Be the change you want in the world. Such a clichéd term, but yet so true. I spent the first few years of my teaching career trying to figure myself out. To a certain extent I think I still haven’t, though I’m becoming comfortable in my own skin.
How does this pertain to the world of technology? Simple. You can’t do well what you don’t feel comfortable doing. Especially if you are a person who grew to appreciate technology and then arrived in a classroom where you couldn’t figure out how to use it.
I spent my first year of teaching engulfed in the procedures of others, who, though older and wiser, were not technology innovators. During this time I experienced everything I wanted to be – and everything I didn’t. By the end of the first year, like many other novices, I didn’t feel like returning. I wanted to raise the white flag of defeat. I felt lost and jaded by the system. I spent several weeks sorting through all those feelings and came out of those weeks with a sense of determination and extreme motivation.
The summer became a time of rejuvenation and reflection. If I wanted to “survive,” I needed to be about that change in the world I wanted to see. I made the choice to be true to myself and in being true to myself I needed to include technology. Yet, after 11 weeks of thinking and some hair loss…I had nothing.
Just when you least expect it
Genius is a funny thing. It comes when you least expect it – when you totally don’t need another distraction. For me it came the second semester, right after our standardized testing. I was mentally exhausted from the same old same old of student test prep.
The next unit we were about to begin was poetry. As a person who loves literature, I’m more than happy to sit, listen and interpret the works of Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and Shelley. But try asking the same thing of a general education student. I assure you the response wouldn’t be anything you’d like to hear. As I sat in our teaming session, I thought about the boredom that was sure to come if I taught this next unit in the traditional way. And then it came to me: My students needed to “see” the poetry.
Poetry is something you have to feel come alive, not just read on pages. I thought back to my own days as a teenager and remembered the HBO program Def Jam Poetry, which showed how powerful poetry can be when it’s spoken aloud. And it also came to me that my students needed real world connections to the rising literary greats of today as well as an understanding of the giants of the past.
I went to YouTube – a site that I wasn’t comfortable with at the time but found to be a fascinating and awesome tool. I saved several clips of artists performing and tied those clips to daily themed poetry pieces. I presented the idea and concept to my English team members – fearing rejection but looking forward to the idea of being a rogue teacher if necessary. Somewhat to my surprise, the idea was accepted and the change in our curriculum plan was made. I took my first step toward becoming the change that I wanted to see by changing my own teaching and by spreading that change to others, which made it all the better.
I know it was a small change, but it’s given me some courage to search for more ways to make learning connect to lives of the students I’ve been asked to teach.
I’m eager to find out what’s next.
Jennifer M. Jones
Latest posts by Jennifer M. Jones (see all)
- Small changes toward a world I want - March 15, 2011
I’ve always like the idea of small steps, Jennifer. In the end, they get us where we need to be. Thanks for sharing your story–I look forward to more.
Thanks, I have grown to appreciate the small ones, they have prepared me for the bigger steps.
Hi Jennifer,
I can empathise you. It can be really hard leading change. I’m leading some really big changes in my school, that require both students and teachers to learn new skills and take a different approach to the traditional ways of doing things. I know I’m going to face some resistance and I know I’m going to have to work closely and positively with my peers to bring them with me. Your story speaks to me, and gives me impetus to continue. I think that’s what I love most about being a connected learner. I read the stories of others and realise that there are many of us leading change. We can gather strength from one another.
Well done Jennifer; I can sense already you’ll be an agent of change in your school. : )
Thanks. I think that change in area such as this, come be because of generational issues. People get to a certain age, and they believe that don’t have to work at being better. Learning, is continually and change is apart of life that happens whether you like it or not.
I think this a great platform for support as well.
Jennifer,
In your description of your first year of teaching, your pain and passion were palpable, even in text. What a gift to education and to your students that you have chosen to continue.
It seems to me that your step toward becoming the change was not nearly as small as you think, for not only did your students benefit but you enabled change in the thinking of your team colleagues and that in turn brought about new learning experiences for their students as well. Quite a ripple on the way to becoming a wave–
Now that you’ve experienced success in influencing and moving forward the collective practice of a team of teachers, I’m wondering what insights you gained from your approach– what was it you did, in what ways or with what types of conversations did you persuade– for I’m sure that many share your situation and would benefit from your experience?
Lani
Lani,
I am the type of individual that observers a situation before going into blindly. I knew that I could not put up too much of a fight at the moment it occurred. One, because of the type people I was teamed with and the type of person I am. When I did it was a stick and move situation. I gave them the idea and slipped away quietly…
Hey Jennifer,
Thank you for sharing your concerns, your journey, and your finds. As you were telling your story I could see you in teaming sharing your ideas and waiting and wondering what others were thinking. I believe as a teacher we must go with our passions. When students see this in us, they too, want to join in and sure. Congrats!
Thanks for the encouraging words!
Creating change can be a difficult thing, but because it’s so important for our students, we need to keep pressing forward. I’ve drastically changed my classroom this past year. My students love it, and because of this my administration has noticed. As a result, they’re more open to the changes I suggest. I don’t want to do something just because it’s new or different, but because it helps my students to become skilled collaborative learners.
Thanks for helping reiterate the importance of change.
“I took my first step toward becoming the change that I wanted to see by changing my own teaching and by spreading that change to others, which made it all the better.”
This is my very favorite line in your post. What a great realization. We cannot control the external. We have ownership over our own actions, and you took the often excruciatingly difficult first step to making learning more meaningful for your students. Kudos! Thanks for sharing this.
You were right the more I recall the more excruciatingly the process was for me. Sometimes you really just have to step out on faith.
Be a rogue teacher! As long as you r striving to increase student engagement & student performance then go for it. I’ve always felt like an outsider who takes risks even though the others around me might not support it. I like the term rogue teacher.
Well, my new friend, I guess we will become rogue together!
Jennifer-
Thanks for sharing your step to becoming a better 21st Century Teacher. Any step you take is a good step. Now if we can just get all our teachers to make the first step.
-Morgan
Thank you so much!