Creativity

Creativity.  How do you help someone else be creative?  I love creating!  It really doesn't matter my end product because I enjoy the process of creating.  I enjoy cooking, which is creating with food.  I enjoy sewing, which is creating with fabric and thread.  I enjoy putting my own spin on ideas to create birthday parties for my family.  I enjoy designing learning experiences with educators for learners.  Collaborating with other educators is one of my favorite aspects of education.  I think the best experiences come together for our learners when we all collaborate to create!

When it came time to plan the next steps for sharing the characteristics of an #InnovatorsMindset, we could have chosen to follow the sequential list of characteristics, but I felt we needed to change things up a bit.  In our previous sessions we had focused on discussion of the mindset while modeling technology tools for collaboration and educator focused.  I wanted to shift the conversation to changing the mindset of how learners could express their learning more creatively.  It's not just about using a Google Doc or Slideshow to share knowledge or ideas.  There is a time and place for these products, but what were other options for learners.

What seems to be the most obvious is sometimes the hardest things to do!  I spent a lot of time looking at options for app smashing.  I found it very overwhelming trying to narrow down exactly what I wanted to share with educators in a model for app smashing.  Keeping it simple and clean, both in my presentation and in the app usage, was a priority.  I selected apps both "familiar" and "new to you."  I also have found a new love relationship with Google Drawings!  I simply had to Google Drawings as my canvas!  After much deliberation, the app smashing menu choices were ready.

I wanted to demonstrate the options of exporting a simple project to Photos in order to import to add multiple layers and functionality to a project.  Some of the different apps our group looked at have similar actions; and, we discussed being open to letting learners select the app they are most comfortable using.  We also discussed giving our learners the power to take ownership of knowing more about an app than the educator in the room.  We can all learn together!

From my awesome Coppell Digital Coaching Team, I had a wonderful resource to aid those who found an app that they wanted to know more about that included QR codes to video directions on how an app works and sample projects using the app.  Also, I was able to contribute to the resource a few more apps.  I am very appreciative to my team of the valuable resources already in place and want to contribute as much as I can to these existing gold mines!

One app the educators were very interested in learning more about is PhotoCard by Bill Atkinson.

It works exactly like a post card!  One feature I particularly like is that you can import your own picture.  Depending on the font size a lot of content can be covered in what turns out to be not so small of an area!  Between the imported image and the content, this app lends itself to any content area.  In the weeks since this PLC, this app has some up in conversation a number of times.  It is great to see educators embracing tools that fit their curriculum!

Our district is very fortunate to have Explain Everything purchased for every educator and all secondary learners.  This was the perfect opportunity to explore some of the underutilized features of this fabulous app and see how other apps could be layered into Explain Everything.

When we allow our learning to speak creatively we share a little bit of ourselves beyond the run of the mill classroom expectations.  Taking the time to examine the design of instruction by adding elements of creativity personalizes the experience for meaningful learning.  Isn't that what we want? 

Making a Connection to Understand Our Learners

As an educator, I know I have had several moments throughout my career when my eyes were opened to what was really going on with a learner outside of class.  It's the moment when all the little signs of missed assignments and changed behavior come together to reveal a situation beyond my belief or understanding.  It is in these moments my patiences truly kicks in and I can do my best to try to understand.

I remember standing in the hallway monitoring students as they entered the building eager to get to class.  It was the first cold day of winter.  Everyone was bundled up in coats, hats, mittens.  Then, one child in 3rd grade came walking down the hallway with his hands crossed and folded up wearing shorts and a T-shirt.  Every morning we would always exchange a "Hello!"  But, today I asked why he wasn't wearing a coat.  "It's literally freezing outside!"  With a big smile he responded, "It's not too cold for me!"  Later I would find out there was no money for a coat, food, or an extra bed.  The family barely had money for the apartment where they were living.  The fact the child made it to school most days was a miracle in itself.  That day my heart broke when I finally understood why school was not the most important thing for this child, but survival came first.

When designing the Leading Innovative Change Series for educators, the first characteristic introduced in the book Innovator's Mindset by George Couros, is empathy.  We have to be able to understand and connect with our learners no matter their circumstances in order to move their learning forward.  When I start to focus on a topic, it's interesting how so many examples begin to stick out everywhere I look.  I found a great video by Brene Brown of what empathy really means while going through tweets one afternoon.  I felt it was important to share the video in order for all of our educators to have the same understanding of the term.

When designing the learning experience for our educators it was also important to me to connect the larger concept of empathy to our district's Learning Framework, specifically in the area of building appropriate and positive relationships that foster a mutual respect.  To make this connection, educators were then challenged to tweet messages that supported, modeled, and promoted empathy at our campus.  The objective was to share our campus story beyond our walls.  Twitter is a tool the educators have been introduced to at various times; and, this opportunity gave educators a very specific purpose for their tweets.  The educators were encouraged to use hashtags popular within our district to help spread our story at Coppell Middle School West.

Here is the presentation used to share the concept of innovation regarding empathy:

First Steps

So our journey to Leading Innovative Change was well received during our initial conversation.  Sunny and I then began to think how we would make connections to all of the educators to do what is best for learners.  We wanted to gather data regarding how educators felt about giving their learners voice and choice.

We started by sharing Three Trends that Will Influence Learning and Teaching in 2016 by Debbie Morrison.  We felt this article provided the perspective of how learning is driving so many of the decisions being made by the learner, the owner of the learning.  Our learners no longer need to wait for a class period to access information when a device and connections are readily available to them at most any time.  A common question we keep asking ourselves is how are we writing tests that are not "google"able?

After reading the article we asked the educators to reflect using two different statements on a Padlet.  First, they needed to share an "I like" from the article where they agreed with or affirmed what they are already doing in their learning environment.  Second, we asked the educators to to share an, "I wonder" take away from the article in order to collect varying points of view, questions, or concerns regarding change.  Well thought out comments were shared by the educators demonstrating a desire for innovative change offset with slight hesitation of taking risks.

We then shared with educators one option of meeting diverse needs of learners through the use of menu boards.  Giving learners voice and choice can come in a variety of forms, but one form we have used in our district many times are menu boards.  When it comes time to creating a menu board, ask for help and suggestions!  Collaborating with similar content educators can also provide the resources when creating menus for learners.  Looking at Pinterest can be a great starting point when trying to create a menu board.  Menu options can vary from online tools and apps familiar to a classroom and those that are completely new and have not been used in a particular classroom before.  Learners will jump at the opportunity to support another learner, or educator, when tech support is needed.  And, YouTube is a must have, for me anyway, when I'm trying to learn a new tool.  I feel pretty confident moving around new tools, but when I get stuck the first place I go to find resolutions is YouTube!  I know I'm not the only one who has ever had a problem!!

At the end of the day, educators had been introduced to the possibilities of the learner-centered learning environment; and, being reminded how previously used tools such as a menu can promote student-centered learning while also providing a platform of differentiation.