3 Secrets to Supporting Innovation



I can find inspiration in some unlikely places. This quote from Just Listen is a prime example. While Sarah Dessen is a lovely writer, I prefer dystopia to suburbia when reading YA, but this line from a decade-old novel for teenage girls has really hits home when I think about how we function in a team.

I hear from teachers about their fear of speaking up in planning meetings, PLCs, or the teacher work room. This is especially true of beginning teachers, who are still learning the norms of their buildings. Teachers--new and veteran-- often keep ideas to themselves, protected from the judgement of colleagues who aren't always good at hiding disapproval.

New ideas often mean change, which is scary. It's even scarier to think that maybe change is necessary. While new and better are not synonymous, teachers often scrunch their noses with suspicion of anything touted as the latest and greatest.

Ever uttered the phrase, "What we've always done is..."? Yeah, me too.  It's a creativity crusher.

Colleagues learn to keep ideas to themselves bypassing judgment. But what they are also bypassing is the opportunity to grow as  professionals, being part of a community, and building relationships.

So how can we support beginning teachers--or any teachers-- who want to try new things?  I think these questions might be part of the secret sauce. 

3 Questions that Support Innovation

If you're a teacher who has an idea to share, spend some time thinking about the answers to the following questions. It will help you determine if your idea has legs and give you some selling points when you talk to colleagues.

If you're working with a beginning teacher, consider asking these questions to the newbie to help develop the idea. It will help the new teacher grow as a reflective educator. These questions are not about judgement; they're about understanding each other's perspectives.

Just working through these questions will support you as a growing professional, who wants to be part of a community and build relationships. 

1. What is the motivation for trying this new thing? 
Knowing the root of an idea can be the key piece of information to help everyone understand. 

2. Who are other folks who have tried this? 
Whether it is a pillar of educational research or the teacher down the hall, knowing that a strategy or lesson has been successful elsewhere can often sway the seemingly unswayable. 

3. What do I have to know about myself for this to be successful? 
New strategies can rarely be effective if the teacher is not mentally prepared for the task.

    Motivation

    Often, just answering the first question can open up a dialogue between teachers. Figure out what itch you're trying to scratch.  There is rarely an easy answer for challenges we face, though we may operate under that belief. The new idea should be one of several that the team of teachers should explore as a solution to the problem. Seize the opportunity for community building as teachers share their own experiences tackling similar problems.  Read more about how we can get in the way of our own creativity.  If the idea still seems viable, move on to the second question.

    Research

    Do I think that every idea you ever put into place has to have a peer-reviewed publication to support it? Nope. Do I think your super innovative way to solve XYZ problem in the classroom is 100% original? Nope. 

    That's the thing about education. Even when we have these amazing ideas that we've never seen done in a classroom, there's usually something out there that is similar. That's NOT a bad thing! Evidence from professional reading, colleagues, teacher blogs, or wherever reinforces an argument for trying something new. 

    Know your audience. Some teachers are only willing to listen to ideas that have been classroom-tested in similar schools, while others want strategies grounded in valid and reliable research. Plan accordingly. While it may seem like extra work, looking at an idea through the lens of research also helps make a vapor of an idea into something solid to implement. 

    Know Thyself

    You can't argue with Greek philosophers. If the idea has survived the first two questions, it's the third one that will help you determine if you are ready to put into place in your classroom. 

    Being honest about your strengths and weaknesses in a classroom is important. Though that doesn't mean that you must resign yourself to the way things are. Implementing a whole class workshop model or inquiry-based teaching may not go well if classroom management is a challenge. The problem is not in the model, but the setting. Tightening up your management skills and then try something new.

    Whether it is a strong technology skill set or tolerance for noise and movement during a lesson, plan ways to overcome barriers to success a teacher might encounter when trying this new idea. Having a trusted colleague, teammate or mentor can help shine a light on some areas that may interfere with success.

    Holding it In

    “Sometimes it seems safer to hold it all in, where the only person who can judge is yourself.” 
    Putting yourself out there can be a scary place. One of my heroes, Brené Brown wrote a whole book on it. But that doesn't mean it's not worth it.

    Reflect on times in your career where you've pushed yourself to try something new. How did that work for you? Are you holding back something right now because it feels safer?  How's that working for you? Share your stories in the comments. 

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