Change is hard
“Change is hard.” “People hate change.” These are common beliefs we hear, especially in schools facing constant demands to adapt. But if people truly hated change, why do we so readily embrace huge life shifts like getting married or having children? And why do many smaller changes, like submitting reports on time, often meet fierce resistance?
This puzzling contradiction shows that change isn’t about simply liking or disliking it. Instead, it reveals that the way change is presented, experienced, and supported makes all the difference. Understanding this is the key to making change work in schools.
The Switch model, developed by Chip and Dan Heath in their book Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, provides a powerful and practical framework for understanding and driving meaningful change. At its core, it recognizes that change is difficult because it requires alignment of three key elements inside every person and organization:
The Rider (Rational Mind) — This is the logical, analytical part of our brain. The Rider plans and thinks through the steps of change but can easily get stuck in overthinking or confusion if the path isn’t clear.
The Elephant (Emotional Mind) — This represents our emotions and instincts. The Elephant is powerful and motivated by feelings but can resist change if it feels overwhelming or risky.
The Path (Environment) — This is the external world around us. Our environment either supports or hinders change by making behaviours easier or harder to perform.
The model uses the metaphor of a Rider trying to steer an Elephant down a Path — change happens smoothly when all three are aligned and working together.
How does this work in practice?
- Direct the rider: Give clear, simple instructions and a specific goal. Instead of vague advice like “improve student behaviour,” the Rider needs to know exactly what success looks like and which steps to take.
- Motivate the elephant: Connect with people emotionally. Change sticks when people feel inspired or see personal benefits, not just when they are told what to do. Breaking big changes into manageable steps helps keep motivation high.
- Shape the path: Adjust the environment to make the desired change easier. This might mean changing routines, removing obstacles, or using peer support to encourage new behaviours.
Schools are complex environments with many stakeholders — students, teachers, parents, and administrators — all needing to adapt to changes, whether it’s new teaching methods, behaviour policies, or well being initiatives. Applying the Switch model helps ensure these changes are effective and sustainable.
Direct the rider:
Provide clear, concrete goals and action plans for staff and students. For example, instead of a broad goal like “raise attendance,” focus on a specific target such as “reduce late arrivals by 20% in three months” and outline the steps to achieve it.
Motivate the elephant:
Engage emotions by sharing stories about how attendance improvement leads to better student outcomes or personal success stories from students who overcame challenges. Celebrate small wins to build confidence and momentum.
Shape the path:
Make it easier to arrive on time by adjusting school start procedures, creating peer accountability groups, or providing incentives. Create routines that support the new behaviours, like morning check-ins or clear consequences and rewards.
- It combines logic and emotion to tackle change holistically, which is crucial when working with diverse groups.
- It acknowledges that willpower alone isn’t enough — motivation and environment must align.
- It provides simple, actionable strategies that reduce resistance and overwhelm.
- It encourages small, achievable steps that build lasting change.
By applying the Switch framework, schools can transform challenging initiatives into manageable, motivating journeys — helping students and staff navigate change successfully.