classroom but in the school as a whole. Change happened and after just 3 years, the district's goals came to fruition. I truly believe if I had let my fear cripple me from becoming better and more effective, we would not have met our goal.

Article About Me

hannakientzy — 2024-11-16 17:16:48 UTC

This is a testament to my growth mindset.

"While she was really excited and happy to receive recognition as the district’s top teacher, Andress knows she still has areas to grow as a teacher.

'I recognize that I’m valued here but there’s more to be done,” Andress said. “It’s not like what I’m doing isn’t good enough. I just want to continue to do better. I want to keep growing. I’m not letting an award stop me.'"