Written by Last week I started two new things simultaneously. I started reading The Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros, and started listing to the podcast Inside Innovation by A.J. Juliani. Needless to say, the word “innovation” has been bouncing around my head.
I was particularly struck by Juliani’s first podcast. In it, he criticizes the tendency for teachers to put innovation on a pedestal – that it must be something unique and groundbreaking in order to qualify as innovative. In response he defines innovation as the practice of trying something new in order to help your students learn better. He cautions educators from being swayed by those criticizing teaching practices that may not have worked for them, or shying away from tools that came out a while ago that may be considered “old”. In other words, we need to ignore the haters. Those that may seek to define innovation for you. Those that may label something you are doing as innovative or not. Innovation haters are those that judge, criticize and analyse the hard work of others.
As I listened, I felt that he was speaking directly to the voices in my head. Through listening I was reminded that innovation can be the small, simple changes I make for my students that make their learning experience better.
So the point of this blog post? Perhaps it’s that I got to doing a blog post at all! Even before Day 1 of Cohort 21, I felt of the pedestal of innovation looming over me. I ruminated, analyzed and was generally disgruntled at the “un-innovativeness” of my thinking. I wanted my action plan to be innovative. I wanted my blog posts to be unique and prolific. Through my ponderings this week, and in the typing of my first blog post, I took my first step away from being my own biggest hater. I realized I was my biggest barrier to innovation. I was waiting for something bigger and better to come along. I was waiting for something I could place on a pedestal. As a come to terms with my tendency to be my own innovation hater, I will choose to focus on the small changes and the small victories.
I am excited to share my journey in inviting innovation in everyday.
Engage with me…what small changes are you making as a result of Cohort 21? Tell me about a tiny innovation you have made! Let’s celebrate together.
@ibrown What a great first post and foray into a much larger conversation about innovation.
I like Grant Lichtman’s definition of innovation best. He says ““Innovation is the process of that realignment through creation and implementation of new ideas that bring value to your school community.”
New ideas that bring value……….
This does not mean teachnology
This does not mean you have to spend $$
This does not mean it has to be BIG change
Innovation can come in all shapes and sizes but so long as it brings new value back to your classroom or school community then it will have been worth the time/effort/resources that you put into it.
Innovation, in part, is about -adding value to the lives of others, while simultaneously adding value to yourself.-
It is the belief that there is something more important than yourself, and acting on it to create opportunity for others.
Thank you for sharing your post.
I love this post, @ibrown. You are honest and have taken the first step in innovating…. trying to understand exactly what innovating is! Innovation is often connected to large substantial overhauls to a traditional system. Though this can be the case, it actually is all the minute innovations along the way that actually lead to bigger changes. I commend you for taking a closer look at the ‘little victories’ – I look forward to hearing what they are in your classroom/school.
@JMedved said it well, “New ideas that bring value……….” but they don’t need to be costly and spectacular to be effective!
I look forward to chatting more on Saturday!
Tim
I also think innovation can often come in the form of improving on something that already exists and making it better, faster, easier. It doesn’t necessarily have to be groundbreaking. There also seems to be a fine line between creativity and innovation that we need to explore. Thanks for sharing g such a thoughtful and reflective post!
This is a great post! I know I’m late to the party, but I’m impressed with your open and honest approach to blog writing, which in and of itself is quite innovative!
The concept of ‘small changes’ as steps toward innovating our teaching practices and/or schools really resonated with me. I think combined with @jmedved and @ddesvignes comments about realigning to add value, and where that value is banked, is key to our understanding of how we innovate (both professionally and personally).
My small change as a result of Cohort 21 started with my first tweet on Twitter. That step was so hard for me. I couldn’t fathom a positive to social media at that time! Even now, years into this journey, there are speed bumps and detours to me keeping up with continually innovating, but I can always come back to that first tweet; that first small change.
I’m excited to meet you in person tomorrow, as I was not at the first F2F! 🙂