Sketchnoting the Innovator's Mindset: Chapter 2

I am sketchnoting my way through George Couros's The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent and Lead a Culture of Creativity using the Paper app and Musemee Notier Prime stylus.

Chapter Two had a good refresher on Growth Mindset - a school-wide goal we adopted a couple of years ago. We did quite a bit of reading from Carol Dweck (and others) about the elasticity of our brains and the ability to develop our intelligence, talents and abilities with hard work and practice. We did a lot of teaching around Growth vs. Fixed mindset with our staff, students and parents - including strategies on how avoid having a fixed mindset. Here are some examples of anchor charts I made with my kiddos in previous years.

I appreciate how George has added the element of innovation to the idea of Growth Mindset. It isn't enough to just learn - but let's take our intelligence, abilities and talents further by creating something new and better. 

I like the idea of the Innovator's Mindset. I also know, that we have a lot of work to do with our students around Growth Mindset. There are still many students (and teachers, and parents) who are not convinced that they are able to develop their skills, intelligence, abilities and talents any further. As well as those who already "know it all" and think they are the smartest in the class. 

Do you think that we need to develop a Growth Mindset before we can develop an Innovator's Mindset? Or do they work hand in hand? Is innovation the reason we want to develop our abilities, intelligence and talents?

One of the key ideas from this chapter that stuck with me was the importance of failure. Failure is important for the process, but failure cannot be the final outcome. High Expectations are still important. It is crucial to come back from failure with resiliency and grit: two traits that are difficult for many young people who haven't had to wonder, investigate or create - as everything has been done for them. Although failure is important, it cannot be accepted as the final outcome. This will cause tears of frustration, anger and disappointment (by students and teachers). It will cause parent phone calls with many concerns and questions. This will cause excitement and creativity and innovation.

I will continue to teach my students about brain elasticity and Growth Mindset. I will to add the element of an Innovator's Mindset - and build in lessons about resiliency, perseverance and grit. We will create new and better ideas.

*

Did you miss my sketch note for Chapter 1? Check it out here.

Innovation is not about the stuff. It is a way of thinking. #innovatorsmindset 

Sketchnoting The Innovator's Mindset: Chapter 1

As introduced in my last post, I am sketchnoting my way through George Couros's The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent and Lead a Culture of Creativity using the Paper app and Musemee Notier Prime stylus.

As George mentions, the word "Innovation" gets thrown around a lot in education. In recent months, I have heard people use the term INNOVATION interchanged with inquiry, creativity, exploration, invention and "using more technology". It can be all of that, or none of that. Innovation is really just a way of thinking that creates something new or better. This chapter gives readers a better idea as to what Innovation is and what it is not. 

George asked 3 questions at the end of the chapter. This one of them:

The answer to this is definitely a work in progress. It is a hard one. I have a few new goals for September in my brain right now, and need to draw and plan them out soon. I tend to mostly focus on how I can bring innovation and creativity into my classroom as a teacher through engaging tasks that promote problem solving, collaboration and critical thinking, and how to get my students to take risks, ask questions, and gain a sense of wonder, motivation and growth mindset to develop creativity and innovation themselves. But, in my leadership? In my own learning? 

I have always thought of myself as a creative, but never an innovator. 

I need to push my boundaries, stretch my thinking, make growth manageable and embrace the new.

Some things I will be working on in the fall for my teaching: 

- Teaching the whole kiddo. Physical, mental, spiritual. Make sure they know they are important, what talents and strengths they offer the class. Growth Mindset and student-led classrooms. Really get to know each student. "The question that must be asked every day is, "What is best for this learner?"

- Collaboration + Communication en français (with each other, local communities and the world - continue conversation, kidblogs, etc.) Rich, authentic, action-oriented tasks.

- Passion/Wonder Projects - Make a plan to improve from last year.

- Create a maker space/provocations/invitations to learn - how do I incorporate throughout the day? Do students visit area whenever they feel like it? During a certain time? In rotation?

- Create more flexible seating options

- Mix-up my literacy and math block. They work. Students are definitely learning, collaborating and taking risks with open-ended tasks - but are they being innovative? I'm not sure. Worth looking into. 

 - Add more engineering challenges, the ARTS, coding, mystery skypes and edCAMP 

*

When we thinking differently about the things that we are used to seeing daily, we can create innovative learning opportunities. #innovatorsmindset