Innovative leaders focus on preparing students for a world that is constantly changing.  They do this by creating learning environments that promote risk taking, resourcefulness, resilience, and collaboration. These teachers and leaders encourage a sense of curiosity and creativity, and promote a safe environment in which to explore and embrace change and potential failures. In this learning environment, all members should take risks and experiment freely,  interpreting problems and mistakes as increased opportunities to grow and develop.

Innovation can often lead to more equitable and accessible education globally.  Many areas of the world do not have access to engaging and stimulating learning environments or resources. As we've seen in the past with COVID-19, we are often challenged with the providing engaging learning experiences in difficult circumstances.  As an educator who formerly lived and taught in the Houston, TX area, I can also confirm that the impact of natural disasters can directly affect access to educational experiences and resources. In addition, we must consistently evaluate the validity of our teaching strategies in order to support  our student's growth and development.

Tips to Implement Change:

• Be an engaging leader, but make & keep space for others

• Cultivate a culture of risk taking and celebrate growth

• Rely on your natural innovators to implement with enthusiasm

• Use data to drive decisions

• Request and value feedback, especially from students

• Embrace conflict and use as a catalyst for growth

• Develop resilience and be patient with the process

• Engage with all stakeholders. especially parents and the community

• Make students the focus of everything you do

The district I started my teaching career in would hold a pep rally at the beginning of every year.  One year in particular was especially inspirational for me.  The theme that year was "Better Never Stops." We had t-shirts and promotional products all over our campuses and social media to encourage the idea that we, as educators, never stop improving.  We never stop striving to do it better, reach our students more, and provide tailored instruction to the students we care so deeply about.

I have adopted this mantra as my own, and each year when it would be easy to just reuse or recycle something that "works well enough" I am reminded that our students count on us to take risks and model that desire to continuously grow and develop into the best versions of ourselves.

This year we took on a project of updating our Marketing videos for our CTE courses.  We did, in fact, have some very informational clips that students could watch.  However, engagement with this media had dwindled, and we needed to hype up our programs in ways that appeal to this specific generation of learners.  Our Culinary students joined forces with our student broadcasting network and we let them take the reigns.  We allowed the students to tell us what they thought would be engaging, plan the marketing materials and execute it completely themselves. I was purely there to facilitate the space and supplies needed, and perhaps schedule the members needed to complete her vision. The technology used was far beyond what I could have planned as an educator. The result was an engaging, relevant marketing video that appealed to students in all the right ways. 

There are two things I know for certain: better never stops, and our students deserve the very best.