Specialists' PLC 2025-2026
☸INNOVATOR'S MINDSET by George Couros☸
Specialist PLC 2025-2026 😏
I put a copy of the book we ordered for this year's PLC/PD day discussions in your boxes. The book is divided into four parts, so I've partnered you up (you can always switch your partners or your dates around if you want) to lead the discussion at different times throughout the year. This will earn you continuing education credits, and we'll need to determine which classroom application you will each complete to ensure the credits are approved.
SCHEDULE OF BLOG POST QUESTIONS:😁
Part 1: Helen and Emily- Post questions by 9/24 - Meeting October 13th
Part 2: Feliz and Ash- Post questions by 11/3- Meeting November 10th
Part 3: David and Mike- Post questions by 12/17- Meeting January 5th
Part 4: Lindsey and Joe- Post questions by 2/2- Meeting February 13th
(Read the section, comment thoughtfully on each thread, and earn 5 credits)
HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR SESSION:😜
1. Read the section closely- you are the expert
2. Prepare some open-ended, thoughtful questions to pose to the group. What did you find interesting about the chapter? What are some ways we can apply this mindset at Sigsbee? Pick one of the discussion questions from the end of the chapters to post.
3. You'll want to have some notes about the section to summarize for the group, because there are long pauses between meetings.
DURING THE MEETINGS:😕
We're going to have some time to innovate. You will each work on a project of your choice. You can also work together. Requirements:
- Your project must address something that can be improved at school.
- Your project must align with something you're passionate about.
- Your project must benefit the students at Sigsbee.
- You must be willing to share!
(Complete an awesome project and earn another 5 points)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChp 2. How do we take what we currently have to create a better education system for our entire community?
ReplyDeleteI think that it is important to always have our pulse on what's working and what isn't working for our students. Since this book was published, educators have tried certain practices (flipped classroom for example), and we now know that maybe this isn't the best method for most students. We picked up certain technology and techniques during and after COVID that were necessary in the moment, but they aren't beneficial to students today. If we want to be truly innovative, we need to be able to look at what we are doing and pivot sometimes, even when it is uncomfortable. As long as we keep the needs of the students central to our decision making we should be on the right track.
DeleteTo add, I think it is important as an educator and for the education system to be adaptable to student needs and society's demands. For example, during COVID everyone adapted to online learning and shifted the entire classroom. In the last 2 years, society has slowly started to shift back but some things have changed permanently like 1 student: 1 device ratio in most districts. I think we are now adapting to the short attention spans of using devices and lacking original human creativity (not AI). Since this book has been published the world has gone through an pandemic the completely changed our learning for a period of time.
Delete100% agree with Feliz. Being able to be flexible is a must. Even down to specific classes in a single grade level. I have some projects that work amazing with one Kindergarten class, but needs a completely different approach with another Kindergarten class. I think having an actual interest and deep knowledge of your content area helps and makes the changes seamless transitions.
DeleteCH 3 How do you exhibit the innovator’s mindset in the learning and work that you do currently?
ReplyDeleteIn the year that we returned from COVID, I reflected hard on behaviors that I was seeing in the classroom. I noticed that kids were really lacking in certain social skills. These skills were really starting to diminish even before COVID. I felt that because our academic days were so packed, students really weren't getting opportunities to interact and socialize like they would have in previous years. I felt like drama, music, dancing, and unstructured play were really missing for these kids, so I created a class where those things were celebrated. I think that to have an innovator's mindset, you have to be able to see a problem and think of a creative way to solve it. In my class, I give kids the opportunity to try socializing without interference from an adult (unless it is an unsafe situation, etc.). They get to be creative without judgment. I have noticed that their ability to play, work together, share, etc. have all improved in the past few years.
DeleteI went through a lot of changes as an art teacher going from high school in NJ to our school here. I had to go through not only the age difference and the projects that go with it...but also the clearly visible changes from virtual learning, returning back to in person, and seeing the lingering effects of that remote learning time. There is also this disconnect I have been seeing that I relate to things like AI, digital art (that more or less gets created for you like AI), and students losing the core fundamentals with art. I think there was a loss with the hands on, physical creative process, so coming up with ways to make these traditional methods "fun" again has been challenging, but also really interesting to see fluctuate through the age ranges. It has gotten much better, and I give them a lot of creative freedom with I think helps a lot. Trying to use new methods while capturing the essence of a traditional concept is really interesting, but I think like I said in my earlier post, the in-depth knowledge of your content area, makes it a welcomed challenge, but also knowing what works once, may not work twice keeps your mind ready to change at any given moment.
DeleteChp 1. What has changed in the world today that not only makes innovation easier to do, but is also necessary for our students?
ReplyDeleteI think that the changes that have happened in technology both make innovation easier and harder in the school environment. It is so much easier and faster to find information than it ever has been. It is a huge time saver, and it allows us to reach out to people that we wouldn't have had access to before. BUT! I do think that because it is SO easy to access information it has allowed us to think less critically in some situations, and this has definitely affected our students. We also can't have this discussion without mentioning AI, because unless we figure out how to use it as a tool to push us forward in our innovation, and teach that to our students, it will just be used as an easy button which lacks human creativity.
DeleteI think adapting to the technological advances makes innovation both easier and difficult. Using and understanding technology is necessary for our students since it is part of our daily lives now. However, I think it puts a negative impact on student attention span and fine motor skills - maybe not for all but for a large majority. I think technology has positive impacts on creativity and collaboration all over world, making it effortless to share ideas instantly.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChapter 4: In what ways do we, perhaps unintentionally, create a “culture of no” in our classrooms or school? What might it look like to build a culture of yes—where new ideas are met with curiosity instead of caution?
ReplyDeleteThe renaming of libraries to Learning Commons was to signal an evolution of the library from a space of consumption to a space that includes making, experimenting and collaborating; a test space for new ideas, not just borrowing. When students or teachers propose new ideas—like starting a podcast, coding project, or alternative book report, as a librarian my response should be “How we can make that work” instead of “We’ve never done that before.” The librarian and the space need to work together to create an environment where curiosity is welcomed and encouraged.
Delete100% yes! I know this isn't as easy for other subject areas, but in the art room, I want and promote challenges. I want students to come up with a different method, or design, and push the boundaries. In a way, that is a core value in the art world. So much has been created by experimenting and trying something new. I love it when a students asks to do something different, or try it another way. It is growth that can't really be taught, it has to be discovered, and it is so amazing when it is found. I know it isn't this easy for other subjects, but I am sure this concept can carry over into almost everything else.
DeleteWe do live in a "no" culture. Even relating it to being a parent. The amount of times "No" is said is unreal, and most of the time it is an automatic response. I wonder how much that is just a learned behavior as a response to something that may be a little inconvenient for us, that shutting it down can cause a detrimental effect moving forward for the student/child in their decision making in life.
In physical education I believe my classroom is a "yes culture" because I want my students to try new things and take risk, even when it's scary. The risk is usually injury which is why my "no culture" comes from a place of safety and keeping students healthy. My entire job is to coach students into giving their best effort and try again until they succeed. Physical activities are difficult and not usually mastered on the first go. Students will fail before they succeed.
DeleteChapter 5: What message do I send to students when they see me take risks, fail, and try again?
ReplyDeleteWhen students see me take risks, make mistakes, and try again, I want them to know that learning is a process, not a performance. In our library, it’s okay to experiment, to be curious, and to fail forward. By modeling persistence and reflection, I hope students see that growth comes from trying new things—even when the outcome is uncertain. The library is a place where curiosity is celebrated, and every attempt brings us closer to understanding and innovation.
DeleteI love taking a risk with creating art during my demonstrations. I think it is a good thing for students to see me try something and fail at it, then try another method or approach and see a successful outcome Sometimes they try it and succeed on the method I failed at! I think it is so important to see the trial and error part of the creation process. Sometimes those mistakes lead to amazing, bigger and better things!
DeleteLeading by example is the best way to motivate your students. When they see us trying new things, taking risks, failing, and trying again it encourages them to do the same! Sometimes they want to watch someone else go first before they give it a try. Failing can also lead to accomplishing the task a different way and be more creative.
DeleteAt Sigsbee, we already engage students through hands-on electives, enrichment, and awesome special area classes, but how can we move beyond engagement to truly empower our students to design, lead, and own their learning experiences in ways that inspire critical thinking and empathy, as our mission calls for?
ReplyDeleteI think we go into our activities hoping that this can be utilized at another point in life. Obviously not everything we do can carry that effect, but there is a lot that we do that can be intrical parts. I think coming up with projects or assignments that we can relate to something else in life is a good way to bridge that gap. For example, one assignment I do in my art classes is I present the students with various famous landscape paintings and have them do a creative writing assignment to imagine they live in that space and to describe what a day in the life of that world is like. The idea is to observe the artwork more in depth, to start generating art appreciation skills. The concept is to have the student observe more of the art work as opposed to glancing and moving on. There are some incredible outcomes when students really stop and use their observational skills.
DeleteI think showing students ways to use the skills they learn in class can be used in everyday life in some way really helps solidify concepts and can be used more to their potential.
I feel like one big way to empower students is to talk to them and ask them questions about how they would like to take their learning further. By asking questions and listening to what they have to say, we can help them solidify their own vision for learning and identify the next steps needed for us as the educator as well as the learners themselves.
DeleteI think if we can create opportunities for students to showcase their work it could lead them to more. Or perhaps offering the kind of opportunities where they try their work in the real-world situation. I think students are more engaged with their learning if they know they will get to show it off or try it for real.
DeleteChapter 7: What is Sigsbee's mission statement? In what ways does our current school culture truly live out this mission and where might we still need to grow as a whole to ensure innovation isn’t just something we do, but something that’s embedded in how we think, plan, and support one another?
ReplyDeleteI feel like here at Sigsbee, we do follow our Mission Statement pretty good. Across all of the grade levels and classes, we can see unique, sometimes non traditional methods to help promote critical thinking, and that is a great thing! I think empathy is incredibly hard at times, and put of our control. We do a great job on campus, but sometimes what our students experience at home may diminish what we accomplish here. That is a challenge everywhere, not just in school, but I think as long as we stand strong with leading by example and promoting our mission, it will continue to make a difference. I think that our methods here are also just as helpful to the non-military families here, as the military families. The values we focus on are beneficial to everyone around us.
DeleteThrough innovative approaches, Sigsbee Charter School inspires critical thinking and promotes empathy, focusing on the unique needs of the military child.
DeleteI feel that Sigsbee does a good job of following our mission statement. We are innovative, we promote critical thinking and empathy. Sometimes I feel like we do get a little caught up when the "Good Idea Fairy" comes to visit because we are so focused on being innovative and creative. Sometimes we have so many fun and exciting activities going on all at once that it can be a little confusing and overwhelming. I think that this year, the year-long calendar overview is helping a little with the planning so that we don't have as many overlapping last minute activities.
Chapter 10: "Less is More"
ReplyDeleteWhat are key areas that you and your team/peers can focus on to bring your vision closer to reality?
Chapter 11: "Embracing an Open Culture"
ReplyDeleteHow are you actively ( or have you ) sharing your learning with your school and global community?
Chapter 12: "Create Meaningful Learning Experiences for Educators"
ReplyDeleteWhich elements of the "8 Things to Look for in Today's Classroom" do you already see in your professional learning opportunities? Which elements are lacking?