Joining The Dance

'The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.'

Alan Watts

The first week back saw the beginning of a number of changes occurring within our PE department. I was fortunate enough to join the school at the end of last year and had a long summer to think about a few things we had discussed and were looking to change. I mind mapped, jotted, scribbled and attempted to make sense of all my thoughts on the things I knew I wanted to affect. 

I decided on two key things over the break:

1) I would like to update the curriculum considerably. Currently stands a particularly well worn tradition of rotating through sports codes from year 7-11. I hoped to persuade them to move towards a more holistic approach; looking carefully at our philosophy and student needs rather than purely at context and the development of sport specific skills. I thought this would be difficult in a traditional school with a known focus on trying to improve and develop elite school sport. 

2) I wanted to solidify the Health curriculum, improve the content and delivery as well as the amount of hours dedicated to the subject. There wasn't a set curriculum or number of hours dedicated to health, rather it was an addition to the PE curriculum when needed. 

I expected some negativity and some well formed arguments against change. Having taught for a few years now in a variety of different schools I have heard it all before. I waited for someone to tell me that a module focused on improving students awareness of self, building on their interpersonal skills and relationships was going to be at a detriment to Sport. That changing from football to a more broader concept of outwitting opponents and strategic thinking in invasion games would mean the 1st XI might suffer and we'd have less footballers to choose from as a result. I waited to hear that previous attempts at change had failed because of x, y and z. I went in armed with every counter argument I could think of, I had done my homework and was fully prepared. Not because I thought they were the kind of people to do that or say those things but because I had come up against it before from colleagues and change is scary.

Humans don't particularly like change and teachers are some of the best examples of that that I have seen. Resisting change, particularly after you have been at it for some time is a natural reaction. Why try to fix what isn't broken? If no child seems to be coming out of PE particularly distressed or negative, if we still have all students bringing their gear week after week to participate then is there anything that needs changing at all?

I was absolutely wrong about the reaction I got. There was no negativity at all. My colleagues were enthusiastic about change, eager to adapt and keen to progress and look closer at the needs of our students. We have a plan. There is a lot to do, a lot of late nights to be had and some hard work and critical thinking to be done. We are aware that change won't happen overnight. I get bogged down in the amount of work at this time of year when there are still a lot of uncertainties with timetables, calendars, learning about new students and general admin to be done. 

I spoke last week about the negative grumblings that often creep in and make me think that we have bitten off a bit more than we can chew. Reading the comment on the post (see above) has affirmed what I already knew but can sometimes forget. (I should print it out and stick it by my desk now while I think of it). There are some variables that mean that I myself may not be there to see all the changes through in the long term.This is the first year I have a role with responsibility and the position to affect change and that is a great position to be in and one I am thoroughly enjoying. It's good to feel as though you can make a difference and influence something. As a team we have a chance to do that and whether I will be there to see the effects of the change are irrelevant.The students will be there and at the end of the day that is what is important.

I need to stay positive and enthused by the potential outcome rather than focused on the difficulties and road blocks. I think that blogging is already making me reflect on that far more than I'd expected and I'm really enjoying having the time to just reflect. with all the other things we have to do as teachers there often isn't enough time to do that. I need to stop worrying about change and just join the dance.