Are We Really Reluctant to Change?

We are quick to say that education is too slow to change. That may have been true in the past. I think that as technology continues to grow, we have to integrate technology into our daily lessons, either through supplemental programs, or simply by creating interdisciplinary lessons to bring that technology into our classrooms. Older, more experienced educators resist accepting change, in general.

It is in our very nature to resist change, or to have fears about it. Many times, change is thrust upon us, rather than through selection. We have lost jobs or have been forced to go down a new road in our life. This is not a choice of ours, but most of us make-do and restructure ourselves, sometimes with different priorities. Change can come also by choice, either in selecting a new job or career, or in relocating our families. But even in that, it is rare that we do it without some reluctance.

In education, change is a constant. We teach new concepts, we change a technique, we adapt to the changing student. We never reinvent the wheel, but we constantly look to improve on it.

With change, we sometimes also get excited. We hope a student becomes more motivated. We hope to change a bad situation into something positive with more potential growth opportunity. So, change is not always bad. We just have fears that it won’t work out.



November, A. Hopes and Fears, http://anovember.com/