Saturday, September 24, 2016

Positive Outcomes with Innovator's Mindset Characteristics: The Process of Learn, Model, Practice, and Apply

Embodying George Couros's 8 Characteristics of the Innovator's Mindset can make us better leaders, teachers, and students. We cannot just learn empathy, problem finding (and solving), risk taking, networking, observing, creating, being resilient, and reflecting. We need to be able to apply these skills. We need our students to do the same. 

 When it comes to these 8 characteristics, the most positive and beneficial way to both incorporate and empower others to use them is through teaching, modeling, practicing with feedback, and applying to the world beyond the context in which it is learned.

EMPATHY: For others to understand empathy, it not only needs to be defined, but they need to see it. This can be done through videos and modeling. The more authentic and meaningful, the more engaged they will become.  Once understanding and sharing the feelings of another is learned and demonstrated, it needs to be practiced is a safe environment and in a context that is understood. Only then can it be applied beyond that. By truly embracing empathy, new viewpoints will allow for better outcomes.

PROBLEM FINDERS (and SOLVERS): The same steps can be taken: learn, demonstrate, practice, and apply. If we don't have people finding issues or obstacles to being more efficient and productive, it's harder to develop solutions to become better.

RISK TAKERS: While learn, demonstrate, practice, and apply are key, having a safe and supportive environment with a growth mindset will allow more motivation and freedom to take risks and learn from failure. 

NETWORK: We have to allow our teachers and students to collaborate, reflect, and deprivatize their practices with others (in and outside of their buildings). I do this through my state and national associations, but for the last three years, I have also learned so much from my Twitter contacts. One of the best networking tools was the Twitter Challenge by my colleague @MrDomagalski. It was so beneficial, I did it with my teachers. 

OBSERVANT: This is another characteristic that needs to be learned, demonstrated, practiced, and applied. Instead of recreating the wheel, we need to be innovative by making it better, more personalized, and meaningful. We do this through research, observation, and analysis. Why do you think more people go to YouTube to learn something? They are seeing and observing what they want to learn. 

CREATORS: To learn to be creative, we need to go beyond modeling. Sometimes this puts limits on others. Just because we do it a certain way, it's not the only way. I always want my teachers and students to come up with an even better, more creative way. When I don't put limitations, I always get better outcomes than I had even imagined. 

RESILIENT: Learning, modeling, practicing, and applying are key to becoming resilient. Fostering a growth mindset where failure is a part of the learning is an authentic practice of life. 

REFLECT: Reflective practices are one of the best core practices to learning. This practice also needs learned, demonstrated, practiced, and applied within and out of context. Meaningful learning grows from being reflective. This is even stronger when it is done within a network with similar interests and goals. 

The common process for all of these characteristics is that they need to be learned, modeled, practiced, and applied to truly be developed.  Having safe environment where risk taking and failure are not only accepted but expected will stimulate more motivation and growth for positive outcomes.  

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Embracing Change with Positivity

"Change is an opportunity to do something amazing" (#InnovatorsMindset @gcouros). 

I used to teach the book Who Moved My Cheese? to my seniors. The book spoke to me since I was a newer teacher and had visions of doing things differently. While some of the staff were excited and the principal supported my vision, others hemmed and hawed like the mouse characters in the book. 

Now as an instructional leader, I want to embrace and support change, especially change that is going to foster the skills our students need for their futures. I try to #LeadPositive by also modeling this type of change for my staff. I read Innovators Mindset over the summer and was both hooked and inspired. 

My opening building PD used modules from ASCD's Teaching Innovation and Creativity series. I even had staff use Schoology to have their discussions that day and will continue this practice throughout our journey this year. What sparked the most passion was the relevant and fun team building activity that we opened our day with: Chopped for Educators.

#PowerUpMMS Team Building "Chopped for Educators"
Our building has a former home economics room that we know use for our life skills class, but it served as the perfect place to have our opening team building activity.

The teams had a mystery box challenge (see link above) and the winning team won a great goodie bag of school supplies for each team member. The staff loved the hats and aprons, and only had 30 minutes to complete their task. The assistant superintendent, secretary, and custodian judged the dishes created.

After the competition, we talked about all of the 21st Century (#Milan21, our Modern Teacher branding) skills this competition needed: Creativity & Innovation, Critical Thinking & Problem Solving, Communication & Collaboration, Flexibility & Adaptability, Initiative & Self Direction, Social & Cross Cultural Skills, Productivity & Accountability, and Leadership & Responsibility. In addition, we discussed how just this one exercise not only hits all of these skills, but all content areas could think of standards their students could learn and demonstrate with minor tweaks. 

I took a risk using up some of my building PD this way, but it paid off. I was positive and enthusiastic about the day and activities. The teachers had fun; team building happened; it was relevant; and it modeled what I have been preaching:

  • Risk Taking is key for staff and students.
  • Some of the best ideas are out of the box.
  • Learning can happen in many ways.
  • Failing is necessary for growth.
  • Learning should be interactive and fun.
  • Transforming practices are key to being more student-centered. 
I am totally behind the change that needs to take place for our students. We have to support and guide our teachers on all levels of readiness. The #IMMOOC network is going to help and support me to better do just that! How about you?






Saturday, September 10, 2016

The Best Version of Ourselves

Personal and professional growth comes in many forms. To be our best version of self, it means that we need to take risks, learn from those outcomes, work to be positive and see the good while ridding the negative and bad, and most importantly, forgive ourselves and others. Holding on to regret, anger, or even vengeance, will act as anchors to improvement. Challenging ourselves and staying positive is the way to a better life.

Taking Risks: Growing and becoming better comes from taking risks and pushing ourselves to do what sometimes feels impossible. The biggest, most rewarding growth comes from the most challenging tasks.

Learning: The learning during struggle and growth is key to becoming better. We learn from mistakes; we learn from the journey.




Seeing the Good: Having a positive outlook keeps us focused on hope and people. Finding the good in others and ourselves helps us find purpose to make a difference.


Dissolving the Bad: Letting go of negativity will help us stay focused on the positive and the journey to do and be better.

Forgiveness of Self and Others: Sometimes we get stuck in becoming our best because we are overtaken with anger, hurt, regret, or even guilt. It is just as important to forgive ourselves as it is to forgive others.

Repeat: Being the best that we can be means a long-life journey of risk and challenge, growth, and a commitment to seeing and being good as well as bringing out the good in others. #LeadPositive