Change in Education

In today's society every time you turn around there is something new to be learned about in education. An educator has a very important job. We need to prepare our children for the future. In a society where change happens so rapidly, how come in education change happens so slowly? About 25 years ago the Carnegie Foundation came out with a report called "A Nation at Risk." This report stated that "our educational system in the U.S. was not preparing students for a future much different from the past" (Dickinson 1). It makes you wonder how much has the system really changed since then. Yes, we have made changes, but have we made enough changes?

According to Fullen we need to "unfrozen the froze" and I agree. Even though I don't always care for change, change can be for the best. "The knowledge we now have about change makes the complex process understandable and amenable to productive action" (Salaberry). Knowing this, it is a little confusing why we are so slow to change things. We are suppose to do what is best for the children.

I have only been teaching for four years now and in those four years I have seen my classes change before my eyes. I needed to change certain things about myself and teaching style in order to adapt to what was happening. I think that is what more teachers need to do. They need to step out of their comfort zone and reevaluate how things are being done. We all get too comfortable at times. How many of us teach the same lesson year after year and never change a thing, but the funny thing is our children and their needs change every year. Educators put in a lot of extra hours, but we should make those extra hours count.
I understand that we can not change the system all by ourselves that it requires team work. Administrators, parents, communities, etc. all need to step in and do their part. It is not an easy task to accomplish, but with teamwork and help it can be done. There are tools out there that can help get the job done. Books like Fullen's "can serve as a road map for addressing larger issues and encouraging educators to promote legislative and organizational actions consistent with what research recommends" (Dickinson 2). Change takes time, but it time to speed up the pace.

In conclusion, as an educator myself who knows what needs to be done I'm not too sure why change happens so slow. I think people hear the word change and get scared. It is time to move on and do what is best. We need to prepare our children for a world of many possibilities.

Dickinson, Dee. "Education's Achilles Heel: Unlocking the Dilemma of Difficulty." New Horizons for Learning July 2006

Salaberry, Trudy."The New Meaning of Educational Change." Journal of School Improvement Spring 2003: Vol. 4 Issue 1