Change

Change is one of the most difficult things to propose to an establishment because we all get used to doing the same thing over and over again. Self-evaluation is the key way to assess what an organization is doing and its impact. The objective of rigorous self-evaluation is to reveal the effect that the present system of operation is having on the attainment of an institution’s goals. The more rigorous the evaluation is, the higher the probability of its correctness and its ability to proffer more effective strategies of achieving the organization’s set objectives. Self-evaluation doesn’t only review systems; it reveals the capabilities of the human resource personnel which will ultimately ensure that competent hands are put in places where they are most effective in the system. Self-evaluation also reveals areas of weaknesses which can become training opportunities.

Institutional improvement may be advanced in a school through the proven and tested strategies outlined by John Kotter (1995) in his book ‘Leading Change’.  If a teacher sees a need for a curriculum upgrade, she may need to first sell the idea to her immediate supervisor by making her see the limitations of their current curriculum. She can have a short presentation on the proposed curriculum, outlining its benefits and its edge over what is currently being used in the school. Similarly, an academic head of a school that sees the need for improved classroom management can invite a professional to train the teachers on effective classroom management strategies. Sometimes speaking as a group is more effective than speaking alone; one can form a team with other colleagues with like minds who share the same perceptions of the need for improvement. The next step will be to coherently articulate the vision of the change and improvement you want to see. A vision that is poorly articulated cannot be bought by the management. In proposing a change to an educational setting, one may face opposition from other colleagues or management board. This should be expected from people who have stayed longer than you in the organization. A lot of tact, one-one meetings and diplomacy is needed to douse the situation and remove this barrier. Sometimes change takes place unnoticed, it is therefore important to celebrate every milestone covered, compare new strategies with old strategies and escalate areas that have improved. Employing these approaches will consequently result in an improved institution.

 Leaders of school programs need specific training and support in order to make their roles more rewarding and fulfilling.  The most important need for leaders to succeed in an institution is to practice ‘a cultural shift’, a method that empowers leaders  to function in their well-defined roles , encourages team work and ensures higher productivity (Murphy & Curtis, 2013).

As teachers, we go through a lot of stress daily in carrying out our tasks. However, as stressful and tiring as the teaching profession is, it can be enjoyed. One of the things I do to manage stress is effective time management. I set daily targets for myself and try to follow them. I don’t wait until reports are due before I start writing mine, I start early so I don’t get into the rush of meeting deadlines. In my school, we submit our lesson plans to the supervisor on Fridays and I have noticed that Fridays are very busy days because of meetings and other activities, so I set a target of submitting mine on Thursdays to enable me focus on other tasks for Friday. This single decision has taken a lot of stress off me. Planning ahead of time will ease the stress off every teacher. Wearing a smile always and not taking life too seriously can also help teachers to sail above stress.  I try to create fun activities I and my students look forward to once a week. I usually do this on Thursdays because I have a lighter schedule.  We let down our hair and have fun on those days and that helps to relieve the stress of the week. It is also important to work cooperatively with other teachers. A work environment that is full of strife will be tensed and stressful. Lastly, when I’m at the brink of having a burn out, I take one day off and it helps me greatly.