#IMMOOC #InnovatorsMindset Round 2

As I sat down to start re-reading, not only was I drawn in and immersed in the text, but I was reflecting back to my thoughts the first time based on my highlighting and sticky notes throughout. I remember now how inspired I was the first time. I remember the ideas running rampant through my mind. I was not just thinking about being personally inspired, but I was coming up with a thousand and one ways to spread the word and inspire my colleagues.

If you have not seen the video on YouTube "An Open Letter to Educators" by Dan Brown (no, not the author) you really should take the time and watch. I had seen it before I read the book, and have re-watched multiple times since.

"Most societal entities are reinventing themselves to prepare for this revolution ......but what has education done to reinvent itself, in my experience, nothing." (Dan Brown) This is a powerful statement, from an individual who was in direct proportion of how education was happening.  Yes, this video was made 6 years. Yes, you can say he was attending a mid-western university, and you might say we're not as up to date with new things. Or you might write him off as being a person with so much intelligence, that no university would be able to challenge him, he's a prodigy that will only learn best on his own. What ever you want to say, to disagree with him, it would be just an excuse.

I watched this video again (a few times) before writing this blog. What I found profound is not what was said or how he said it, but that today, six years from when he made it, schools are finally starting to look differently at education and what is being expected of students (at least in my district). 6 long years, and we're just getting started. No longer are we being questioned or observed on how much our students can regurgitate when directed, but instead what critical thinking skills are students being asked to use, collaboration with classmates, connecting with people outside of the classroom, school district, even the city or county we live in. These are the life skills needed to survive after it's not longer prudent for Mom to make your meals everyday and Dad to service your vehicle and help you change a tire.

Being of an innovative mindset means we as educators are finding and developing new ways to challenge our students way of learning. We need to take them out of their comfort zone, because the "real life" will, and from my own experience more times than I would like to admit. Students are going to learn in ways their parents never did, so we will have the task of educating parents and defending what we are trying to teach their child, that we have, and always have had, the best interest of the student at the fore-front of all we do. Administration, school boards, community members, they will all need an education of their own that schools today are not the schools they attended. My youngest daughter has only been out of high school four years, and it's not even the school she attended. And my guess is after the next five years it will look entirely different again.

What resonated with me most from the introduction (and probably what pulled me in and got me brainstorming) was this quote:

Many teachers are bored with the profession because they know there is a lot more to learning than what schools offer today., These teachers want to be innovative, but, instead of connecting and learning from others around the world, let alone with colleagues in their own schools, they spend their time in staff meetings that often seem irrelevant to the heart of teaching. They are constantly told that if they want to be innovative, they are going to have to find time to do it. 

 As leaders, if we ask teachers to use their own time to do anything, what we're really telling them is: it's not important.

This screamed to me. I knew how we continued to encourage staff to be innovative was going to have to change if we were really going to make a difference.

Starting the #IMMOOC Adventure

I first read The Innovator's Mindset last January. I used a time during my school day where I covered the Media Center for our specialist while she took her lunch break to do my reading. It felt an appropriate time to read. It was quiet, I could get engrossed in the book, and many of my coworkers would come through during their lunch time and when they saw me highlighting and making notes it prompted conversations where I could share my learning.

I was encouraged by one particular coworker to lead a book study for our staff. At the time I didn't think I could fit it in along with my other responsibilities and book studies I was already a part of. So when this opportunity came about, I knew this was where I could invite our staff to become part of the group and we could have discussion daily along with the online book study.

Why in "innovation" so crucial in education? 

What impact do you see it having on our students and ourselves long term?

I don't see innovation as an extra in education any more. It's easy to say technology is innovative, but innovation does not center around technology. I think being innovative is doing something outside of traditional education that sparks learning in students and encourages them to learn beyond traditional methods. Traditional education, where the teacher has the knowledge and "instructs" the students, does not exist anymore. Teachers are facilitators. I am a facilitator. I need to be comfortable handing the reigns of learning over to my students. And I have to be comfortable learning from my students (which I completely am).

I think it's more important for me to teach my students how to learn and where to go to find answers, then to prepare everything and feed it to them. Learning of any kind is available 24/7 to anyone who wants to go find it, and from resources far more knowledgeable then I am. I teach a Personal Finance class. I'm comfortable with the insurance portion of the class because I worked in the insurance industry for a number of years before I went into education. I have prior knowledge, and I can usually answer most questions. But do I know everything? Absolutely not. So to do my job to the best of my ability, I will help my class learn how to find the best answers, what questions they should ask, and where to do to find their answers. This is a life skill, long term.

But I know I am only scratching the surface of innovation. I'm excited to read the book again and have discussions with more people about #IMMOOC and continue to share with my colleagues. I work with some amazing people, who I feel are doing amazing innovations in their classrooms. I'm going to bring them all along on this journey with me!

Remembering.....

We're one week into school. It's Sunday afternoon, it's a beautiful fall day outside. And as you can read, I'm on my computer, in my basement, looking out at the beautiful day, taking a break from my school prep work to write this blog.  I should have my school work done by now, but I keep getting distracted. It started last night already. I was flipping through the channels and came across a special on the History Channel, 15 Septembers Later.

It's been 15 years since that horrible day. People always ask "Do you remember where you were?" I can, just like it was yesterday. I was working at Eden Prairie High School that year, I was walking through the office/lounge area for some reason I do not remember. The television was on and a few people were watching it. I glanced at it, did not pay much attention because I thought it was some video they had popped in and were previewing for a class. When I came back through after running my errand, I stopped behind the already mesmerized staff, and watched, for just a moment I thought, I'd see what they were so engrossed in. And then I watched some more, and a little more, and then I heard the news anchor begin to report, and not for the first time that morning, or the last, that apparently a plane had flown into one of the twin towers.

At that point no one knew anything, it was an aviation accident, terrorists were not a consideration. I became mesmerized, frozen. I can only assume this is what it's like when someone sees an accident, you can't look away. I stood there, probably with my mouth open, just watching and listening. Then suddenly, as they are showing live feed of the towers, the second plane crashed into the other tower. Unbelievable, it's the only word I have.

For days and weeks after that, everything centered around the events of that day. Now 15 years later,  I can still watch those videos, mesmerized, mouth open, and I can't look away. And as I watched 15 Septembers Later, and listed to first hand accounts from that day, and the days after, I am taken back in time. My heart hurts for the families that lost loved ones that day. I am amazed by the strength of those that agreed to share their first hand account of that day. I am humbled by the acts of heroism that occurred.

So why do I feel compelled to write about this? As I said at the beginning of this post, I should be working on my school work, but all I can think of is this horrific event, that changed our world, occurred before many of my students were born, or they were at an age they do not have a memory of  these events. They do not remember life before we were so viciously attacked. How do they honor those that lost their lives on this day? Or a better question, what can I do in my Business classes to honor this day and help students remember?

Another First

It's another first day of school! Everyone is scrambling to make sure their rooms are ready, seating charts done, posters on the walls, smiles turned on and excitement turned up! Just like the kids we all pull out our new 1st day of school outfits! I love checking Facebook on these days to see all the obligatory 1st day of school posts.

As I reflect back on the tech trainings we did this summer, I'm excited for the year. I work with some amazing people that gave up their summer time to come in and do their technology training. They are genuinely invested in using their classroom devices, they want to integrate tech plans into their curriculum, and they are willing to ask questions if they don't understand something (that's key right?).

After one particular day of training, I reflected on all the pieces of technology we use in our building. Are we overwhelming our staff, particularly the new ones? I thought a long time about this, but when I visited various staff members and inquired what they were doing the first week of classes, my concerns were washed away. I work with some amazing people!! (Have I said that already?) Start the kindling and they will fuel the fire!

No one understands the life of a teacher except a teacher. The preparation we do, the free time we give up, the money we spend out of our own pockets. We have chosen this profession, and on these first days, when everyone is excited to be back and there is anticipation for the new year, we get the best reminder of why. So to those amazing people I work with, Happy 1st Day! Make this year great!