15. Consider
change efforts in your school (KCCRS, new teacher
evaluation system, adopt a new curriculum, new
state assessment),
how has this book affected your view of change
and those who
encourage you to move your behaviors?
Overall, what lessons have you learned that would help you encourage change
in others?
Change happens. Try to help people along with change by hooking their emotional side. Help them see a reason why the change is necessary. To help people change their behavior, shrink the steps by breaking them down and provide scripts or tools to make it easier to do the new change. Once you have momentum, keep the ball rolling by recognizing individual and group behavior changes.
ReplyDeleteI think the most powerful tool I gained from the book was to ‘shape the path.’ If I make it easier for myself or someone to change by simple, specific steps, the more likely the change is to happen. And, new habits can be created!
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Jerrie, as long as I can shape the path it is easier to change. Sometimes it doesn't have to be a huge change, but just as simple as taking out the answering system so a real person has to answer the phone. I keep thinking of changes I need to see in my daily life at work and home and have been working on shaping the path for these changes. One change I made was so simple, but has had a great effect. I was stopping every morning to get breakfast at a fast food place before coming to work. I simply changed my route in the morning so I wouldn't drive past these places and I started eating at home. I also feel that HPEC made completing IEP's easier by shaping the path with the preloaded data for meetings.
ReplyDeleteI think this has allowed me to be open minded. I have been working on allowing the person talking to finish without cutting them off because yes I am like that, but I would like the same respect. I know I look at things differently and have different ways of doing things but that does not mean it is wrong. I think new teachers are finding their way and yes we do need support. I do feel sometimes teachers who support new teachers need to realize we do want to do things that work for us. Suggestions are great but we have to implement the suggestions that work with are teaching methods. I have learned so much in the last four months that I still feel like I am wading in the ocean. I am hoping to be on the beach at the end of the year. Hope everyone enjoyed reading this book and I am glad I did this blog.
ReplyDeleteI think the best thing that came out of the book is you yourself have to have all your emotions in check and on board to become the leader that is needed to help make the change amongst the herd. You make out of change what you make out of it so get the elephant motivated that there is a reason for everything and a plan for why and go with it!
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest thing about change is it is going to happen. I like change, but I have worked in two other schools that have gone through the process my school is going through. I think these requirements really help teachers to self-reflect and become better at teaching. I also try to support the change as much as possible. I try to talk with teachers about how to support with this change. I try to keep things positive and a smile on my face and a laugh when possible. I think I need to always look at a person's elephant when approaching them as well.
ReplyDelete'Shaping the path' is a very important thing I learned from this book. If I make things easier to complete and be more direct in what I expect (sometimes I struggle with this!), people will be more willing to change. Also 'motivating the elephant' is an important concept, if you want somebody to change, you have to get them motivated with feelings so they buy into it.
ReplyDeleteGraduate school helped prepare me for change. I learned you have to stay on your toes and be ready for anything. My schedule was never what I thought it would be - working in the clinic. And rarely has it ever stayed constant since. Change happens constantly, it's best to just embrace it and not get set in your ways!
I like the parts about finding the bright spots and shaping the path. When you have a positive attitude about change and the people you are working with, anything is possible. Believe in those around you and direct their steps, riders, and elephants towards positive change.
ReplyDeleteI think that most people are receptive to change when they are educated about it...it's the unknown that creates discord. I also have learned how to differentiate between the rider and the elephant when dealing with parents ....there is such emotion tied to having a child with special needs that I often think we forget about or ignore because we don't know how to deal with it. We are the professionals and they are looking to us for direction and hope. I also like finding the "bright spots"...the hope and "shaping the path " gives them direction.
ReplyDeleteI like change - it keeps things from getting too stagnant! Plus it encourages life-long learning. Change always brings a lot of anxiety due to the unknown. When we break the change down into small steps it becomes much more manageable. What I liked the most was the chapter on "Finding the Bright Spots" (chapter 2). I am definitely a glass is half full type of person. When we are in the mist of change, like now in education, it is too easy to see all that is not working or will not work. That only gets you bogged down and eventually you can become immobile thus not being of any use to anyone! Finding the bright spots allows you to see what is working and build on that. It also gives you a sense of the light at the end of the tunnel!
ReplyDeleteChange definitely challenges us and moves us out of our comfort zone. My son gave an speech in FFA about change and his "gotcha" was "no one like change except for a baby and they cry and holler a lot about it"! Shaping the path is very important. It makes the work/change/whatever easier. When the path is easier I'm less likely to procrastinate. I'm planning to see how I can shape the path for my students.
ReplyDeleteChange is a reality of life. Sometimes we fight change when someone is trying to change us (Common Core, new Teacher Evaluation system, etc.,) and sometimes we need to try to change someone else (a kid who needs to learn some new behaviors). As I thought about both these change events, I realized that I learned so much by reading this book. I think I will use the "Finding the Bright Spots" first because we need to build on something that already works, then try Shaping the Path and Shrinking the Change. I learned alot about myself and my Elephant--my emotions definitely control me. Knowing that, I am more aware of finding my Rider.
ReplyDeleteI think I can encourage others to accept change by Shrinking the Change and Shaping the Path. Staying positive is not always easy for me, but I have learned that that makes all the difference.
I am one of those people that thinks change is scary and hard and it is not something that I like to do. While I know that change happens...sometimes daily...it's not something that I like. What I have learned that will help me in my process for change is to look for bright spots, encourage the elephant, and to shape the path. When I know what direction I need to go in and I have manageable steps to get to there, change can happen successfully for me...and it won't be so scary!
ReplyDeleteI think shaping the path and being specific. If we tell teachers specifically what they need to do with our IEP students - they will be more likely to do it. I know the new way to write accommodations is somewhat frustrating, but I have already started seeing more teachers following the accommodations. They tell them exactly what to do, how to do it, and when to do it and I really like that. I would like to see some direction with the CCRS from the state, but I'm sure we may just have to wade our way through! :)
ReplyDeleteI see that I need to be more specific with my students and how I want some of their habits to change. I have to tell them exactly what to do and when to do it and not leave any room for assumption that they know what I'm asking of them.
Change is hard for everyone. This book reminded me to think about how others might feel when change is to occur. I like the idea of finding bright spots and shaping the path with little specific steps to create that change. I will try to use more specific language to shape a path for those things I need to change.
ReplyDeleteI felt this book taught me a lot. Even more importantly, all of it made complete sense. It gave me the opportunity to step aside and view it as an outsider looking in. I am hoping that I will keep in mind many things I learned. Such things that drastically stick out to me are:
ReplyDeleteResistance is a lack of clarity. This is hugely important.
There are two sweet spots (the rider and the elephant) to be spoken to in the time of change.
Making it easier to act the desired way. This is something that is also huge and can be more simple than ever imagined. I can not begin to explain how much easier it is to not do something now that the environment has changed. Also, knowing this insight encourages me to be the one who speaks up so that the rest of the "environment" doesn't follow the quiet norm. Most importantly, I think it is very helpful to know how important it is to be specific when directing my rider. Thank you for such a great opportunity to read this book and really help myself through many challenges (and changes) that lie ahead!
I have had lots of change over the years I have been teaching. I have taught 2 grade levels in 2 school districts then this year I made a big change and started my journey in Sped. This book was a great time for me to stop and think about how I have handled all of those changes over the last few years and how to look at the changes that are going to be coming in the future. I really like thinking about the bright spots. Not every change is what you want or easy to accept but if you can look for the bright spots it is much easier to accept and adapt to the change. My husband read this book with me and we have talked a lot about shaping our path. We can make our own paths but we also need to shape the path of our family and how we would like to see our daughters raised.
ReplyDeleteFor me the best part of the book was remembering/recognizing that starting small and staying precise can bring about great change. We may not see the forest for the trees when we start, but change can happen and for the better. I think this book was great for helping to realize we do make a difference no matter our power or starting point.
ReplyDelete(Mary Schreck) I have always tried to remember or keep this quote by Madeline Hunter, on my "radar" - "If things aren't changing, you're not growing". Change is hard!! This book has helped break down change as following a pattern - "direct the Rider, motivate the Elephant, and shape the path. As we read, hopefully, it is now our pattern!
ReplyDelete