From Katie Martin in “Learner-Centred Innovation“:
Just think how you might begin to make the changes and the impact you desire in school if instead of statements like, “If they would have, . . .” you started asking, “How might I…?” This is what is referred to by psychologists as the locus of control or the extent to which people believe they have power to influence events in their lives. A person with an internal locus of control believes that he or she can influence events and outcomes. These individuals might notice that students are not meeting the desired outcomes and decide to take some risks, try new strategies, or design an authentic project to meet the needs of learners. Someone with an external locus of control instead blames outside forces for everything.
This passage is so important for education, where the work is centered on serving others.
If a student is not “getting it,” do we blame the student or look for other ways to teach?
If staff is not “moving forward,” do we focus on “their resistance” or our “leadership?”
Of course, other people are part of the equation, and things aren’t as easy as leading or teaching differently. But as Katie reminds us, the focus should be centered on what you and I can control as an individual to create conditions where people can excel.
Focus less on the “hoops” people aren’t willing to jump through and more on how to remove them in the first place.
