"Educators
like to try new things, but then revert to their old ways."
Do you see
this happening in your school?
Do you
see change as more of the “flavor of the month” and then we go back to doing
what we were doing before?"
Respond to one other person.
I think the learning curve gets in our way of continuing to use a new strategy. At the beginning of implementation, success is seen. A little further in, success drops off and then we question ourselves as to the value of the new strategy. We do not stick with it long enough to see the true value. AND, it is difficult to abandon the old habit. Our habits are so easy to fall back on, it takes a lot of work to create a new habit.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that creating a new habit is a lot of work and takes determination. I think that instead of abandoning the task completely, the teacher needs to look and see if something within the new strategy needs to be tweeked. Also, it is easier to implement new strategies in small steps as opposed to revamping the entire day with new strategies. Start with getting one aspect implemented and "feeling good" (ie. reading) before revamping another aspect (ie math). The teacher will feel less stressed and become more comfortable implementing new things if they are done in small steps.
DeleteHabits are very hard to break. The students are comfortable with it, teachers are comfortable with it and it is easier to prepare and use. Changing things takes work and none of us have the time for that.
DeleteJerrie: You are so right. It takes perseverance to stick with it long enough that it becomes ingrained and replaces the old habit.
DeleteTotally agree. I can go to a conference or read a book or watch a video online and think "how cool is that! I'm going to try that" and then I might stick with that idea for one try and then out the window it goes and back to the old way of teaching.
DeleteI agree Jerrie! Habits are very hard to break! Change is uncomfortable and many people don't stick with it long enough to make the new way feel comfortable. I know that I have been guilty of this before...the new way is really fun at the beginning, and then I find myself getting back to doing something the old way.
DeleteI'd agree, I see too that sometimes we've not had the continuing staff development or the opportunity to share ideas to support teachers, in a timely manner, through that drop off period and answer the "now what?" questions.
DeleteDon't they (and I don't know who "they" are, haha!) say that it takes 21 days to make/break a habit??? That's a long time! I'm a nail biter, and I've tried several times to quit (In case anyone's wondering, things are going much better now than 10 years ago, lol!), and it's tough! And I mean, c'mon... Nail biting?!?! That's WAY more minuscule than trying to implement a brand new, unfamiliar strategy that involves MULTIPLE people. I can totally see how educators fall back into old routines!
DeleteI think there is some reverting back to the old ways. However, the school I am based at makes reverting back to the old way difficult because they are being required to stay with a curriculum and their team meetings revolve around the data collection that goes with the curriculum. The professional development is also geared towards the particular curriculum they are implementing. I am sure there are things teachers still do that may be considered traditional. I think in the field of SPED, teachers get excited about new things they learn and try to implement them. However, the crunch of paperwork and the chaos of the everyday leads some aspects of their teaching to go back to some of the techniques they were using before and are familiar with. I think teachers try to incorporate the new and the old to find what works best for the particular students they are working with.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement about how the chaos of everyday, duties, and paperwork weigh upon one's ability to continue with making changes and use new strategies.
DeleteI am sure there is always reverting back to the old ways in all schools. It really depends upon the individual and the administration. It is definitely easier to continue to do what you know. I try new strategies with my students. When I see success with them, I do not revert back. Sometimes the older strategies may work better with one student so go with what improves the skill. Change is hard and takes time! This question made me think of last year's book.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, time is a very important factor. There is not enough time in the day to start something new when we know we have deadlines to get done and get all the information to the students that we need to teach them in order for them to be prepared for assessments. Yes every child is different in that some may benefit from old teaching styles as well as new teaching styles or even a little bit of both. Another factor also is making sure kids are on board with new or old teaching styles.
DeleteI love the wording “flavor of the month!” Like I commented in a previous posting I feel like education makes full circle we just always call it something different by the time it gets back. Some educators will try new things and put their heart and soul into it and make it work. Others may give it a try but will revert back because it is just easier and they know the outcome and are comfortable with it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that some educators contantly try new things and make them work, while others may try, but eventually revert back to what they are comfortable with. Continually trying new things and changing to meet the needs of the students rather than expecting students to change to the needs of the adults is what good teaching is all about.
DeleteWell said Amber. The teacher should change the way they do things to meet the needs of the students rather than expecting the students to change. I feel that some teachers get so frustrated when the student can't think outside the box when they cannot do it themselves.
DeleteI see the more experienced teachers trying the "flavor of the month" and going back the way they know that works. The younger teachers I feel are more open to change and trying to make it work for a longer period of time, before going back to the way they were doing something before. Maybe they have more patients for doing things a new way or don't have the background knowledge of how they like to or what ways have worked in the pat to teach children.
ReplyDeleteYes, I see this in myself and other teachers - espcially the teachers that use the same curriculum each year... how can you use the same materials and tools for 100 completely different students?
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the other day about how many awesome teaching ideas I learned in college, but how I only use teaching methods and tools that I am comfortable with- the things that are easier to do and that take less time to prepare. I keep thinking "next year I'll really put more effort into that lesson and next year I'll try that activity instead." I hope that I do, but it is so much easier to stick with what I know.
I agree I learned so many things in school however when you get in a district you seem to go with how they teach you have to or you are a outsider. I feel that when I work one on one I am able to implement it how I want to so that makes it nice however I still want to use the same vocabulary they use so that kids are not confused because I have them for a short time and most of their time is the classroom.
DeleteFrom common core, to No Child Left Behind and Goals 2000 teaching children is a constant change and it will cycle through and be a circle of educational change(es). Someway, somehow we will always circle back around to the same ideas of teaching kids. And teachers will have to change with the new ideas.
ReplyDeleteI have heard teachers say "I know I am expected to try new things but what are they and how do I implement them in my class?". As long as teachers are not given the next step after a statement like is made they will revert back to their old ways, they do not know any other way (lack of resources do not help either). Teachers are like students when learning new things we need direct instruction, modeling, guided practice, etc... The role of instructional coaching is certainly more important now than ever. As far as the "flavor of the month" mentality goes, I think schools are shying away from that. We have not choice but to do stick with research based ideas. The key is to give them time to work!!!
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point! If administration or leadership shares the big pictures with teachers, they are more likely to buy-in to the proposed changes. Buy-in from the teachers is so important to making a lasting change.
DeleteYes I think that teachers sometimes teach with what the standards tell them to teach but in reality the teachers know that some things are life skills that also need to be taught. I would use the example in Kindergarten of calendar. Schools are not focused on teaching the days of the week or months of the year because standards don't say that has to be taught however some teachers see that as a life skill and still teach it even though it is not part of what they are "supposed" to teach. This is not always a bad thing however many teachers are overwhelmed with what they are "supposed" to teach that reflects them as a teacher that they don't realize that implementing calendar you could still hit some standards needed.
ReplyDeleteI think that how change occurs and how long it lasts can really depend on the type of change. For instance, I see many teachers changing parts of their lessons and how they present instruction to include more Common Core. I don’t see those changes going away any time soon. In fact, from what I’ve seen, I would believe that many of them would continue to change more of what they do with lessons and assignments as they implement the standards more fully. However, this change doesn’t necessarily involve the 21st century skills. So, the teacher might change parts of her lesson and still have a large part of it involve lecture and note-taking. I have seen that many teachers are implementing more technology, especially when it is readily available for student use. Some teachers are doing more with GoogleDocs and assigning work that way, however, others are using technology to replace what they were doing before. Instead of allowing students to use critical thinking and problem solving skills, they are creating worksheets and distributing them through computers instead of printing them off. In that case, is the change worth the effort (especially if the teacher just prints them off to grade them anyway)?
ReplyDeleteWe've seen some change in the math department in that they are using online curriculum instead of books. One disadvantage for us (in SPED) is that we no longer have access to the teacher book. The students are struggling with managing the chrome book. The jr. high teacher recently decided to give the students extra credit for working in a math program (similar to IXL math). The program helps students review basic skills and so far has really helped one of my students.
DeleteChange or "trying new things" is hard and can take a lot of time and energy. I think it depends on if the trying newtThings" is teacher driven or driven by administration and state and federal "Mandates" (if you will).
ReplyDeleteThe time and energy to put into "change" is often lost in simple survival as the student/teacher ratio gets larger and students needs get demanding. It's easier to change when the person doing so, sees the need and has decided to implement something new.
When change or a new way of teaching is demanded by others and the process isn't well thought it, change is hard. For example, the DLM tests. This new testing concept has caused teachers a lot of stress. There are so many glitches with the system and teachers are constantly being given deadlines and then something doesn't work.
I see teachers stressed about all the testing and the demands made on their time..... I see some teachers trying to add value to their teaching in different ways.
Often when I implement a new strategy in the SPED room it takes a long time to see much change or progress. It is easy to get discouraged.
Absolutely! I am so very guilty of this. I love to try new things with my students...different ways of teaching new skills/sounds, etc. but when my schedule gets tight and my life gets crazy, I will revert back to what is familiar to me. I also see this in the buildings I work.. we will learn a new way of teaching or get a new technology tool and there are varying degrees of acceptance and willingness to change. I think the key is to allow time for change and the acceptance that their will be good and not so good days that come with it. Also, we must encourage and support each other through the change, keeping and open and mind and continuing the education needed.
ReplyDeleteI am with you. The first week of winter break I really tried to reflect on what I was doing with my students. I wanted to focus on what I liked that I was doing, what I liked that they were doing, and what they enjoyed. I realized that in my strive for routine and predictability for my students became monotonous. While they enjoy it, I hated it. There was no push for either of us to go beyond our comfort zone. Change is hard, but I agree that with the right support we can see it through.
DeleteI think this falls on educators in general, not just in my school. While many try new things, it is often difficult to uphold the gusto. Sometimes there is more work required in the new way than the old. In the end, what's tried and true is most comfortable. With everything teachers have to account for on a daily (and yearly) basis, it is hard not to want to go with the routine and do what has worked in the past. However, like we have already discussed, the way we learn and the material we learn is constantly changing, so if we don't try to keep up we are really short changing our students. I have seen many teachers who do a great job of trying to stay ahead of the curve, and I've seen some who don't. At the end of the day, we can figure out how to balance it all and make it work for both the students and for us. It's just a matter of trying.
ReplyDeleteI agree, baby steps and/or just one thing at a time is the way to make new things seem less cumbersome. That and conferences those are great for revving up personal energy!
DeleteThere are so many factors packed into thus question. I agree with many others who have stated that the ability to "stick it out" can often be a reflection of support or lack thereof from administration. It can also be a sign that maybe you're trying to do too many new things at once.
ReplyDeleteI have also seen teachers who only ever try new things and new things and new things... to the point of adnauseum. It's great to try new stuff, but your classroom shouldn't look like a teaching store exploded in there.
I think too about this question that teachers teach how they were taught and so in our society, if a person had a teacher who had been there forever and didn't have to try anything new because she was the same teacher of a person's brothers or possibly even their parent, it was ingrained in us for 13 (and possibly longer) years.
ReplyDeleteI think this happens all the time in schools! There are so many great ideas out there at conferences and in books and on Pinterest that people try...for awhile...and then go back to doing things the old, comfortable way. Change takes time and it is often hard for educators to take the time to really make changes. I see many veteran teachers doing things the same way each year because that is what is easiest for them. I see the younger teachers branching out and trying new things on a more regular basis. I think it also depends on the administration and leadership in the building supporting the new way of thinking and allowing it to happen.
ReplyDeleteI do see this happening a lot in many places, including the school that I work in. I believe that individuals get inspired by new ideas but have a hard time with being all in. By this I mean that we are trying to keep moving forward without letting go of old habits. Thus, it is easier for us to revert back to our old ways when the new things become too far out of our comfort zone. Also, it is hard for us, as educators, to try new things and, if they do not show effectiveness, to keep doing them for a good amount of time.
ReplyDeleteI do see this happening. I think it is a part of human nature to revert back to what was comfortable and familiar, or even further, to what was modeled, in your own education. It takes a conscientious personal effort, and supportive organizational climate to keep change moving forward.
ReplyDeleteAs a whole, I’d say our education system definitely seems like a revolving door. The experts throw out something “new and improved” every so often, but it always seems like eventually we’re just right back to square one. Speaking of, one of my principals sent out an email a couple weeks ago that reminded me of this…
ReplyDeleteJust an FYI! SB67 was introduced for this legislative session that would repeal the current Common Core Standards in favor of returning to the pre 2010 standards.