Change is hard. That’s why I’m not interested. When you work in a school, there is always a lot of talk about changing things (by talk, I mean it rhymes with witching). As educators, we are faced with the choice of jumping on board with the latest fad or sticking with the tried and true method that we’ve used for the last 20 years.

For me, it’s a no brainer. If it was good enough when I was in school, it’s good enough for the students in 2009.

When the word change is even casually mentioned, it can provoke a strong reaction — in some cases anger. Luckily, the bad feelings are never directed toward administrators (for the last time, sarcasm is the lifeblood of this blog).

After much thought, I have chosen my final answer on change (I do love Regis Philbin but, rest assured, not in the same way I love Kelly — actually in the EXACT same way I love Kelly). I’m against it. Don’t even think about trying to talk me out of it. I don’t like change. Why? Because I don’t like it. You need a reason? I gave you one: I don’t like it.

In my estimation, progress is way overrated. Schools were good enough for my grandparents (if they attended, and some did — at least until the 6th grade), so they should be good enough for today’s students. Progress is for the next generation. It’s for the person who takes my job. (I know you’re out there.)

As for me, I’m going to stick with what works. I’m way too busy to worry about the latest fads. My career is on borrowed time. I just don’t see the point in making a lot of unnecessary changes because I’ve only got 20 years left until retirement (like I’m going to make it). I’m going to focus on the present.

In the next week or so I need to do the following:

• Make copies on the ditto machine.
• Take a quick smoke break in the teacher’s lounge.
• Use some corporal punishment on a student in the hallway because he was talking in study hall.
• Finish a report on a typewriter (I hope I don’t make a mistake; I am all out of correction tape).
• Handwrite some memos.
• Use the phone tree to contact teachers.
• Drive students in my car without seatbelts.
• Take some pictures for the yearbook and send the film out to be developed (I should be getting them back in a couple of weeks).
• Write grades in my red spiral grade book.
• Show a movie on the 16mm projector. Or possibly a slide show (don’t forget to turn to the next slide when it beeps).
• Finally, I need to not exercise (all the studies say it’s bad for you).

I think I’ve made my point. Schools don’t need to change. Things are just fine the way they are.

To read more blog entries by Michael Smith, visit his site PrincipalsPage.com.