“One of the things that makes us resilient is that when we see a challenge, and when we face a struggle, we engage with it, rather than shut down,” said Simon Sinek, author of The Infinite Game and Start With Why. In other words, to effectively process and deal with change, there must be a willingness to change oneself.
Sinek continued, “What I have learned from my career is that something I learned over here helps me over there… Even if I don’t know that is happening, any kind of learning benefits all aspects of life.”
Sinek’s observations can certainly be applied to schools as they confront the many changes required to operate safely during a pandemic. These days, changes within schools come in all shapes and sizes ranging from new drop off and pick up procedures to different methods for teaching and learning both in the classrooms and through on-line platforms. But unless educators and students are ready to change their attitudes and adapt effectively, then even the best conceived plans won’t be effective when new challenges arise.
There’s no doubt that the pandemic has been an extremely difficult, and in many cases, tragic event for millions of people. Far too many people have died and countless others have lost loved ones. Regardless of the way individuals and communities have been impacted, it imperative to confront the challenges of the pandemic and apply the lessons learned to our current situation. The challenges of teaching remotely last spring may now help teachers become more facile with technology and these skills may foster greater in-person instruction as well. Since March, students may also have gained a deeper appreciation for the opportunity to learn with teachers and peers as well as work collaboratively in the same room. Perhaps some people have become more productive working and learning from home and may remain in their remote locations in a post-pandemic world. With these new habits and many other lessons under our belt, we may be better equipped to confront a wider variety of challenges in the future and, as Sinek encourages, more readily change ourselves as we do.
