How many times have we as educators been told that something major was going to change? Sometimes it was a new initiative being implemented, other times the entire curriculum was changing. Sometimes it was a change of classroom, other times it was being moved to a whole new grade level?    

How did these significant changes make you feel?

     For me, it was always a mix of shock, anxiety, and fear. Fear of the unknown and fear of getting out of my comfort zone, yet again. But, there is a way to initiate powerful and necessary change while lessening negative emotions.

     According to Kotter (2013) the first step to any significant change is to get a sense of urgency up and complacency down. This means that we need to lower people’s anxieties and fears that come with the thought of change, and make them feel the importance of it. First, we need to capture their hearts by sharing our beliefs and purpose, our WHY (Sinek, 2009). According to Sinek (2009), people don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it. After winning over their hearts, we need to win over their minds by presenting a solid plan with HOW and WHAT we are trying to accomplish.

 

Our WHY, HOW, and WHAT of Blended Learning: Personalizing the Future of Education

 

Starting with Our Why

WHY…Why do we do it?

     We believe that in order for students to be successful, they deserve to have learning that is customized to their needs. Our students are struggling with the one size fits all approach that traditional school offers. Some are far behind due to the pandemic and need extensive intervention and others are so far advanced that they are bored with the current teachings. Now, imagine a school where students can learn at their own pace, a school that personalizes instruction for each individual child. That is what we have envisioned for our students.

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Getting to our How

HOW…How do we do it?

     To do this, we will create a Blended Learning environment where students have control of their learning by giving them choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities (COVA). According to Rocketship Public Schools (2013), blended learning has the ability to reach the right students, with the right lessons, at the right time. With a Blended Learning environment, students will be able to have control over their learning. They will not only be able to pause, rewind, or fast-forward instruction based on their unique needs, but they will also have choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities (COVA).

 

Ending with our What

WHAT…What do we do?

     We personalize education and create self-directed, life-long learners that are responsible for their own learning. By providing a blended learning environment with choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities (COVA), we are personalizing education for each student and creating life-long learners that will be self-directed, motivated, and responsible for their own learning.

 

 

Sources:

Kotter, J. (2011, March 23). John Kotter - The Heart of Change [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NKti9MyAAw&feature=youtu.be

 

Kotter, J. (2013, August 15). Leading Change: Establish a Sense of Urgency [Video]. YouTube.                     

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yfrj2Y9IlI&feature=youtu.be

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Rocketship Public Schools. (2013, November 12). Rocketship’s Innovative Instructional Model [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/79236820

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Sinek, S. [Tedx Talks]. (2009, September 29). Start with why -- how great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek | TEDxPugetSound [Video]. YouTube.

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA&list=RDLVu4ZoJKF_VuA

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Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., Cummings, C. (2018). Choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning [eBook]. Creative Commons License. 

     http://tilisathibodeaux.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/COVA_eBook_Jan_2018.pdf