Why Change?
I am participating in The Innovator’s Mindset #IMMooc and I am excited to start my blogging journey with this content. I have been meaning to start a blog for too long, only to find every excuse not to do so. The Innovator’s Mindset #IMMooc has made me take the step and I am excited about this new challenge.
Why Change?
I read The Innovator’s Mindset last summer and it made a definite impact in the way I approach teaching and learning. For one thing, it reaffirmed the idea of change as an obligation in today’s classrooms. Our students simply do not learn the way we did and we must admit, adapt, and act upon such truth. Change is definitely hard and it takes a lot of work! I remember about five years ago, our district moved to standards based learning and that was a huge change in my teaching. I spent months trying to figure out how to work with the given standards AND textbooks at the same time. You see, the textbooks did not match the standards and that meant only one thing: it was time to ditch them! I read, I connected, and I found many authors who have shaped my teaching and learning in a way no schooling could have accomplished: they helped me CHANGE!
The opportunities to learn opened up immediately as I joined the EdCamp movement, Twitter chats, and connected with educators around the globe. Again, the strategies, tools, and ideas gathered from these connections were irreplaceable. I asked myself, “Where have I been all these years?” I knew right away where I had NOT been: connected! I am not a social media fan, but I am a connected educator thanks to social media. I learn from all my colleagues near and far and I take every opportunity to join in a discussion, share ideas, and engage. I changed my classroom from rows to groups; I changed my teaching from teacher centered to learner centered; most importantly, I have not stopped learning and seeking opportunities to challenge myself through change. Yes, change is difficult and it takes time however, the rewards for these long hours of burning the midnight oil are many. Students are engaged, they inquire, and are willing to take on new challenges. Let us all embrace continuous growth through change.