There is lots to write about in reflecting on this chapter – too much for one post. Examining the characteristics of the innovator’s mindset is really important, so this is a chapter that should be read carefully – a few times.
The first point that resonates for me is that we don’t have to sacrifice innovation because of the limitations of the system. It is a poor excuse to surrender just because it is too hard to work ‘within the box’. We will always be inside a box – that is where the students are so we need to challenge ourselves to innovate where we find our students. We can clearly do this and we have an obligation to do so.
The challenge for the innovative teacher is to find a way to reach every student, to help them to find the problems, not just solve the problems that we hand them.(pg 49) Giving them the freedom to find and solve their own problems will create a generation of students who can learn effectively.
As an administrator, I am really interested in what George has to write about how educational leaders can support innovation in their schools. What is especially important is the notion that every staff member needs to be able to progress from their point A to point B (pg 47). Too often we see the one-size fits all PD that does not consider the learning needs of the educator. As George puts it, we need to be able to lead with empathy and help teachers to find their ground so that they can become effective innovators.
In our school, we have chosen to focus on a few digital tools that can help teachers to innovate and meet the needs of the different learners in the classroom. Through a series of great webinars and prepared lessons, our teachers have been equipped to explore the possibilities of Discovery Education, Mathletics and Atomic Learning. While some of these sessions were structured in a way to give teachers an introduction to these programs, they are now ready to develop their own learning plans to explore the great potential of these and other programs.
As an administrator, I see my role as the risk-taker for the staff. If I don’t innovate and try new ways of doing things why should anyone else try? It is certainly more easy to do things the way they have always been done, but then we are not serving our students.
This is not an easy route, and there can be consequences for taking these risks, but as educators that is what we need to do if we truly want to have an innovator’s mindset.