One of my favorite things about being an
educator is having the opportunity to reboot at the beginning of each new
school year. Along with starting the academic year with a clean slate, I
make a few resolutions regarding my professional practice, giving myself
permission to think outside of the box and try new things in order to more
effectively reach my students, support other teachers, enhance my skills set,
and keep things interesting.
While these new beginnings are exciting and my
commitment to a refreshed approach to my professional life is strong, I often
find myself falling back into old habits.
In spite of my best intentions, the changes I implement don’t stick and I
am left wondering, “Why is change so hard?”
The Heath brothers address this issue in their
book entitled Switch: How to Change Things
When Change is Hard. After conducting research, they conclude that change is
difficult because it is exhausting. Breaking an old habit or creating a
new one requires an inordinate amount of self control as we make efforts to
avoid falling back into our old routines. These efforts, in turn, tax our
limited energy supply. To view a short video that brings their thoughts
to life, check out this link. Thanks to these print and video resources, I
now understand why sticking to my back to school resolutions has always been so
difficult.
In addition to sharing their enlightening work regarding the difficult nature of change, Chip and Dan Heath also posit several life changing suggestions in their book including the following:
In addition to sharing their enlightening work regarding the difficult nature of change, Chip and Dan Heath also posit several life changing suggestions in their book including the following:
- Tweak the Environment: When your circumstances change, your behavior naturally follows. So adjust your environment to set yourself up for success.
- Build Habits: Habitual behaviors don't require energy, so find ways to encourage habit formation.
- Rally the Herd: Behavior is contagious, so surround yourself with others with similar goals and objectives.
Armed with this perspective on change and a few strategies for making change
stick, I look forward to realizing successful change during the 2012-2013
rebooting process!
by: Courtney Cadwell, STEM Instructional Coach