Embracing Change…Knowing Myself

Midwest DistrictAmerican Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and DanceLeadership Development ConferenceJune 6, 2013

Who Are You?

Typical Response

My name is ___________. I am a ______________ at ______________.

Is this “who you are” or “what you are?”

What Do They See?

Do They See The Same Thing?

What If?...

What if the four individuals were all at the same eye level and looking at the same object?– Would they be looking at the object

from the same perspective?

What If?...

Would they be looking at the object from the same perspective?– Yes: same physical perspective

(angle)– No: each person’s perception

(interpretation) of what (s)he sees is determined by her/his cultural background

What Do You See?

Importance of Knowing Yourself “We are all products of our culture

and its history” (Tatum, 2007, p. 51)

We are all products of our culture and its history and our own history that is a result of our culture and its history

Importance of Knowing Yourself When we are confronted with a

new situation, how we react to that situation comes from our history or who we are

When we are confronted with change, how we respond to change comes from our history and who we are

Importance of Knowing Yourself To strategically approach issues,

teachers must begin with exploration of their own beliefs (Breese, 2008)

Today, You Will…

Develop a cultural self-mapping of yourself

Examine your attitudes toward change Reflect on your responses to

experiences involving change Critique how your attitudes and

cultural self have influenced your responses to change

Adjust your attitudes to improve your adaptability to change

Cultural Self-Mapping

List on the bones and branches of bones of the fish (handout), things that have made you into the person you are today– Examples: Family, friends, teachers,

schools attended, jobs, interests, qualities

As needed, add more bones to the branches that already exist; add more branches as needed

Examination of Self

Think about your attitudes toward change

Reflect on your responses to experiences with change

Examination of Self

Critique how your attitudes toward change have influenced your responses to change

How has your cultural self influenced your attitudes and responses?

Adjusting Attitudes to Improve Adaptability Think of ways to adjust personal

attitudes to improve your adaptability to change– On blank side of card, write a few attitudes you need to improve – Exchange cards; provide ideas– Share ideas

Improving Adaptability to Change (Brunkhorst, 2006)

Stop and think to avoid misinterpretation– Give yourself time to analyze

situations thoroughly Think long-term

– Consider consequences and benefits of dealing with situations

Improving Adaptability to Change (Brunkhorst, 2006)

Prepare for change with continuous learning– Change is constant; skills needed to

address change will vary as we go through different stages of our lives

Look beneath the surface– With every challenging situation

comes a new opportunity

Improving Adaptability to Change (Brunkhorst, 2006)

Become clear on your values– Your actions need to stay true to

your values

Go a Step Further…

Instead of just adapting to change, how can change be turned into success?

Within your group, brainstorm how to make change into success

Turning Change Into Success (Burke, 2009)

Remain true to yourself– Don’t compromise your beliefs

Think outside of yourself– How will your choices affect others?

Dream your dreams– Reality begins as dreams

Turning Change Into Success (Burke, 2009)

Be patient– Turning change into success is a

process Help others

– Address change as a team, working together

Closure

You must know who you are as a person

Who you are determines your attitudes and responses

You can then proceed to improve your adaptability to change– Turn change into success

Thank You!

Dan TimmFaculty AssociateDepartment of Kinesiology2000 Observatory DriveUniversity of WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin 53706-1189608-262-7714dtimm@education.wisc.edu