Who Moved My Textbook?
A book changed the trajectory of my personal and professional life.
A simple 108-page front-to-back international bestseller that has sold over 28 million copies worldwide since 1998, helping readers deal with change in their life.
I didn’t search for this book or even have it recommended to me but rather casually came across it while killing time in a bookstore. 25 minutes to be exact…better known as the extra time I had during my lunch break at my first “real” job in the corporate world.
I realized pretty quickly that this role wasn’t meant for me (a whopping 16 days if we’re keeping track), and to be honest, I wasn’t ready for that corporate structure as a 22-year-old kid coming out of college. Most aren’t, despite our society continuing to tell itself that a diploma triggers adulthood. I treated this job like most do, as a means to an end, constantly having that little thought of “Is this really it?”.
So there I was, with my 25 minutes to kill, once again casually wandering through a Barnes & Noble in hope that something catches my eye. There must have been many “Is this really it?” thoughts that day as I found myself browsing the Self-Help section in search of answers.
And there it was. The book.
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson.
I read about 20 pages that first day. Rather than buying the book, I popped in a bookmark and hid it behind a few other copies for tomorrow. This felt like a mission now, with each page read a feeling of excitement came over me as if it was speaking directly to my question and current time in life. Over the next four days, I’d go back to that same aisle, uncover this copy, and knock out another 20 pages until the book was finished. What I realized immediately after reading it…
..there was more to all of this than I could ever imagine, and I’m going to go find out what that is for me.
Almost two decades later, this masterpiece has a permanent home on my desk, acting as a go-to resource whenever I need a refresher on “when it comes to living in a rapidly changing world, what matters most is your attitude.”
This message should be shouted from the mountaintops, especially in the world we are living in today, with the education industry being the first to hear it.
Something Better
The four main characters in Who Moved My Cheese? are two mice named “Sniff” and “Scurry”, and two Littlepeople named “Hem” and “Haw”.
Sniff seeks to sniff out change early, while Scurry quickly scurries into action. On the other side, Hem denies and resists change as he fears it will lead to something worse, with Haw learning to adapt in time when he sees change can lead to something better.
That “something better” is what we are all searching for.
Constantly exploring, trying to uncover a hidden gem that flips the script of our story. The truth is that this “something better” can not be attained from an external thing, but rather an internal shift in how we interact and view our surroundings.
As for education, the overall sentiment by both the public and those within the field screams for something better, or as the mice and Littlepeople would say if they had a classroom today “Who Moved My Textbook?”. The world outside a school (the one we are supposivley setting our students up for) has changed at a rapid pace, yet the majority of change taking place within a school has dragged on at a snails pace for decades. Let’s take a look at why this fear of change exists:
Tradition. One of the primary reasons why change is hard in the education industry is that there is a lot of tradition and resistance to change. Traditional institutions believe that their way of teaching is the best, having kept the same practice for decades. With this consistency comes hesitantcy to try new methods that could disrupt their established routines, even if these routines are failing in our modern-day society.
Bureaucracy. The bureaucracy and lack of funding could be a book on its own, with a cover photo showing a neverending supply of circus-like hoops that one is expected to jump through. With countless stakeholders and policymakers holding the reigns (who for the most part have not been in an actual classroom in years), any change in the system requires a lengthy process of approvals which can take years to implement. The challenge? A student is only going to be in a grade one time, receiving enriching subject area information. This lengthy process is literally robbing them of opportunities to learn and grow.
Testing. Standardized testing has been around for decades. While the intent behind standardized testing is to measure student learning and ensure accountability, it has stifled creativity and innovation in the classroom. Many educators feel pressured to teach to the test, limiting their ability to try new teaching methods, while adding an alarming amount of pressure to students that is completely unwarranted. I do have some hope in this area changing though, which I shared in another post titled The Pins Are Falling.
Fear of the Unknown. Fear of the unknown is another reason why change is so hard in the education industry. The number one reason for this is a fear of failure, which can prevent educators and students from taking risks and trying new things. As professionals, we are encouraged to think outside the box, falling and innovating on a daily basis. Why are we not providing these same liberties to students and teachers?
What this “Who Moved My Textbook?” mindset has done has crippled the industry. It has drained the passion of teaching from educators, leaving them no choice but to leave the classroom at an alarming rate, craving that “something better”.
Navigating The Maze
To overcome change, it is essential to have a collaborative growth-mindset that involves all stakeholders, including policymakers, educators, parents, and students, all working together to drive change that is beneficial for everyone involved.
I have seen firsthand the impact created by a positive and collaborative school culture. It does not rely on funding or shiny new technology, nor does it matter on the demographic of a community, but rather an attitude that change is inevitable, and we’re willing to take it head on to ensure everyone succeeds.
The biggest factors in this mindset are Adaptability and Accountability.
To stay relevant we must adapt. Educators and institutions who are adaptable can quickly respond to changes and embrace new opportunities, making them valuable assets to the education industry, and most importantly their students. This includes being open to new ideas, experimenting with new teaching methods, and continuously improving their skills both in-and-out of the classroom. This also includes administration figuring out ways to free up time for their educators to embrace this mindset.
Accountability means that everyone is showing up with one common goal in mind, playing a vital role in the overall success of the culture and outcomes within the building. The age old saying, “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link” could not be more accurate in describing education today. A few negative attitudes (call these “Hem”) can create a toxic environment that makes it impossible for the collective group to navigate the maze.
Taken from Spencer Johnson, “Whatever parts of us we choose to use, we all share something in common: a need to find our way in the Maze and succeed in changing times.”
Today, these changing times are real and navigating the change has never been more difficult, especially within an industry that has been around for centuries. Despite all the technological advancements and scientific breakthroughs, the way education is delivered and consumed has remained more or less the same.
While many people believe that education needs a complete overhaul, the truth is that change is incredibly hard in this industry. However, if embraced like “Haw”, this change can create a positive shift that completely changes the industry and experiences that shape the foundation of our society.
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