Innovation

 

    Innovation is essential to improvement. In education, there are many reasons to be creative in opportunity. An innovative mindset is a growth mindset requiring bravery and courage to change the status quo in the name of improvement for students. There are many reasons that an innovation mindset might be derailed. One of the main reasons is a resistance to change by those uncomfortable to try something new. Additionally, innovation requires different resources and commitment from stakeholders to endure patiently to see the results that will occur. Albert Einstein said, "Once you stop learning, you start dying."  The next generation cannot afford stagnation and a resistance to doing new things. There are many characteristics to an innovator including empathy and resilience. Empathy gives the spark to courageously step out and do something new and potentially controversial. It is worth the effort.

    Reflection on innovation brings many thoughts. It is emotional to step out and do something no one else has attempted, or to improve on something that appears to be working. Essentially, "Why change a good thing?"  An innovator must be creative and willing to stand alone, even be lonely. As Seth Godin states, " Change almost never fails because it's early. It almost always fails because it's too late". It is my opinion that we can not wait to make changes when they are convenient when the objective is engaging new learning. It requires great tenacity int he face of objection and resistance. I believe it often requires great faith that god is motivating the innovation. It is an attitude of "better to try and fail than to not try at all."