Comparing Growth and Change for Educators and Learners by Blaine Stevens

Key Concepts Defined

bhstevens — 2025-09-16 19:01:14 UTC

Change in education is typically external, immediate, and measurable (e.g., new policies, curricula, or tools). However, it can be shallow or short-lived without proper support.

Growth is internal, developmental, and long-term, involving shifts in mindsets, skills, and identity. It requires time, reflection, feedback, and psychological safety, making it more durable but harder to measure.

Key distinction: Change is what is introduced; growth is what people become. Effective change can support and enable growth.

Change (Innovative Leap) vs Growth (Improve) Differentiated by Learners and Educators - My take from a Lean Six Sigma Perspective

bhstevens — 2025-09-16 19:25:00 UTC

Learners:
- Change = external adjustments (curricula, policies, tech) that affect experiences but may not shift habits.
- Growth = internal skill-building (critical thinking, resilience, agency) that enables ownership of learning.
Educators:
- Change = new practices or mandates (PD, frameworks) that create quick but surface-level shifts.
- Growth = deeper professional evolution (beliefs, identity, adaptability) developed over time with support.

Overall: Change is external and immediate; growth is internal and lasting. Change alters what people do; growth transforms who they become.

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References

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American Psychological Association. (2021). Students experiencing stress. https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/stress

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/teacher-prof-dev

Fullan, M. (2015). The new meaning of educational change (5th ed.). Routledge.

Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. (as cited in Jasper, M. (2013). Beginning reflective practice (2nd ed.). Cengage Learning.)

Kroeper, K. (2022, May 20). Identifying teaching behaviors that foster growth mindset classroom cultures. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/growth-mindset-classroom-cultures

Kroeper, K. M., Fried, A. C., & Murphy, M. C. (2022). Towards fostering growth mindset classrooms: Identifying teaching behaviors that signal instructors’ fixed and growth mindsets beliefs to students. Social Psychology of Education, 25(2–3), 371–398. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-022-09689-4

Lim, L., & Lee, J. (2022). Interprofessional collaboration and education in the hierarchical and communal context. In S. K. Tan & M. H. Lee (Eds.), Interprofessional education and collaboration: An Asian perspective (pp. 203–220). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7232-3_11

Lipnevich, A. A., Preckel, F., & Roberts, R. D. (2014). Emotional reactions toward school situations: Relationships with academic outcomes. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 32(6), 522–535.

Niederjohn, D. (2022, September 8). Increasing growth mindset and performance in the college classroom. American Psychological Association.

https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/college-growth-mindset

Reio, T. G., Jr. (2005). Emotions as a lens to explore teacher identity and change: A commentary. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(8), 985–993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.06.008

What defines a great teacher? I echo Nick's take...

bhstevens — 2025-09-17 21:25:28 UTC

According to Nick Fuhrman, a teacher and host of a national television series, “Ranger Nick,” and radio broadcasts on NPR, there are four things great teachers do. Find out here what's that one thing that make our teachers GREAT.

Creative Power of Teachers

bhstevens — 2025-09-17 21:33:25 UTC

Teachers are the lifeblood of the success of schools But teaching is a creative profession Teaching properly conceived is not a delivery system... what great teachers do is mentor stimulate provoke engage. If there's no learning going on there's no education going on.

Is it time for schools to change?

bhstevens — 2025-09-17 21:37:49 UTC

Speaker: Dr. Gabor Mate ‪@drgabormate9132‬ Source: Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu ‪@TomBilyeu‬ How schools currently operate is a contentious topic. More and more families are turning towards home schooling, and there seems to be a real reason for the movement. Parents don't feel that our current educational systems (particularly when we talk about the U.S.) are fostering our children's curiosity for learning in any kind of positive way. School systems are littered with standardized testing and forced memorization. Most children don't like school anymore by the time they reach the 2nd grade. Learning quickly becomes a chore, curiosity is extinguished, and we end up with a bunch of children that have a negative concept of schools and learning generally. The results are not what we desire them to be, and it'd be a good idea for us to make some changes.

Growth and Change, My View of Teaching

bhstevens — 2025-09-18 10:08:42 UTC

The distillation of my thoughts on growth and change in relation to educational leadership:

Here’s how you can nurture leadership in others:

❌ Micromanage every detail.
✅ Give them ownership and the freedom to lead.

❌ Give them the answer straight away.
✅ Challenge their thinking with the right questions.

❌ Keep all the credit for success.
✅ Celebrate their achievements and give them credit.

❌ Let them stay in their comfort zone.
✅ Encourage them to take risks and try new things.

❌ Focus only on the immediate tasks.
✅ Invest in their long-term growth and development.

❌ Keep them dependent on you for guidance.
✅ Trust them to solve problems.

❌ Don’t make time for feedback.
✅ Offer constructive feedback and ask for their input.

❌ Keep challenges to yourself.
✅ Give them challenging tasks to help them grow.

True leadership isn’t just about your success.

It’s about creating more leaders.

By empowering others to step up,
you build a legacy of leadership.

My Acquired Inoculation to the Anxiety of Change

bhstevens — 2025-09-18 10:52:25 UTC

I grew up a Navy brat. I attended 14 schools from K-12 due to military moves. My engineering and management career took me from the U.S. Navy to 10 different companies. And while change may be traumatic for some, for me, at worst, it is a logistical nuisance, and at best, it is and has been the path to enlightened growth and opportunity. The video underscores my lived experience. A great reference on this topic:

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/01/what-makes-a-good-teacher/#:~:text=Most%20scholars%20would%20say%20that,the%20students%2C%20and%20the%20teacher.

My Joy at Rescuing a Failing H.S. Algebra Student - A Foreshadowing of my Passion to Teach

bhstevens — 2025-09-18 11:10:05 UTC

As a junior in H.S., I chose to tutor a female sophomore failing in Algebra I. Her self- esteem was shattered from receiving a D in the first 9-week grading period. We worked together in a classroom by ourselves for the next 9 weeks, diligently reviewing and practicing problems together. Her self confidence and self esteem rose, culminating in her getting a B in the next 9-week grading period. My realization of the Power of Support, and my passion for teaching began that moment. An excellent reference on this topic: https://teach4theheart.com/9-ways-to-help-failing-students/

My Ladder to Growth

bhstevens — 2025-09-18 11:26:33 UTC

As my mother advised, education would be my ladder to growth, coming from an itinerant Navy family, none of whom had achieved college degrees. I was imbued with the notion that educational success is synonymous with personal success, and conversely, so too failure. In this context, my self-image is, in part, informed by my intellectual success in education. An excellent reference for further study: https://positivepsychology.com/piaget-stages-theory/

My Geographic Context Experience - A Lesson in Resilience

bhstevens — 2025-09-18 12:02:24 UTC

As mentioned earlier, my journey through 14 schools from K-12 took me to no less than 6 cities across 5 states. Different schools, different cities, and different states, and in 9th grade, 3 different schools. My only hope for educational success became the teachers along the way who, recognizing my social and educational turbulence, mightily influenced my determination to succeed, culminating in graduating 5th in a graduating class of 535. Truly, for me, my story is an educational metaphor for the idiom, from rags to riches.

https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oliver/themes/?

From Horse-leg Pencils to AI, My Incredible Journey

bhstevens — 2025-09-18 12:28:25 UTC

Having entered formal education in kindergarten in 1960, and now working toward the EdD, I have literally travelled from the era of horse-leg pencils to AI in the realm of education, from chalkboards to laptops, and from brick-and-mortar classrooms to virtual learning environments. I view my lived educational experience as an autobiography in the grander evolution and transformation of education in America.

https://www.future-ed.org/u-s-education-timeline/?utm_source=chatgpt.com