Risk Innovation

I attended an EdCamp session yesterday in Kansas City about Innovation in Education.  The presenters of the session started off by telling us that Apple will spend more on research and innovation in one quarter than President Obama is planning to spend on research and innovation in education for the entire 2015 fiscal year -- and what do we think about that?  At that moment I regretted sitting where I did.  Right next to the presenters...too close, I felt, to "vote with my feet" and leave.  I didn't sign up for a political bantering session.  I was so proud of the educators in my group, though.  Our conversation took an amazing turn and people talked (and I tweeted) about the challenges and successes of being innovative educators. 

People talked about being fearful.  They didn't feel they could risk being innovative when there is so much at stake like adhering to the Common Core, achieving AYP, and "passing" teacher evaluations.  They were afraid of failing.  Of not meeting standards.  That strand in the conversation transitioned to talking about growth mindset versus fixed mindset.  As educators we are talking about instilling in children the growth mindset, but are we realizing our own need for it?  Are we giving ourselves permission to fail at something and still feel okay about ourselves?  How can we tell our students that it's okay to try new things and fail when we are not convinced of that for our own selves?  Maybe it's only okay to fail privately?  When nothing is at stake? 

One person talked about how being innovative as an educator doesn't have to be something exclusive...we need to blend innovation into our instruction like we blend technology.  We can innovatively teach the curriculum and then over time the outcomes (test scores, evaluations, etc.) take care of themselves.

Sometimes innovation is overwhelming because of the amount of tools at our disposal.  How can we educators ever keep up with the ever growing market of apps, etc.?  We don't need to, says an EdCamper.  When we teach students to drive in Driver's Ed, we aren't teaching them to drive a Chevy, we are teaching them skills they need to know to drive any car.

It was startling to hear the comparison between how much Apple will spend versus how much the government will spend on research and innovation in education.  I couldn't help but feel, though, that the amount of money spent is not the most important thing.  The most important thing is feeling empowered to believe in ourselves that we are the researchers and innovators.  Who do we get our best ideas and inspiration from?  Is it from book we've read by "official experts?"  Conferences we spend hundreds of dollars to go to...so we can sit and listen?  Our curriculum guides?  Or is it Twitter, Pinterest, a Blog, etc.?

One EdCamper said that the three most important words teachers can hear from their administrators are I Trust You.  I know my administrators trust me, and that, I can see (especially after hearing stories from others this weekend), is a gift.  I don't want to keep that gift wrapped and hidden safely under my desk.  That gift is my permission to risk being innovative...to risk some F's to achieve A+'s.