Lisa Nielson says that an innovative educator is one that inspires and encourages students to share their ideas and projects outside of the classroom. As I read her article and think about what I do in my own classroom I am left wondering if I am an innovative educator or just a "interesting/relevant" one. When thinking about my own classroom filled with kindergarten students I am also wondering what does a true innovative teacher look like.
They are still very young at this age and looking at some of the examples given on Nielson's site I don't think it would be age appropriate. However, this left me starting to brainstorm and think through some ideas of what I can do with my students to actually be innovative. In my classroom we do a lot of hands on learning guided by goal setting. Could this be an entry point into being truly innovative? Could they share their goals with others on campus instead of keeping them in the classroom? If so what does that look like? I am intrigued and now have a some more research to do.
Dr. John Kotter. (2011). John Kotter - Communicating a Vision for Chang. YouTube. Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGVe3wRKmH0&t=256s.
Nielson, L. (2016, March 13). Are You An Innovative Educator? Here’s How to Find Out. [web log]. Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2016/03/are-you-innovative-educator-heres-how.html.
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