Innovation in Education

Innovative practices in education matter because that is how education keeps up with the ever-changing world. Today’s students need to be able to live, work, and play in a global environment. A lot of people automatically think of EdTech when you mention innovation but I believe it is so much more! Innovation, by definition, is simply a new method or idea. A great deal of innovation comes from asking, how can it be better? At some point someone started innovation by asking a question...

How can we include students with disabilities?

How can we make sure black students feel welcome in our schools/classrooms?

What can we do with students who are ahead of their peers?

Innovation can be a different way of looking at a problem, a different way of including someone, adding new curriculum, adding/changing technology, or many other ways to introduce new thinking.  Technology, has made innovation easier in many ways. It can create new learning opportunities, it can translate text to make it more accessible, it can customize a lesson to the exact level of each individual student but it can't do it alone, it needs us. I am drawn to this work because I want my students to have the skills to become innovators themselves after they leave my school. By embracing innovative practices, educators can help students learn how to think critically, find comfort outside their comfort zone, and become leaders for the next generation.