- Don't let expectations or limitations stop you from being innovative!
- Lead with empathy and meet others where they are and help them find or create solutions that work for them
- There are 8 characteristics that are needed to have an innovator's mindset
- Have empathy
- get to know your kids and find out what they are passionate about
- Learners should be able to not only find the solution, but the problem too
- Take risks-
- try new things and find better ways to teach
- Get networked
- If you blog about what you learn it makes you clarify your thinking
- Learn from others and share what works for you
- Be observant
- pay attention to what's going on around you and let inspiration come
- Be a Creator-
- "Consider how much deeper learning could be if "creation" was a non-negotiable in the learning for both us and our students." -G. Couros
- Be resilient-
- When you fail, get back up and keep striving for success.
- Believe in yourself and your ideas.
- Be reflective-
- Question what works, doesn't work, what needs to change
- Take time each day to think about what you learned and how it impacts your next steps.
- My role as an educator is to "empower students to see themselves as innovators who take responsibility for their own learning and leading." -G. Couros
Looking at the 8 traits above, I am on the right track, but have a little bit of work to do. I have great relationships with my students, which I am very proud of. I am also very observant, just ask anyone who knows me. I soak everything around me in like a sponge, then I try it out in my own classroom as soon as I have a chance. I am still working on networking more. I like George's point about blogging giving you an audience to pay more attention to what you are actually writing. I am excited about learning more from others through Twitter Chats this year and from observing and working with amazing educators at my very own school. My main area to grow in is to be more reflective on a daily basis. This is a goal that I am making for myself. I won't set limits on how I reflect, just that I will. I can journal about it, blog about it, talk about it with a peer, or when I prepare for another day- just let the reflective process lead the way. Getting feedback from learners will also play a role in my reflections.
In response to the questions for discussion:
- What risk might you take to change learning experiences?
- I still need time to process this question. I think co-teaching this year (for the first time ever) will definitely allow my partner and I to take lots of risks that will change learning experiences. I will let you know once I try it out.
- How might you create an environment that fosters risk-taking?
- I need to model what I want my learners to do, so I will take risks myself. Also, I want to teach what it means to have resiliency and grit. I will give my learners opportunities to take risks, but also the support that they'll need if/when they fail. We will celebrate when they do succeed after their hard work and effort!
- How do you exhibit the innovator's mindset in the learning and work that you do currently?
- Well, this one was an easy one for me! I love to learn new things and how to do what I do in new and better ways. Then, once I try it out, I share it with as many people as I can so that they and their students can reap the benefits too. I am open-minded and willing to take risks which will help me this year especially with some changes that I'll experience and learn from.
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