If we desire, we do change, grow, and transform.
The old adage, that you "can't teach an old dog new tricks," doesn't hold in an age where growth mindset is the mantra. That "old dog" can learn new tricks and grow his/her craft and practice too.
We are not mired in our old ways, but admittedly some old ways do take time to change.
Also our personalities come to play here. We are all different, and there isn't a one size fits all when it comes to right personality or way of being. Would we all want to be the same? How boring would that be as Shel Silverstein suggested in one of his poems.
We are all transforming all the time. This fact brings me back to the life path image I hold. In the image everyone is walking along the path, and during the journey you find that some walk with you, some lead you on, and some fall behind--that movement is always changing. A best friend one day might move far away from you, while a new friend arrives. Or perhaps there are a few that walk most of the road with you throughout your entire life. I don't like the linearity of this path image as I'd like to grow it to be more 3D, perhaps if I played Minecraft more that would be easy to do and create.
As we walk the road and interface with many, I am reminded of the need to utilize the best possible structure and process to support our transformation and movement forward. As I ready for today's PLC, I'm reminded of the discomfort we all felt as we began the PLCs so long ago and how this structure has changed from the start and continues to change for the better the more we employ better and better strategy and process. In addition, as I watched the school committee meeting this week, I took note of the many processes used by the superintendent to bring about share, voice, idea exchange, and choice--multiple processes. Reading about the exciting work of The Energy Project, being apart of the NEA/CTQ/MTA Teacher Leadership Initiative, attending edcamps and ecet2, and working in a shared teaching model have all made me think deeply about process and structure this year.
We are as a people moving away from good vs bad to continuum think, and I believe we're also moving in ways where we use greater empathy, collaboration, and team to help each other rather than perhaps, the trickery, competition, and conniving ways of the past. Yes that still exists as we might see in current elections and other matters, but for the most part, I'm beginning to notice much more talk about teams and togetherness, capacity and collective effort, shared paths and mutual gain and benefit.
I'm excited by the potential that transformation brings to individuals, organizations, and those we serve. I'm happy to be apart of this collective growth mindset driven path of doing better work and making positive change. Yes, it's a humbling journey, and even painful at times, as we reckon with past struggles, challenges, and hurtful events, but the more we move forward with truth, honesty, care, and investment in what's best for all of us, the better that path will be. Onward.