As I write this blog, the Texas Rangers are winning 4-0 and UT is barely beating Baylor in football. By the way, did you know that the UMHB football team is currently ranked #4 in the country for Division III? Maybe we should attend one of their games as a group.
Now back to the academics-
This week, I finished reading 5 Minds for the Future. I found it to be a more challenging read (I think my head hurts), but it was filled with great insights. It reminded me a lot of A Whole New Mind, in fact, Gardner mentions this in his book.
I enjoyed learning more about the 5 Minds: the Disciplined Mind, the Synthesizing Mind, the Creating Mind, the Respectful Mind, and the Ethical Mind. However, I found the conclusion of the book to be especially insightful. Here, Gardner talks about the Resistances and Obstacles. As leaders who are learning about a lot of new ideas, our toughest challenge for lasting change in education may be some of the people we work with. These people are those who hold to Conservatism (we are doing fine with traditional education - why change?), Faddism (Why should we believe these five minds are any better than earlier ideas?), Hidden Risks (Perhaps excessive creativity will slip into anarchy), and Impotence (I don't know how to achieve these goals).
One key to overcoming these obstacles is timing. Sometimes we have to wait for the right time for people's hearts and minds to be open for a change. For example, it was only after our TAKS scores came back lower than expected when our teachers were ready to look at new and creative ways of teaching and collaborating.
Learning about the 5 minds is easy in theory, but will be more difficult to implement in practice.
UMHB football - I went to the game today. We really do have a great football team!
ReplyDeleteI posted a blog on change tonight because of the book and you responded to one of my questions I posed. Timing is key! When our hearts and minds are "open" we allow a thought process to take place that can drive change. Until that happens - we are reluctant to change.
I sometimes think I'll go back to coaching...that's my comment about football. I love it still.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I agree about the ending chapter of the book. Some of the most insightful stuff Garndner said was in that chapter.
Timing is key. I've been really wanting to see a change in my campus but have held back talking to people about it because I knew they'd be overwhelmed and resist. Timing is where all great leaders excel.
Sometimes we are in too much of a hurry to wait for the right timing. That is one way to sabotage the change we are trying to bring about. On the other hand, timing also depends on the selling of our vision by creating awareness.
ReplyDeleteWe've been needing some change on our campus with a certain team. I was able to hire 2 new teachers this year, but I have had to constantly remind one that you have to go slow to go fast. It's been so difficult for her that she finally resigned this week. I was disappointed, but people really don't want to hear you talk until they develop a relationship with you and also see what you can do.
ReplyDeleteTiming is key in all we do.
ReplyDeleteSpiritually . . . We get upset when God doesn't move in our time. How can we ask God to move on our time when He has time in His hands?
Educationally . . . The education system always seems to implement new strategies at the wrong time. By the wrong time, I mean too many new initiatives at once. Also the education system does allo enough time for a new initiative to bare fruit. If we are lucky, the district will give the new initiative two years befor it move on to the next "fad" strategy. When will the system learn it takes "time" for real change to occur?
Self reflection . . . We are having many changes at work and the administration is forcing many teachers to change some of their practices. Being the stubborn personn that I am and not liking people telling me what to do, I have been reluctant to the change. I know, it's not good. But being in this program, refelcting and having difficulty with my students being reluctant to port forth the effort to learn, I can see it is "time" for some changes in my teaching practices!