The title of this post came from a “calendar of great quotes” given to me by a student for Christmas. It is JRR Tolkien.
Today’s daily reflection from Covey’s 7 Habits stated, “People can not live with change unless there is a changeless core inside of them. The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about and what you value.” In my Personal Finance classes we are speaking of values and the role they play in our financial decisions and decisions about relationships, careers and college choice. We discuss the importance of values, where we learn our values and how values shape our beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. Values are at the heart of our character and character is what allows us to be steadfast in the face of adversity, conflict and change. There has been a change in the cultural and generational perspective to focus more on the “why” rather than the what. We can either be a change agent (nowadays called a disruptor) or we can get caught up in the rip tide of change. Covey, twenty-five years ago, compares this to a conscience decision “to be proactive or be acted upon”. I am proactively working to cause a paradigm shift in the delivery of education. Often I encounter individuals and bureaucracies that are apathetic on one end of the spectrum and downright belligerent on the other end. I am reminded that “Every new thinker is condemned by those for whom change is terrifying.” I’d like for all of us in education to embrace change, not not be terrified of the ‘frost that might reach our roots’. Our values will help us be resilient in the face of opposition and hold steadfast to our convictions. Be the change that we want to see; don’t wait for someone else to make up your mind for you.
Daniel
2/9/2018 05:46:40 am
As Matt Wight said in our morning email announcement -
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Author: Dan Jackson
Experienced Reflective Learner and Strategic Thinker with an ongoing track record of of innovative, adaptive leadership in education and business management. Archives
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