This week we did a lot of reflecting on the Change Simulation Game we played the last two weeks in class. I did change my opinion on the game and began to value the experience as we started to experience progress in our activity selection and ultimate outcome with our virtual staff. I think the first week was particularly challenging trying to gather the information, create your plan with teammates, and communicate quickly. I wish we had the materials a week ahead of time instead of at the moment of starting the game as I think it would have helped ease the initial pressure and desire for instant success. Making change seems so easy until one begins to ‘play the game’ and realize there are many layers of resistance. At first we learned we needed to have administrative buy in to get started. Next we realized it is important to hold multiple meetings to discuss, survey and develop a direction for change. Ultimately we created a vision, re-surveyed our successes and failures, and held trainings to began to move our virtual district forward.
Through taking this class I have learned most that actions taken as a leader may differ than as an ordinary staff participant. As a Teacher Leader, instead of maintaining focus on the experiences of a certain program or department, one must have an outlook of the greater good and value the collective staff in making change occur. I do appreciate this extended focus on the organization and look forward to putting what I have learned in this class into practice in the future. Let the real 'game' begin. :)
This week we played a simulation game as a class to experience the challenges a school faces in making change. To me this experience was similar to my lamaze class where the instructor told us to place a clothes pin somewhere on our body and have our partner help us focus through the pain. Yes, I placed it on my hair, because the thought that a clothes pin somewhere on my body was going to simulate labor pain was, to me, ridiculous. Similarly, I view the game not exactly reflective of attaining change in a school, because each culture of each school will be different. There is really no way to prepare for the resistance or circumstances a school will face in the process of change. The valuable thing I did learn through playing the game is that you cannot just do one action to invoke change. You must be persistent, try multiple methods, conduct surveys, continually communicate with colleagues/superiors/stakeholders, and ultimately persevere.
By reading Tune In to What the New Generation of Teachers Can Do by Joan Richardson I reflected that my age would place me in the Generation X generation, however I feel Millennial description better suits my love of emerging technologies, ability to multitask, positive professional nature, efforts to collaborate with others and interest in retooling what I already know to adapt to the changing workplace. Of course there are generation gaps in every workplace. In my experience, there is no ‘one size fits all’ as Richardson’s generation descriptions depict. My district employs elder teachers who embrace life-long learning & cutting edge technology innovation as well as recent young hires who are more traditional and use minimal technology. I think it is more about comfort in discovery, participatory learning and willingness to experiment than age.
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