If the environment isn’t a supportive and collaborative environment, there’s no flower that can grow there. The flower is a piece of nature that will grow with the right tools in place, so facilitate that growth with kindness and love. Children deserve the same initiative and kindness from their teachers. We deserve to teach them the way we would like to be taught. I certainly don’t want to be given a cookie-cutter lesson with occasional yelling and calling-out from my facilitators. Taking Risks are fearful. Change is so hard! I think change is hard for educators because we want to seem perfect and know ‘everything’. I like to think the initiatives set forth in the Case Study are disruptive and very innovative (EdCan Network, 2016). I know that the growth mindset and being comfortable with letting students guide the lesson may be something that I try in my classroom. However, I am certain that my fellow educators and principals alike may have not tried something so different. It’s almost so uncomfortable that it’s an unlikely evolution, right now. I hope to bring inspiration to my colleagues to try letting go of the reigns and allow their students to be the ‘hero’. I want my students to know that collaboration and learning from each other is everything. We are all connected in this universe and we can use each others’ talents to drive our own learning. I know some classes may be isolated, silently doing printouts. My class is always a plethora of support, initiative building, and personal strides in students’ own learning. I think this group of first graders is the first to really have trouble with seeing how my class works. They’ve only been in school for a year (Kindergarten) but they come in with preconceived notions about ‘school’. I’m sure other educators see it, too. They want to know how to do everything and depend on me for how to do every little thing. I want them to learn that they may not know everything, and in fact, I sometimes say ‘figure it out’, just to see what happens. My students are varied in how they feel comfortable with this new process. It’s different for their parents, too. If we start to view failing as a stepping stone, where growth will flourish, maybe we have a chance to make real change. I really appreciate the thought from Ottawa Schools that kids are ‘digital natives’ (2016). I think technology should be viewed as a tool used to help engage and make way for a new idea of learning. I read something the other day that said our students’ devices have nearly as many capabilities as the space ship that sent astronauts to the moon just years ago. Do you view your chromebook differently knowing that it could help your students in their future and possibly fly us to Mars? Resources EdCan Network. (2016, May 19). Innovation That Sticks Case Study - OCSB: Risk Taking [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/UAMcjUzdVnE |
AuthorTaylor Pons Digital Learning & LeadingePortfolio Blog Digital Waves BlogA Splash of Professional Learning NetworksClass Dojo MentorDigital Learning and Leading |