Helping Teachers Adapt to New Curricular Initiatives

“When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” This is how Dr. Wayne Dyer describes responding to change or adversity. This is particularly true in schools: Whether you’re leading a department, teaching students in the classroom, or supporting educators through the curriculum adoption and implementation process, one thing is for certain: It truly is all about perspective.  

Each year, educators find themselves faced with new initiatives to adopt. These can be district policies or building-level procedures. Curricular initiatives are particularly challenging because they have a direct impact on a teacher’s instructional practice; this is something that takes time and effort—sometimes over years—to develop. Although well-intentioned, curricular initiatives often leave educators feeling frustrated. It can feel like just when your comfort level is at an all-time high, the administration decides to change it up.

As a former teacher-turned-leader tasked with supporting staff through implementing a new curriculum, I have seen the process from both sides. Preparation, and a few small shifts in perspective, can make all the difference.

Shifting perspective on new initiatives

Frame the new initiative as an opportunity: Those of us in leadership roles can ground our approach in intentionality and center it around students. Doing so can make these shifts feel less daunting, more manageable, and more positive for staff. Just as students feed off their teacher’s energy, teachers reflect the energy of the administration. Leaders have the power to positively (or negatively) influence others by how they show up in the midst of change. As a leader, begin to cultivate an environment that views change as an opportunity. For example, adopting a new curriculum can rejuvenate a classroom of students by offering new content and an array of materials.

Acknowledge how teachers feel: Everyone appreciates being seen and heard. Leaders must recognize that change is hard, especially when it involves unpacking and learning a new curriculum. They must show up to validate the feelings expressed by their educators, in the trenches, doing the work. A present leader, willing to listen, is a step in the right direction.

Offer time and space: Change takes time. This is especially true during the curriculum implementation process. Schedules may need to change to accommodate a shift in the instructional model, and new learning is happening along with lots of trial and error. Practice makes progress, and that’s perfectly normal. As a leader, remember to be flexible with your educators.

Provide autonomy: When it comes to a new curriculum, leaders can support educators by encouraging them to ditch the sense of urgency to “do all the things.” This will give them time to slow down, be intentional, and process a new way of doing things. Particularly in the early stages of curriculum adoption, leaders can encourage educators to “break down and bucket” each piece of the curriculum, then choose one bucket at a time to focus on. This can minimize feeling overwhelmed and prevent multiple tasks from being completed piecemeal.

Promote passions: Provide educators with ideas on how they can make the curriculum their own. Steer them toward the power of passions, and support ways those passions can be incorporated. For example, if theater is a passion, encourage the use of props while teaching. An art lover could create a visual vocabulary wall. For history connoisseurs, think of ways to incorporate a mock trial. Show educators that a small dose of creativity can make implementation fun. 

Extend support: Meet educators where they are, without judgment, and encourage others to do the same. Recognize that some may need more guidance than others during this process. Change is uncomfortable, especially if you’re being expected to shift from what you believe was working for you. 

Leaders can cultivate a support network among educators by promoting peer-to-peer visits between colleagues. One idea is for leaders to design a common way for educators to have the option to invite peers or even administrators into the classroom to observe the curriculum in practice. For example, have signs outside classrooms welcoming visitors: “I’m teaching [subject] at [time]. Please visit if you can. I am interested in your feedback.” This normalizes classroom visits and is a non-evaluative, non-threatening way for leaders to promote the power of feedback.

Celebrate wins: Leaders recognize that small wins can really be huge wins. This is such an important piece of moving forward during curriculum implementation. For example, an educator carrying out a lesson within five minutes of the recommended time frame is an accomplishment worth celebrating, as is 100 percent engagement from students during a lesson. Leaders can designate a common space for educators to write these wins down on sticky notes and encourage them to celebrate each other. This keeps the momentum as time goes on.

One thing is certain: For educators, curriculum implementation is a process that can feel overwhelming, scary, and really big. As leaders, we hold the power to ensure that our teachers feel supported and heard, which in turn can make this process feel manageable. Remember, it’s all about perspective.