Growth and Change in Education by

Negative Reactions to Change in Learners

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 03:14:13 UTC

For many learners, change can be scary because it is unfamiliar and thus uncomfortable. I feel that the way our education system is set up, we unintentionally created rigid learners who are used to conformity and routine. While routine isn't bad or wrong, our students have become so used to the typical, "desks in a row, teacher at the front, complete the assignment, and receive a grade" way of doing things, that any deviation from that seems wrong or scary. In a way, I believe this set up stifled skills like perseverance and grit and caused change to be viewed as an unwanted challenge rather than an opportunity for challenge.

Positive Reactions to Change in Learners

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 03:41:55 UTC

For some learners, change is exciting and is viewed as a wanted challenge. But why do some learners view change as positive and other learners see it as a negative thing? To answer this question, I think we need to take a look at character traits within our students. Students who are natural risk-takers and/or adventurous, I believe, tend to view change as a wanted challenge, willing to attack it head on and "figure it out".

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 03:59:09 UTC

This article also gives a reminder that different character traits of students, as well as life experiences, tends to play a role in how students react to change. The article then gives article for ways to support our learners through change which includes being open and honest about the change, acknowledging student feelings, providing student choice, making it joyful, and emphasizing student strengths that I think should emphasize the traits (grit, perseverance, effort) over the assignment or change itself.

Understanding our learners

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:05:26 UTC

In order to support our students through change, I think it is important for us to know our students. We have to build relationships with our students. We need to understand their personalities, likes/dislikes, and interests. This helps us as educators to know HOW to help each student. It also creates a space where students feel safe and valued and are willing to open up and trust the teacher through changes and new learning.

Understanding our "digital native" students

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:11:41 UTC

One concept we need to understand as educators is that our students are part of a unique generation that has never been without technology. Technology is all they've known. In fact, many times they can adjust to new technology quicker than we can! We need to meet them where they are. One point the article makes is that because our students have only ever know technology and have images in front of them all the time (TV, gaming, tablets, phones, etc.), they think and "talk in images". When we are designing lessons, we need to think of ways we can infuse ways for them to share their learning in those ways. In short, sometimes the change that needs to happen is with us, the educators!

Positive and negative reactions

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:21:08 UTC

Like learners, there is a mix of positive and negative reactions to change. As it is with learners, character traits of teachers play a role in how they react to change. As educators, we know that we are in the business of learning. We must remain open-minded and willing to accept change and grow with it. We must be adaptable. The above article shares "fearless educator characteristics".

Managing Change in Education

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:30:04 UTC

This Ted Talk goes through the way changes affects us personally and professionally and what we need to keep in mind as we make changes in education, which is our students. He also gives a great example by talking about the changes we made when we introduced the Smart board into the classroom. This real-life connection helps educators to see how change can affect us and thus reminds us that our students are going to have the same, if not similar, emotions too.

Growth mindsets

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:33:59 UTC

In order for educators to support our students through change, we need to be able to manage change ourselves. To do this, we need to remain open-minded or what many call, a growth mindset. A growth mindset is a a switch in thinking. It is viewing the change or learning in a positive way versus a negative way. For example, a fixed mindset would say, "this is hard. I can't do this." A growth mindset would view it as, "I can do this! How can I attack this and find a solution?"

10 applicable steps to growing as an educator

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:37:19 UTC

This article gives some great applicable steps teachers can take to grow as an educator that includes nurturing student growth and not hindering it, making relationships a priority, and by measuring understanding in diverse ways (innovative ways!).

Professional Development

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:41:02 UTC

All districts have professional development that is mandatory as well as additional development that you can choose to do on your own. Taking advantage of all the professional development your district offers is crucial to growth as an educator. This can also include less formal ways of development like utilizing and learning from the strengths of your colleagues, and seeking out support from your tech and curriculum instruction departments.

Utilizing social media to network

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:45:19 UTC

Social media is another great way for teachers to learn and grow. It is a great way to collaborate with other teachers across the globe. Following education pages and other educators, following hashtags like #growthmindsetteachers, and joining teaching platforms like Teachers Pay Teachers is a great way to remain open minded with a growth mindset, gaining new ideas.

PD in a new way

jessicabradshaw0718 — 2025-04-14 04:49:34 UTC

No longer is PD limited to just in person at your school building or district administration building. Get Your Teach On is professional development for teachers designed by teachers. This PD can be brought to your school, attended in a conference format, or even played back in webinar type format. Be encouraged and inspired by other teachers who have been and are in your shoes. They get it!