In the Innovator's Mindset George Curous highlights eight things to look for in your classroom and professional learning.
Voice- I want more than anything for my future students to speak up to ask questions and talk about how they interpreted something through the lens of their beliefs. People can get so heated, offended and offensive when it comes to talking about "training" horses, just as they can when talking about raising children. I have an opportunity to teach students to question and comment respectfully, because chances are they have their own beliefs.
Choice- All of the professional learning I do these days is a choice. I choose to take a weekly riding lesson with my mentor, I choose to wake up early to work on my class and I choose to spend evenings reading the words of cowboys. This learning fills my emotional bank account, instead of emptying it, because I have chosen it.
Time for Reflection- These weekly blog posts are my time for reflection, as are the four reflections that I am assigned this semester. They both help me immensely in deeply processing what I am learning. Fairly open ended reflections are something that I will definitely incorporate into my future teaching.
Opportunities for Innovation- I look forward to providing these opportunities for students. Selfishly, because I can learn so much from the innovations of others. In my professional learning, the leadership and technology class I am a part of provides so much more than just opportunity for innovation. The class demands thinking inside and outside the box.
Critical Thinkers- My critical thinking abilities improve with reflection. This reiterates just how important reflection is. It builds wisdom, which adds to critical thinking.
Problem Solvers/Finders- I love to look for the edge of boundaries and comfort zones. Pleasant and comfortable are no match for authentic and connected. I see pushing students to find holes in their knowledge as a very important part of education. However, this requires always providing an emotionally safe space to learn and make mistakes.
Self Assessment- My horses assess me everyday and I choose to listen to what they have to say. There is that 'choice' word again. They act as incredible mirrors. The other day, I got on a horse that I have had for years. Riding him is like putting on my favorite pair of sweatpants. However, this ride he was different. Wiggly. Mentally and physically. By now, I know better than to ask "what's wrong with you?" By now I know that the correct question is "what's wrong with me?" I realized that I hadn't been truly present since I arrived at the barn. I had no intention. I began to think back on my day. Lots of little things had gone wrong, and all of these things seemed to point to me just not being there mentally. Opportunities for self assessment come in all forms. Look for them.
Voice- I want more than anything for my future students to speak up to ask questions and talk about how they interpreted something through the lens of their beliefs. People can get so heated, offended and offensive when it comes to talking about "training" horses, just as they can when talking about raising children. I have an opportunity to teach students to question and comment respectfully, because chances are they have their own beliefs.
Choice- All of the professional learning I do these days is a choice. I choose to take a weekly riding lesson with my mentor, I choose to wake up early to work on my class and I choose to spend evenings reading the words of cowboys. This learning fills my emotional bank account, instead of emptying it, because I have chosen it.
Time for Reflection- These weekly blog posts are my time for reflection, as are the four reflections that I am assigned this semester. They both help me immensely in deeply processing what I am learning. Fairly open ended reflections are something that I will definitely incorporate into my future teaching.
Quite possibly my favorite place to read and reflect!
Opportunities for Innovation- I look forward to providing these opportunities for students. Selfishly, because I can learn so much from the innovations of others. In my professional learning, the leadership and technology class I am a part of provides so much more than just opportunity for innovation. The class demands thinking inside and outside the box.
Critical Thinkers- My critical thinking abilities improve with reflection. This reiterates just how important reflection is. It builds wisdom, which adds to critical thinking.
Problem Solvers/Finders- I love to look for the edge of boundaries and comfort zones. Pleasant and comfortable are no match for authentic and connected. I see pushing students to find holes in their knowledge as a very important part of education. However, this requires always providing an emotionally safe space to learn and make mistakes.
Self Assessment- My horses assess me everyday and I choose to listen to what they have to say. There is that 'choice' word again. They act as incredible mirrors. The other day, I got on a horse that I have had for years. Riding him is like putting on my favorite pair of sweatpants. However, this ride he was different. Wiggly. Mentally and physically. By now, I know better than to ask "what's wrong with you?" By now I know that the correct question is "what's wrong with me?" I realized that I hadn't been truly present since I arrived at the barn. I had no intention. I began to think back on my day. Lots of little things had gone wrong, and all of these things seemed to point to me just not being there mentally. Opportunities for self assessment come in all forms. Look for them.
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts. I love the authenticity in your reflections. Your comments regarding self-assessment in particular resonated with me - both the concept of the horses acting as mirrors as well as knowing better than to ask “what’s wrong with you?” when the correct questions is “what’s wrong with me?” Staying actively present is at the core of each of these eight elements!
Brilliant. What's good for horses is good for students! The shift from "what's wrong with you?" to "what's wrong with me?" – seeing the behavior and achievement of students as mirrors of our teaching – is the turning point to reflective, student-centered teaching. In my own experience, this seemingly simple mindset is actually quite difficult to cultivate and enforce. When a learning activity isn't going as planned, and I find myself getting frustrated or disappointed, I actively remind myself that I'm having these feelings, not because of what my students are or aren't doing, but because I'm not (yet) meeting the needs of my students in such a way that would have made the activity a success. Thank you, Brittany and Sarah, for highlighting this mindset.
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