14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wings of Change teaches an important lesson., August 1, 2003
This review is from: Wings of Change (Hardcover)
Back when he designed his first school, Frank Hill did all the right things. He talked to the faculty members about their programs and goals. He studied all the literature about the future of education and educational technology. He met with the school board to discuss its vision for the district. Then he integrated his research into a building that was the school of the future, primed and prepared for all the educational changes and progress everyone had outlined to him with such enthusiasm.
The educators took one look at the plans and declared they didn't like them.
"I thought, 'what went wrong?'" Hill said. "Then I realized it wasn't the design, it was the changes it would require. People are afraid of change. It's human nature. So I had to figure out how to assuage their fears."
That was 15 years ago. Hill, an urban planner and president of Hill and Associates of Bellevue, has learned quite a bit about the fear of change and what to do about it; enough that he has designed or redesigned more than 60 schools, each time matching the design to its future, not present needs and, each time, running into people who thought those changes were a fine idea, until they realized they were the ones who would have to adapt to them.
Hill decided the easiest thing to do would be to simply give them a book on overcoming one's fear of change. So he wrote one.
All Ages:
"Wings of Change" (Illuminations Arts, Bellevue, illustrations by Aries Cheung) is a book for children, actually. But its principles can apply to any of us. In it, a good-natured caterpillar named Anew is quite happy with his life. Then his friend Faith, a snail, explains that changes are afoot. Anew doesn't understand. But Faith reassures him, "As the world turns, so do you. When you change for the good, you change the world, too."
Anew starts having odd dreams. In one, he decides he can fly. But caterpillars can't fly so crash he does to the ground. Then he dreams he has a butterfly's wings, but a caterpillar's body. He tries to fly again and again, he crashes. Then he dreams has a butterfly's wings and body, but when a bird tries to catch him, rather than fly, he runs like a caterpillar and gets snagged in some thorns.
Thinking like a caterpillar does not work for butterflies, he realizes. Faith explains that the dreams were preparing him for a very big change. Instinctively, Anew starts spinning his cocoon. A few weeks later, he emerges as a butterfly; but not just any butterfly. The new Anew has prepared himself for this, the biggest change of his life. The strange new experiences of flying and seeing the world from the sky are fun, not frightening. While he enjoyed being a caterpillar, he enjoys being a butterfly more.
The fear:
A simple parable, "Wings of Change" incorporates a number of the principles Hill developed for overcoming fear of change.
First, he found, everyone is apprehensive to some degree about change. After all, not all change is good, Hill said. Consider the changes brought about by an earthquake or a heart attack.
As a result, people tend to respond to the good change in three general ways. Some pick up the latest trend and throw themselves into it with blind enthusiasm. The problem with that is they often have no vision for the changes they are making. Like Anew, they fly because they think they should, not because they are prepared for it.
Next, people often want to change, but can't get rid of their old behaviors. They may have butterfly wings, but they still have a caterpillar's body.
Finally, a lot of us end up with all the latest technical and intellectual developments in our fields at our fingertips, but we still think it terms of the status quo. We can't integrate our style with the new circumstances. We have a butterfly's body, but we still think like a caterpillar.
What to do?
Hill found the first step in adapting to change is to recognize how the change will make things better. If you are dealing with someone else's fear of change, you do that by involving the person in the process and showing how the change will be relevant to their goals and activities. Then you demonstrate how they can use elements of the change to accomplish more of what they want to do, Hill said.
Sounds fairly simple. But you're dealing with fear, which is both complicated and irrational. So a fair amount of patience is a good idea.
Dealing with children's fear of change is actually easier, Hill said. Childhood is a continuum of change and kids often sense when a change in their lives in imminent. When it is imminent, encourage the kid to view changes as growth and improvement, Hill said. And, help the child make the change within a safe environment so he or she can exercise control of it.
"Fear of change is often the fear of loss of control, and for good reason," Hill said.
Find your focus:
It is a legitimate fear because change is often thrust upon us, whether we are prepared or not, he said. When that happens, the key is to concentrate on your personal intentions; what will make your world better, even when the world beyond it is in a state of confusion and flux? Often you can adapt elements of the change swirling around you and make them work for you, Hill said.
"Wings of Change" is Hill's first book. He has three more in mind, all of them children's books. He recently finished "Wings Within" about a spiritually self-actualized snail, and is working on books three and four. He won't reveal their plots, other than to say they involve bees and butterflies.
"I write children's books because if I can make things clear enough for children to understand, I just might understand them myself," Hill said.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Creative artwork and a message about change., July 1, 2002
This review is from: Wings of Change (Hardcover)
The morning dew tickles his belly buttons! The afternoon sun feels warm on his tiny fuzzy feet. He has lots of yummy leaves to munch. Life is good! Why would this contented little caterpillar, whose name is Anew, ever want to change into a butterfly? He doesn't! He wants things to stay the same forever, and he doesn't understand what is so great about brilliantly colored wings and being able to fly. Isn't he happy right now? Maybe, just maybe, this idea of becoming a butterfly is a bit over-rated; besides, he is a little bit afraid of change.
***** In this book the positive aspects of change are delicately and tenderly introduced to young children through the story itself and through the beautiful illustrations. Indeed, just looking at Aries Cheung's creative artwork is an adventure in itself. Raindrops glisten on bright green leaves, and adorable little Ladybugs scurry from one leaf to the next as little Anew munches happily along. In this setting children are able to explore their personal feelings about changes in their own lives in an endearing and heartwarming way. After all, Anew has a very wise friend named Faith who guides him along - just as parents guide their children through new situations.
Wings of Change is an adorable book with a wonderful message that is presented in charming and humorous ways. I highly recommend it! *****
Reviewed by Ruth Wilson.
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