Looking for Classroom Innovation

What To Look For In Classroom Innovation



1.Image result for What To Look For In Classroom Innovation


COLLABORATION = INNOVATION

First of all the classroom needs to be set up for collaboration, with flexible seating, and in groups, so students have the opportunity to learn from their fellow students.  Students should be given a choice and the best choice students can have is coming up with the essential question (EQ) which determines the direction learning will go.  Too many times the Teacher comes up with the EQ and in so doing takes the choice away from the student in the direction the learning would go (should students not have that choice?).  Reflection should be given, so all learners involved uncover "how to get there from here."  Creativity happens next as the learners take what they have uncovered and apply it to the real world.  As creativity happens, problems are uncovered which leads to new questions being asked; this will lead to innovative solutions (necessity is the mother of inventions).  Finally, students self-assess what they have learned and present it to the world via social media (blogs, twitter and so forth), perhaps bringing experts in through previously mentioned social media or maybe through Skype or Google Hangout. 

References
1. Couros, G (2013). "8 Things to Look for in Today's Classroom"  [Online image]. Retrieved from https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/3586

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are We Educators in the World of Our Students?

Image
There I stood with one of my student’s phones in my hand eight months ago (who I was helping that had trouble signing into Google Classroom; an iPhone 6s I believe); it buzzed, pinged and vibrated as text message, snap-chat, and other forms of electronic communication and social media came in every few seconds or so.  I then noticed she had a folder on her phone titled; “F*** IT!”  The student clearly was embarrassed by this, but I looked at it and busted out laughing to which she started laughing too (us Teachers have to take advantage of these relationship building moments you know).  I told her, I was there to fix her phone and unless it was illegal, not judge her on the contents (of course the teacher in me advised her that such words were beneath her). Anyway, I became transfixed at all the social media pouring in on her phone to the point it became a “eureka moment” for me.   It dawned on me; “This is the world my students live in and this is the world we need to be teaching in!
Read more

I Sucked At Doing School: Confessions of A High School Teacher Who Dropped Out of High School #IMMOOC

Image
First of all (to hopeful clear up any misconceptions and false perceptions), I am in no way knocking Educators that were good at "doing school."  You know; the ones who got all straight "A" were always on the Honor Roll and graduated Valedictorian and so on.  My early life would not have been nearly as hard if I had done all that (or at least graduated).   Now that I've (hopefully) cleared that up... I was never good at doing "school" myself.  If I could get out of doing school work I would.  Homework was a terror at my house, especially math homework.  My dad would yell at me when I got a problem wrong (it was the 70s) and I got to the point where I would hide my homework (until my dad found out).  In middle school, I gave the teachers such a hard time, they started "passing me" just so they didn't have to deal with me the next year.  In High School my wicked ways caught up with me.  First I repeated the 9th grade, then after star
Read more

Experience And Mistakes Grow The Brain, So Enjoy The Process

Image
I have not blogged in almost a month because I've been busy with "end of year stuff," but I felt (to keep the wheels rolling) to post a blog on a couple things I have learned in the classroom during this Fall Semester. Google Classroom and Technology Since we do not have "one to one" technology, and have to rely on whatever devices students bring into the classroom, but do have access to laptops I can check out from the library once a week, I have learned not to "put the cart before the horse," when it comes to technology.  Let me explain.  I was so excited to get my students into Google Classroom and "blended learning" that I assumed most students would smoothly start using Google Classroom with their smart phones.   I learned my lesson after a bad walk through (received comments like "most students were not on task").  Students just got confused and started doing what a 14 year old typically does with a smart ph
Read more