Changes

Playing the school change game was really enlightening. I knew principals and administrators had many items to consider when trying to institute change, but didn't realize the social aspect played such an important part. I recognized some of the types of characters on the board, as well. What should happen is this game should be played by all teachers entering the school of education during one of their undergrad classes. Is there an undergrad class that teaches Educational Leadership? There should be, if there isn't. I think if undergrad students had the opportunity to play this game they would have a clearer understanding of how "the educational system" works and makes changes. Maybe it could be held in one of the statistical classes, noting how school data plays out in the virtual game world. I appreciate the fact that the game was made and only wish it was around earlier, when I was taking undergrad classes. I would have understood where the administrators were coming from when they talked about making changes.

Looking at the information included in the Beloit list was enlightening. I wonder how teachers would have looked at the list if it were around when I was a beginning college student. The list would have read something like: Didn't know much about Hitler. Color TV's were invented. Transistor radios were invented. Data processing was done with cards. JFK was shot and killed, as well as Robert Kennedy. The Beatles, Bee Gee's, Supreme's, Elvis, and Doors were names of famous singing groups and singers. The Ed Sullivan Show was on every Sunday night. LSD was becoming a problem as well as "free love" and communes. Cults were starting and hippies were in. The Civil Rights movement was creating a lot of rioting; Nixon was impeached; blue jeans were in and finally, girls were able to wear slacks and jeans! Water was water, accepted as a free drink everywhere. Students were being drafted and burning draft cards, some escaping to Canada to protest the war. Scenes of the Vietnam War was on the news every night, the first time war was ever televised.  Recycling was a new thing to do, pollution a bad word. There are more I could add. To say the Baby Boomer generation wanted change was like saying water is water. I believe each generation wants its own way of making changes and there are those out there willing to fight for those changes. It doesn't come easy and some of it come with a price. 

I recognize myself as Haw in the video and book, "Who Moved My Cheese". I've not been one who "sniffed" it out, but I scurried to make the change when I needed to. I was more like Haw, throughout. He moves along with the change and makes some "A HA" statements on the wall as he was exploring. What we're doing now is like Haw. We're learning about making changes, taking risks, and the benefit of those changes. Nothing is ever static in life, as we go through the stages of our own lives. We grew from babies to toddlers, children to teenagers, young adults to adults, middle agers to senior citizens. Each decade brings its own changes and hopefully, we learn and grow through each one. It reminds me of the book, "Passages", about the different stages of life. We need to grow and accept that the world is in constant change. If we stick our heads in the sand, change will happen anyway, without us. If we want to make sure the changes are forward moving ones, we need to help lead in the making of those changes. 

To do so in the school system is to help teachers move forward with technology, introducing new concepts about teaching with technology and helping them learn it. It means I'll have staff development sessions for the staff, using current items such as digital storytelling, pod casts, wiki's, blogs and Web 2.0 and more. Then I'll be teaching appropriate use of those items to students, as they will be learning Web 2.0 skills as well. I'll continue learning new technology as it arises and offer staff development for those, as well. As I do so, I'll remember the lessons learned in the school change game: some may be resistant to change, but others will be looking forward with it. There will be many types of the same characters in the game, no matter what. I'll have to try and reach all.