Why is change so hard?

Have you ever found yourself in a rut—doing the same thing you’ve done for ages? The good news is that when we start wondering if we’re in a rut, it may indicate the beginning of meaningful reflection.

I’m a proponent of reflective practice—actively and mindfully considering how I execute my choices—when it comes to just about everything; certainly in my professional life. Developing routine practices for reflection is a key indicator for success in the classroom in my observations and experience. For example, whenever I think about adding another element to my daily or weekly work routine, I have learned to re-examine the current structure of my time and whether there’s anything I can remove or consolidate —I can’t just add things without considering the structural elements themselves, and I can’t think about changing things around without considering my projects and deadlines and potential impact on my colleagues. If I were contemplating changes in the classroom—currently, my classroom is an early elementary Sunday school classroom—I also have to consider my current students and their tolerance for change and how I will transition into and out of the proposed new element, and the timing of everything. This same process occurs when someone else wants to add to what happens in my classroom. Not everything can fit in even if I want it to, and I have to be willing to look at the big picture and make some tough decisions for the benefit of my learners.

Moment of candor: though I'm a proponent of regular reflection, I still have to work at it! I, too, find myself stumbling along, wondering why things aren't going as smoothly as they might, until I remember to reflect on what's happening. Wondering isn't the same as reflecting! Also, just because I've developed routines for how I reflect on my educational practice doesn't mean I've figured out the best way to incorporate those reflection routines into my daily or weekly practice--I'm a work in progress.

So, as I work to become a better reflective practitioner, I like to identify resources that might help me along. As I read Why Are We Still Doing That? Positive Alternatives to Problematic Teaching Practices (2021, ASCD) by Persida and William Himmele, I was pleased with the specificity of the examples and alternatives presented, as well as the inclusion of relevant research. The book is divided into six chapters covering sixteen common but problematic educational practices and might help teachers at any stage of their career, including preservice teachers, examine their own practices and become better reflective practitioners and better educators.

This was an easy to read book, and I'd recommend it, especially for a department or grade level team that wants to review their practices.