Revised | Originally Published: July 5, 2021 @ 9:59 am

When considering altering your early learning program policies or practices, it is best to change thoughtfully. Avoid rushing to make change for the sake of change. Do your homework–acquire information and understanding–and wait to act until you have the necessary knowledge. This can be challenging since the Change Bug’s bite can have us hurrying to alter our way of doing things without forethought.

Now an illustrative story.

Imagine A Fence

You’ve been the lead teacher in a toddler room for six months. Your classroom opens onto a small toddlers-only outdoor play space. It’s well equipped and functional–but crowded.

The center owns a sizeable adjacent lot beyond the toddler playground’s wooden fence. The lot has three large trees, a verdant lawn, and colorful wildflowers, ideal for play and exploration.

Removing a small section of fence would connect the areas and quadruple the size of the toddler play space. One day while preparing for work, the Change Bug bites–you rummage for a hammer and crowbar in the garage, toss them into the car, and head to work early.

You eagerly hustle to the playground with your tools and mug of steaming coffee. As you zip past a coworker, she asks, “What’s up?”

“I don’t see the use of that fence! Why is it there?” you shout over your shoulder, “I’m going to rip it down and surprise the kids with more play space!”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“The kids need more space, and the center owns the lot. How could it not be a good idea?”

Later, you happily head outside with the toddlers, eager to see them explore the expanded play space. You envision barefoot frolicking, flower sniffing, giddy giggles, and happy smiles.

Instead, ravenous zombies claw to the surface and quickly eat every child’s brain before heading your way.

As the horde of walking dead begins chewing your cerebellum, your final thought is, “I should have researched why that fence was there. I didn’t change thoughtfully…ouch! My brainnnn…”

The End.

The above is my take on the parable of Chesterton’s Fence. G.K. Chesterton advised we change thoughtfully nearly 100 years ago:

“In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road.

The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.” To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: “If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.“

–G.K. Chesterton[/note]

Unexpected Results

Knocking down a fence as the Change Bug’s venom pulses through your body instead of taking the time to change thoughtfully might be great. You heroically take a hammer swing at the fence. It falls with one strike. As the dust settles, giggling children flood the meadow and dance barefoot with glitter-winged butterflies.

Or zombies eat everyone’s brain.

Hurrying change can have unexpected results. Look, it’s doubtful that zombies will eat everyone’s brain every time you change something without forethought–but why risk it. Uninformed change can make a massive mess of things.

Change Thoughtfully

All it usually takes to change thoughtfully is a bit of research and reflection. Do your homework. Ask questions. Seek information. Understand why the fence you want to knock down exists and then change thoughtfully–or leave things as they are if you realize that’s the best option. Why risk a zombie attack?

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