environments that set us on a path to “out-educate’ the rest of the world. Educators who adopt these strategies actualize innovation through practical DREAMING (see the following acronym). Practical dreamers resist the lure of appearances to convert aspirations into reality. They envision a better future for students and take practical steps to get there.
To encourage innovation in classrooms, practical dreamers:
1. Discover—Practical dreamers look through multiple lenses to provide a deeper sense of what learners want, need, and deserve. They pursue opportunities to refine instructional approaches beyond the world of education. Practical dreamers pay attention to random events that lead to interesting results. A key question for the Discover theme is, Do I have imaginative, yet actionable, insights that translate into winning propositions for students?
2. Reach—Practical dreamers quantify their compelling vision of classroom innovation with a set of clear goals and metrics. They view innovation as a critical process for student growth. A key question for the Reach theme is, Do I have a compelling vision, clear goals, and reachable targets that are substantial enough for me to act without being over the top?
3. Explore—Practical dreamers distinguish worthy ideas from flavor-of-the-month pursuits. They study shifts in pedagogy to separate inconsequential changes from changes that revolutionize learning. A key question for the Explore theme is, Do I pursue with high value opportunities and technology that promote experimentation?
4. Accelerate—Practical dreamers eliminate barriers between a great idea and the end user (students). They test their ideas to ensure they reap the intended outcomes. A key question for the Accelerate theme is, Do I launch new ideas through fast implementation and assessment without throwing the baby out with the bathwater?
5. Mobilize—Practical dreamers infuse engagement and collaboration throughout the school day—not just during “innovation” time. Their classroom structures allow ideas to flow freely. Their students see themselves as leaders of innovation too. Key questions for the Mobilize theme are, Do I foster a learning environment where ideas flow freely, no matter if they come from my students or me? Do students have the knowledge and resources to contribute?
6. Inventory—Practical dreamers select activities and assignments through discerning choices, even when something is too new to know if it’s worth the effort. They weed out low-yield activities in favor of high-yield experiences. A key question for the Inventory theme is, Do I conduct ongoing reviews of activities and assignments and determine the value of these activities and assignments for optimal effect?
7. Network—Practical dreamers use vertical and horizontal networks to connect to thought partners within their own schools, districts, and regions. They pursue experts outside the field of education as valuable contacts and inspiration. A key question for the Network theme is, Do I strategically engage with a variety of practitioners and partners to pursue novel perspectives and new learning?
8. Gauge—Practical dreamers test new concepts against the capacity and infrastructure necessary to sustain them. They ensure that both teachers and students have a chance to react to a concept before getting too far down the road. A key question for the Gauge theme is, Do I conceive and test concepts at the right time, at the right magnitude, with the right intentions?
Consider the type of innovator you are now. Are you visionary—someone who sees a shift coming before anyone else? Or are you more strategic—someone who carefully plans innovation around a specific purpose to gain an advantage? Perhaps you’re a fast follower. Fast followers may not come up with an idea, but they get on board quickly to out-deliver innovation over others. Or are you a disruptor? Disruptors don’t wait for new technology or new approaches to find them. Disruptive innovators, and others like them, are always looking for the next thing that will radically change their work. However you define yourself as an innovator, your actions should align with your goals. Practical DREAMING boosts job performance and brings out the inner innovator in you.
Having introduced the characteristics of innovative educators and the mindset necessary to dream big, this chapter now moves on to strategies educators can use to implement innovative practices in their schools and classrooms.
Strategies to Increase Innovation in the Student Environment
The following sections introduce several strategies readers can use to increase innovation in their schools and classrooms. The strategies include:
• A Lesson in Subtraction
• Habits of Mind That Make Schools Shine
• Hot Teams and the Design Thinking Framework
• The Stickiness Factor
A Lesson in Subtraction
All educators have an interest in improving student learning. Coming up with new ideas is invigorating. But trying to synthesize an avalanche of new ideas without first letting go of old ideas can cause a brain drain. As schools layer new initiatives on top of old traditions, it leaves little room for the best elements to shine. We hear colleagues talk about initiative fatigue, overload, and burnout. The tendency to launch more changes than any staff member can reasonably handle is akin to education malpractice. Emotional responses to mandated changes are thus rarely positive.
Conventional wisdom holds that schools are starving from a shortage of good ideas. In reality, many schools are suffering from a bad case of indigestion. Schools tend to implement new initiatives in a fragmented, haphazard manner. Sadly, most new initiatives have a disappointing track record. It takes time for teachers to develop familiarity and a certain level of comfort with untried strategies. With each new initiative, the time and energy to implement it diminish. Initiative fatigue sets in, leading to resistance and apathy.
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