Mike's Monday Message
Risk Takers
8 Characteristics of an Innovator's Mindset
If you remember back in December I started writing about the innovator's mindset. There are eight characteristics and I had written about the first two - Empathy and Problem Finders. The ideas come from George Couros's book "The Innovator's Mindset". The third characteristic is Risk Takers.
Innovative teaching and learning involve taking risks. If we are to create new opportunities for the learners we serve, not everything we try will always work with every learner. If we really want to serve our students and help them to develop into the leaders and learners of today and the future, taking risks in our practice is not only encouraged but necessary. An educator with an innovative mindset will find the balance between drawing on experience while maintaining a willingness to try something new.
Fear
Risk-takers have a lower level of fear than most people. The more one practices creative risk taking the lower the fear.
Curious
Risk-takers are incredibly curious about why things are the way they are. They have a hard time accepting the way that things are without thinking about the way things can be.
Possibilities
Risk-takers believe anything is possible. They challenge "best practices" even when the experts tell them otherwise. They believe that anything is possible and no obstacle is too large or insurmountable because their passion for the end result overcomes any hesitation.
What is Genius Hour? An Overview of Genius Hour and 20% Time in the Classroom
One Example
Above is one example of a risk you might take in the classroom with kids. This comes from a wonderful article titled 10 Creative Risks to Take With Your Students this Year. You can find it on spencerauthor.com/creative-risks/.
Think about using this year, 2020, to take some creative risks in your classroom. Your students just might thank you for it.