#Innovator's Mindset MOOC- Oct.15- Oct. 22

Part IV: Concluding Thoughts, Chapters 13-14.

In the book by George Couros, "The Innovator's Mindset", we are asked to reflect on the question, are we there yet? Couros is referring to how schools, educators specifically, know when a level of innovation and excellence has been attained. As educators we look for indications of student success in large part given by test data. Yes, we need to use test data because sometimes we have to "operate inside the box", however, we are not limited to only using test data to measure student growth and success. Couros suggests we use digital portfolios as well.

I was excited to read his recommendation because I am a proponent of digital portfolios for students and teachers. I have written about it in the past and have found that there is innovative and transformative power in the creation and successful organization of digital portfolios. Couros wrote that effective digital portfolios take on two goals:

1) Learning Portfolio which shows a person's growth over time.
2) Showcase Portfolio that highlights a person's best work.

If we were to create a digital portfolio system and use them to accomplish these two goals then the way schools: provide feedback, measure and encourage growth, communicate with parents, increase mindfulness and metacognition, increase engagement and quality of work, provide an authentic purpose and audience, all become much more efficient and effective.

I have two recommendations for digital portfolios:

Seesaw and Google Drive.

I have personally built and used digital portfolio systems for both teachers and students using these two systems. Both are equally versatile, secure, sustainable, and one of the best parts, free.

In conclusion, one of the final thoughts of the book that inspired me was this, "If we only teach students the curriculum, we have failed them." School and education encompasses so much more than academics. The content we teach is but a mere fraction of what students have the capacity and inclination to learn. The frightening part is that all too many will never have the chance to experience the joy of learning in a classroom. They will have to wait 18 or 19 years until they leave in order to do so.

#Innovator's Mindset MOOC- Oct.8- Oct. 15

In part III, Chapter 3 of George Couros's book, "The Innovator's Mindset, we are challenged to empower our students by learning who they are and what they are passionate about, and then generating learning experiences that allow for them to integrate their interests and passions into creating something that can demonstrate learning. If we as teachers want to truly empower our students we need to teach to our student's strengths. "To create a culture where innovation flourishes, we have to realize that, in many cases, we already have everything we need, we just need to tap into those resources" (Couros, 2015). I can not recall the countless times my students have taught me something. In those instances, both my student and I are so proud, I in them, and them in their own mastery and insight! Providing the context and opportunity to engage a student's passion will yield deep critical thinking and masterful creations far beyond a multiple choice assessment.

I was intrigued by the study that was conducted by Tom Rath. He found that 40% of employees would be actively disengaged if their boss ignored them, 22% if the boss focused on the weaknesses, and an astounding 1% actively disengaged if the boss focused on the strengths alone. Can you imagine how this might translate into 99% active engagement just by a teacher focusing on the strengths of students! Couros makes an insightful point in asking why we would take an elective away from a student (presuming that the student might be really good or truly enjoy that elective) to practise more of what they need help in? This leads to an inadvertent punishment and will most likely result in increased frustration and hostility in the weak subject.

I enjoyed the quote that Couros included from Joesph Joubert, "To teach is to learn twice". It reminded me of an equally powerful quote by Jennifer Hogan to the left. If we forget what it was like when we were students then we are not going to truly connect with ours. we must continue to learn and to expand what we can offer to our students. If we become static or complacent then we are actively holding our student's back. Think about that for a moment because it has serious implications. Choosing to continue without growing or expanding your knowledge will cause your student's to be held back. It makes me think of a great rock protruding in the middle of a rushing stream. The water rushes past and for the swimmer who gets to close to the rock will be trapped by the currents that are forced continually inward. It is not without great force that the swimmer escapes, having to expend tremendous energy that could have been spent swimming further onward.

References:

Couros, G. (2015). The innovator’s mindset: Empower learning, unleash talent, and lead a culture of creativity. United States: Dave Burgess Consulting.

#Innovator's Mindset MOOC- Oct.1- Oct. 8

I am so happy that George Couros emphasizes relationships in his book, "The Innovator's Mindset". In my heart, I truly believe that the solution to remove most of the majors barriers that keep our student's from learning can be overcome by forming meaningful relationships. An entire chapter is dedicated to this one aspect of what we do as innovative educators. I enjoy how there are overtones of this concept throughout the entire book which only serves to reinforce the notion that unless we have the benefits that come with a solid relationship, we will not enjoy the fruits that follow from the labor. Whether you are a teacher or administrator, relationships are a crucial aspect of what we do. The graphic on the left captures the importance of relationships. No matter what age or level, context or environment, relationships are essential to a solid foundation for student success.

How do relationships relate to innovation? In order to be an innovator there is a certain amount of trust that has to be established because the innovator takes a chance and there is a chance of failure. The innovator must know that failure will not result in any castigation. The level of trust also equates to the quality of the results that follow. Couros emphasized that importance of personal individual interactions in order to build trust and understanding. He asks the question, "Do you see personal moments you have with your staff as investments or expenditures?" I think the way we answer this question will indicate your level of trust building ability.

Couros also describes the differences between engagement and empowerment.

"Engaging students means getting kids excited about our content, interests, and curricula. Empowering students means giving kids the knowledge and skill to pursue their passions, interests, and future."

Which is more beneficial for the student? Inevitable, we need to realize that the opportunities that are more learner-centered will yield the highest benefit for our students. We must try to empower them and not just engage them.

#Innovator's Mindset MOOC- Sept. 24- Oct. 1

In Chapter 1, innovation is defined as a way of thinking that creates something new and better. What are some examples that you consider innovative?  How is it new and better than what previously existed?


If asked the question, what characteristics does a classroom have that maximize student potential to grow and succeed, what would you say? Would student innovation have a place in your response? Every teacher has the power to create ideal learning conditions for all students to be innovative. This requires some innovation on behalf of the teacher as well. When we learn the needs of our students and provide an atmosphere of innovation and exploration their needs are met. Innovation can transform and improve the way that we meet student's needs.

George Couros wrote in his book, "The Innovator's Mindset", that innovation is not a thing but a way of thinking. When I consider what it means to be innovative I think about this quote by Jason Silva, "Ideas are powerful because they allow us to see the world as it could be, rather than what it is. Innovation can be as simple as thinking and implementing a small adjustment. Couros also writes in his book that, "Innovation can come from invention or iteration (a change of something that already exists)." One of the best examples I can think of where only a small change was made that created a powerful impact is when we give choice to students. When we allow them the freedom to choose, that is an innovative approach. A slight shift in an approach to teaching like giving our students the chance to be self directed and choose a path of learning that they want walk. The shift in thinking is this: the teacher is not the focus, the student and their learning is.

Another very simple example of innovative thinking is the philosophy, "quality over quantity". I pose this question: if a student can accurately demonstrate acceptable mastery of a skill in a few good examples, why then would we need them to do so in multiple redundant questions in one instance? If you wanted to incorporate student choice, then you could allow them to propose how they demonstrate their own understanding.

Review the “Critical Questions for Educators” in Chapter 2.  Why are these important to understand those we serve in education?  What other questions would you ask? How do you embody the characteristics of an Innovator’s Mindset?

Each of the "Critical Questions for Educators", in chapter 2 use the idea of an innovative shift in the way educators approach teaching and adjust the focus so that it is squarely on the student. The questions force us to view our classroom and teaching style from the perspective of our students. The questions also elicit reflection on our relationship with our students and if we are meeting their needs as individuals. Do we really know what they need to be successful, and how are we determining our own effectiveness?

One of the most powerful examples of innovation that I used in my classroom for my students was to give them a chance to answer the following prompt with or without their names:

"Mr. Rodriguez, I need for you to know________ so that I can learn."

I was moved to tears by some of the comments I read. I was also surprised that most wanted me to know who was writing. I believe that the idea of innovation can be a simple as letting your students know that they are more important than what we have to teach that day.

#Innovator's Mindset MOOC- September 17-24

Why is “innovation” so crucial in education? What impact do you see it having on our students and ourselves long term?

John Dewey, arguably one of the first major American Innovators of education, galvanized the phrase and perspective that. "Education is life itself." As we begin this collaborative MOOC focused on "The Innovator's Mindset" I would like to propose that education is life and in so doing, extend that innovation in eduction is crucial to enduring in our lives and in our world! In order to survive within a world of global competiton in every aspect of life, innovation has always been the key element by which our species has flourished.

An administrator prompted his faculty to reflect in a meeting one day, "Remember, you choose to be here, you choose this profession." As educators, we must rememebr what drew us to this profession to begin with, and what keeps us going each day! Being involved in a forrum like this is a great opportunity to remind ourselves why we entered education in the first place. At the very heart of every great teacher there is a student yearning to learn and to be the best they can be; seeking to continue on a path of growth. Understanding how to embrase a mindset of innovation will enable us to ascend into higher levels of achievement which equates to student engagement and success. George reminds us that the best lessons are those which we model. Actions speak louder than words, and believe me our students listen with their eyes so much more than with their ears.

How can we expect our students to take a chance if we never do? How can we expect our students to embrase an innovators mindset if they do not know what it is. We will send a message to our student that learning from faiure is essential to learning in general. Seth Godin inspires us to accept failure as part of the learning process and to eliminate the negaitve connoation associated with a necessary step; for we only truly fail if we stop trying.

You Are Your Only Limit

My team and I are engaged in a book study. We are reading, "The Innovator's Mindset" by G. Couros. I enjoy it so far and am intrigued with how he extends on Carol Dweck's work of growth mindset. Couros writes that through teaching ours students grit and resilience by modeling it ourselves, we will produce in our students the ability to persevere and become change agents that will pioneer solutions to problems now and in the future. We must seek to provide them an environment of safety so they are not afraid to fail, but an abundance of support so they will rebound and learn from the mistakes they make and rise stronger for the experience. He continues in his writing that curiosity is a key element that must be encouraged. As educators, creating circumstances in and outside our classrooms that lead to discovery and exploration are essential.

The innovators' mindset is one where you realize the skills that you possess are only the beginning of what you could have regarding potential and abilities, and on top of that, you use those limitless abilities to produce an improvement on the present or a completely new creation for the betterment of society. Courous poses a poignant question, do you as a teacher do what is best for students? The answer to that question leads to a discussion on practises in the classroom. For example, when a teacher has to decide between assigning an essay or a blog post, which will be more beneficial for a student presently and in the future. We must not let our own inadequacies and doubts hamper our student's access to essential skills and experiences. Couros includes a quote by S. Downes,

"We need to move beyond the idea that an education is something that is provided for us and toward the idea that an education is something that we create for ourselves."

This is the idea of mindset. Our students are taught by parents, community, and by us, their teachers. Can you imagine a community where the majority, lest I dream, all of us have an innovators mindset? It can happen. We can make this a reality! We must begin with ourselves, because remember, you are your only limit. I appreciate the book that George has written and I look forward to collaboration with other professionals and my team as we delve into his work.

Five ideas to connect your students to an authentic audience.

When I first happened onto this graphic I was struck with how true it rang. In my experience as an educator, I knew this to be the case and understood it well, but never was able to express this ideas so poignantly as Hurley did here. I believe he simultaneously captured the nature of one challenge that teachers have today, and precisely how to address this challenge and overcome it!

I have been reading a book by Daniel H. Pink called, "Drive". It speaks to the motivations that drive us and those that little to know effect- sometimes even the opposite effect we would like. Having seen Hurley's quote, and read Daniel Pink's book, I knew that they key to engagement and quality work from students lie in providing them the opportunity to choose to engage in something meaningful that they are interested in and making it so that what the produce will be received by a person or people that will appreciate the work. This essentially means: if the teachers is the only one that sees the work, then the student will make it just good enough. However, if the student knows that there will be more people who see this work, especially someone who is an authority or to whom this work will be valued, then there is a much greater chance that the student will produce the best quality work.

When there is feedback from an author, or a engineer, or an expert in the field that relates to the work that the student is doing, then there is value.

Here are few ideas that you can use to connect your students to an authentic audience:

1) Google Hangout (On Air) with an expert in the field. Often, it is difficulty to bring the expert physically to your classroom, but if they can be present digitally and then the conversation is recorded then it is just as good.

2) Set up a classroom Blog using Seesaw. Mare sure that parents have the app so they can follow what their student and class is doing.

3) Register a classroom Twitter account and follow an expert. See if you can connect with them and then exchange direct messages. Allow your students to pose questions or comments.

4) iBooks is a great source of collaboration among students. You could contact other teachers worldwide via Google+ communities and co-author a iBook about similarities and differences in culture, math strategies, environment.

5) A great non digital idea would be to connect with the community. Some of the activities that my schools coordinate are themes evenings where parents and community members are invited to participate. Students can create or write so that the audience is the entire community that attend that night.

If we do not fail, we do not learn.

I am curious how you view incorrect answers, imperfect strategies, and mistakes of all kinds in your classroom. It was early on in my career that I knew that I had to let go of my pride, and admit to my kids that I was an imperfect being, and I was going to make a lot of mistakes as we went a long that year. I remember it clearly, on that very day is when we began to really, truly learn!! I look back and I wish I could have swallowed my prided and opened myself to corrections from my students and freely admit my mistakes so that I could tell them that it was ok to make a mistake!

Every year after that year, (my fist as it happened to be) I openly welcomed mistakes. I told me kids that I encouraged mistakes, and you can imagine the looks on their face when I said it. I would very quickly add that I also expected that they learn from them.

I am curious what your philosophy is about how your kids "fail", or make mistakes. What do you tell them. What is the climate of your classroom?

The quotes above are some of my favorites. the lessons from our mistakes are truly just as valuable as our successes. The signature in my school email will be my final thought for this post which is, "Success can be a barrier to growth if we teach that it is a destination and not a journey."

How you do your kids view failure?

I hope you have a great week and I will hear about your many successes this week!

Eric.

5 Digital Tools to engage 100% of your class

You know that moment when the spotlight shifts from the teachers to the student, when you feel that you are in the background and your kids have take over and are completely engaged in learning? I love those moments and I try to create as many of them as possible. This process becomes so much easier with technology.

“We need to embrace technology to make learning more engaging. Because when students are engaged and they are interested, that's where learning takes place.” -Edtechreview

One of the realities that we face not only in school but in everyday life is that technology is all around. Why fight it? Why not use it to your advantage? Our students are bringing computers to school every day in the form of smart phones. Our schools are being outfitted with wifi networks so this eliminates barriers to access especially if you do not have a laptop or iPad for every student in your class.

1. Here is a guide to get you started if you have not ventured into the Twitter ocean.
  Most of your students are on twitter already. If they are not then it is easy to register and create a profile. Why not have a class twitter chat? You can create your own classroom hashtag and use it for review, or even assessment. I can see this as a great way for students to help each other and for your to provide a little assistance with homework or review for a test?

2. One of the best features of Google Docs is that once it has been shared with another person, the ability to work synchronously on the same document is possible. This is a tremendous benefit for small teams to be able to edit and contribute at the same time on one file. So, lets say that you want your small groups to write a document that address a question or challenge pertaining to the objective of your lesson. They can do so in and outside of class together in their own homes remotely. This is a beautiful thing that only Google and technology has made possible! Here is a brief Google Docs Guide to give you more specific information.

3.   One of my favorites is Google Hangouts. Your iPad or smart phone to have a discussion/collaboration between small groups in your classroom and another classroom in the district/state/country/world. A colleague of mine just set up a hangout with a class in Spain. If you are interested in connecting with other professionals in and around the country/world I highly recommend getting involved with Google+ communities. You will be able to find others who are interested in connecting with you. Here is a brief guide to Google Hangouts.

4.   If you are looking for something to get your kids out of their seats and move around a QR code challenge is a nice way to get blood flowing to the brain and the body. You can create a QR code with free easy to use QR code generators like this one. I have taken YouTube video URLs and using smart phones or iPads, students can scan them and then complete the task that is assigned. QR codes are one of the most efficient and effective ways to direct students to a digital source. I would use them and put them on my walls in a certain order. The solution would be visible at the top of another QR code somewhere else in the room. So, if the team completed the math challenge and arrived at a solution that was nowhere to be found at the tops of the QR codes around the room, they knew there was a mistake. If their solution matched one then they went to that code and scanned. I usually offered a prize to the team that completed the whole set of challenges. 

5.   Padlet has really stepped up their game. If you have not used this tool for a while there are new options. They now feature the ability to upload voice/video recordings, attachments, take a picture or upload one that is saved, or upload  a link to a web page, or just write a few words in the note as has always been the case.

When you create a class padlet, you can utilize this forum in many different ways. It can be a "parking lot" for questions or insights into what they have learned (exit tickets). This can be a way for student to demonstrate mastery of a concept or skill by using one of the media upload features. The possibilities are endless.

How do you engage your students? Thank you for reading my post. Please pass it along to anyone who might be interested!

Flipped classroom

I have just started using apps on my iPad that allow students to record themselves as they solve a problem orally. I use notability and educreations. I really like these two apps. I think that notability is more sophisticated and dynamic. There are more options you can use to format a document or create a document.

I am curious, do you use some kind of application or allow your students to record themselves for their benefit or for the benefit of others that you teach?

I have a daily warm-up that my students begin immediately upon entering my class. I will usually rotate through students who I choose to demonstrate how to solve the warm ups and I will play the recordings for subsequent class periods. I will also dedicate the last few minutes to discuss homework assignments and allow volunteers to record how they approached solving a problem and use it in attachments in emails that I send home. Usually if several students have the same questions I know that the majority of students will when they reach that part on the homework (usually the night before it is due).

I found this article on how teachers can encourage students to record tutorial videos for other students and it made me wonder if any of you have experience with this or even flipped classrooms? If you have not heard the term before a "flipped classroom" is one where the students are asked to research a topic via online video or website and then come to class with some idea able to discuss the topic so that the teacher serves as a discussion facilitator. In my school I can not rely on this system because not all of my students have access to internet at home. 

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/11/03/the-benefits-of-students-teaching-students-through-online-video/

Please check out the article and tell me what you think.

1) Do you use any peer tutorial systems in your class?

2) Do you use technology or recording software to facilitate your tutorials?