Positive Social Change: My Plan

Positive social change is exactly what is sounds like: changing society in a positive way. Walden University (2017) seeks to bring about positive social change globally through research, education, and partnerships that empower scholar-practitioners to become effective agents of social good. This refers to all of their programs and their goal for all who attend their university. As a public school teacher, it is my job to start small, begin with myself, then my students and school, and let the positive change snowball and ripple from there. I can only directly influence a few people, and they can each influence a few more, but that can continue until the positive changes spread from my classroom to the whole world.

Michael Jackson sang:

                                        I'm starting with the man in the mirror

I'm asking him to change his ways

And no message could've been any clearer

If they wanna make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself and then make a change

(Garrett & Ballard, 1988).

I will start with the man, or in my case, the woman, in the mirror. I will seek to show empathy and compassion to myself. I will have confidence and practice self-care. I will know my potential and always seek to better myself. As I do this for myself, I can also do the same for others, particularly my students. I will show them empathy and compassion. I will believe in them and care for them, encouraging them to do the safe for themselves. I will help them to see their potentials and to always better themselves. As they do these things for themselves, they will (hopefully) seek to do these things for their classmates and people around them outside of school.

In my professional Learning community, I advocate for and brainstorm with my coworkers and administrators on ways to improve our school culture and community. Part of our school mission is to help our students to become good citizens in their community. We find ways to model and cultivate this within our school.

One of the ways my school strives to bring about positive social change within our school by helping our students to become good citizens is with our affirmation box. There is a box by the front office where students are encouraged to leave kind, affirming notes for others. They can sign their name or remain anonymous. These notes, at least some of them, are read over the intercom throughout the week and all them them are delivered to the people they were written for. This encourages students to look for kind things to say about each other and to write them down. It's just a small thing but it has a dep and lasting impact on many students.

References

Garrett, G. B., & Ballard, S. (1988). Man in the mirror [Recorded by M. Jackson]. Epic Records.

Walden University. (2017). Walden 2020: A vision for social change: 2017. Report. https://www.waldenu.edu/-/media/Walden/files/about-walden/walden-university-2017-social-change-report-final-v-2.pdf?la=en