Why Innovators Don't Ask for Permission

A while back I wrote a post about the relationship between confidence and competence in teachers.  (You can find that post here).  I wrote about how when teachers feel confident, they tend to try different things and are more exploratory, but when their confidence is threatened, they go with the tried and (not necessarily) true and teach more by rote.  Safe. This particular post seemed to strike a chord with some of my colleagues and they told me how it matched their experience. 

Extrapolating from the teachers who feel confident and competent, I started to think of some of the innovative teachers I've met.  Not only did they feel competent when embarking on their particular innovation, but they tended not to seek permission or try to achieve consensus with the rest of the staff. 

One high school teacher put a big screen in his class and started a movie club at lunch time.  It gave kids a place to go instead of smoking or hanging out at the store.  He built this quiet community of kids who had a common experience with these films.  The teacher didn't ask; he just did it.

A middle school teacher created a classroom economy where students had to earn "money" by doing particular tasks and completing their assignments.  They used the money to pay for privileges and for necessities (e.g. rent for their desks).  The teacher didn't ask; she just figured it out.

A primary teacher had students record each other using digital cameras and iPods to document learning.  The learning went much deeper when she projected those pictures on the screen and the students discussed, reflected on and unpacked the learning that had taken place.  By making the internal process of learning visual and oral, the students were able to be metacognitive and used this experience as a springboard for future learning.  The teacher didn't ask permission or wait for the rest of the staff to get on board. 

I have these and more examples of innovative teaching practices on the Bright Ideas Gallery that I did a few years ago.  Most of these teachers did not ask permission (though some did consult their administration), nor did they form committees or try to get consensus on the right way to go.  Why didn't they?  Were they rebels?  Perhaps a little, but they had other reasons for not asking:

1. Most of the innovative teachers I talked to did not have a real plan.  They were making it up as they went along and didn't know where they would end up or how long it would last.  It might not have even occurred for them to ask permission or include others.  Why bother if the idea fizzles or does not continue tomorrow?
2. Some teachers just wanted to get going.  To research the idea intensively or to get others on board would take time or would have halted the momentum.  Think of the difference between sending an email and sending a letter.  I click a button and the email flies around the world in seconds.  With a letter, I have to: print the letter on paper which means finding paper, making sure the printer has toner and is plugged in, and that the cable is connected; then I have to find an envelope; then I have to write on the envelope; then I have to fold the letter, put it in the envelope, and lick that really gross glue; then I have to find a stamp, lick it, and put it on the envelope; then I have to find a mailbox.  The letter process usually takes me between a couple of hours and a week or so.  (It usually gets bogged down at the finding the stamp part).  The point is each one of the steps is an opportunity for the task to fail.  Compare the relatively simple task of mailing a letter with the incredibly complex task of getting your staff to agree on something as wacky as getting rid of all of your desks, and it is too daunting to even start. The innovators I talked to were really already on their way, and they wouldn't slow down, for anything. 
3. The innovators were not excluding others; they just weren't ready to share yet.  They really wanted to work out some of the bugs before they presented the unusual ideas to others. 
4. The innovators did not want to be asked to stop. 

Innovators are looking for a better way.  That way may not be obvious to others, and sometimes it is not obvious to the innovators.  It is a messy but fun process.  A lot of the innovators would get this grin or twinkle in their eyes when they talked about when they were getting started with their innovation.  There was something deliciously subversive in going against the "way we've always done it."  And what kind of fun would it be to get permission to be subversive?

Am I a Tier 1 teacher?

A colleague of mine told me about three tiers of students and the different supports they receive.  That is, students at the top of the pyramid, or Tier 3 students, are students with profound challenges that cannot be met in the classroom alone.  Tier 2 students have challenges that can be supported with a few additional measures.  Tier 1 students are the bulk of students; their needs can be met within the classroom.

I was writing an email in reply and came to a realization: I am a Tier 1 guy. That is not to say I reject or ignore Tier 2 and 3 students. I think it is my goal to have all needs of all students met as much as possible within the regular classroom. It is also my goal to support all my students so that they don't turn into Tier 2 and 3 students. 

Here are some thing that I think about in terms of supporting all students:

• I have the design point of view that works in service of Self-Regulation, and that classroom environment must be in sync with instruction.  (Tier 1)
• I am a classroom teacher who has had some success with kids who have real challenges because I build strong relationships with those students, create a place where they belong, and try to be consistent in terms of expectations, discipline, and instruction.  (Tier 1)
• I believe in the UDL framework that what is good for some benefits many.  (Tier 1)
• I work from strengths (not deficits, and not one size fits all). (Tier 1)

Everything I do seems to operate from a Tier 1 perspective.

Animal Trading Cards

In the last month, I needed a quick project to do for an Animal unit in Science.  Last year, when I did Superheroes as a theme, I did a trading card on each student's every day hero.  Each student made one card which we put on display to honour their hero.  This year, I decided to do the same thing, but as an animal theme, so I geared the information on the card to match the curricular learning objectives. 

After more thinking, I realised it would be richer if students were able to trade cards with each other. That is when I pitched the idea to the other teachers of my grade that we all do Animal Trading Cards, we each pick a different habitat to cover with our classes, we photocopy multiple copies of each students' card, colour them to match our series, and then get together on Trading Day to exchange cards.  I know, I know, it is slightly stupid to pitch a project in the last month of school, but I pointed out: these cards could theoretically be done in one day, it would be a good way to quickly cover some curriculum, and it would be loads of fun.

I got 4 other classes to join in, and we quickly created a template.  (See below).

The left side is the front and the right side is the back.  When folded and glued, the paper turns into a two sided card.  The front has places for the name of the animal, a small picture, and a place for the student's name at the bottom.  The rest of the card is about information on the animal.  Each teacher picked a series or habitat: river, seashore, savannah, etc.  These series had  a matching colour to clearly denote the habitat: dark blue for seashore, green for river, etc.

The students did a draft, filling in the information and got it checked over by the teacher.  Students then completed their master copy which was two of these cards on one sheet.  The master copy was done in dark pencil which was then photocopied 2 times for each student; that way each student now had 6 copies of their cards which they now coloured, cut, folded, and glued to look like a card.

Trading Day was amazing!  We met in the gym, went over expectations, and then let loose 120 students to trade cards.  It was just like a real card swap. They talked to each other, haggled, exchanged information, and when kids had cards from each series (the objective), the sat on the sides and read or sorted their cards.

Intentionally blurry, identity-concealing picture

of students exchanging Animal Trading Cards

during Trading Day,

 underwater.

A bunch of cool, unexpected things happened:

• The kids really got into it.  Some really dug into the research and found some really interesting information or printed off multiple picture for each of their cards.  Teachers told me some kids who were not strong in their writing were able to be successful because the template was easy to fill in, plus they could show their understanding verbally during the exchange or artistically with the small picture. Very UDL.
• During trading day, students used a whole bunch of skills, and learned a lot, in terms of animals but more importantly about human behaviour. 
• The teachers really got into it.  One teacher picked one animal for the whole class to study which made filling in the cards easy, and was a culmination of his animal study.  One teacher, instead of picking a particular habitat picked Canadian animals (this time, as a culmination of some Social Studies content), and then when we exchanged with other classes, students were able to see the overlap of habitats across Canada.  Another teacher picked the Savannah, so we were able to sharply contrast that habitat with the others. 
• We teacher were able to collaborate in a different way.  We have done some whole school projects and activities and some "buddy" work, but this was the only work I can remember the grade 2 and 3 classes doing together.  It showed we can probably do more together if the project is right. 

Interesting use of ubiquitous blinds

I was walking by another teacher's room a while back and noticed this.

Rem explained that her blinds were broken and would not longer move or open.  So she got some string and attractively fanned them. Now she could get some light into the room and increase visibility. 

I thought it looked terrific and was a way to turn something that is pretty common into something really attractive and eye-catching.

Who is reading?

I am always surprised who reads this blog.  Scratch that.  I am surprised anyone reads this blog.  It is nice that people read it, but my main goal is really to use it as a journal to keep track of some of my thoughts at the time. 

So when Gail, my colleague on my staff, mentioned something on my blog, I was taken aback.  I'd forgotten that I let people see inside my head.  Same thing when Roxanne started talking to my about electric bikes.  Or when a school trustee was talking about my favourite action hero. 

I guess in the back of my mind, I write for other people, but in the front of my mind, I am really writing to myself.