#IMMOOC Week Two

"Is there a better way?"

I find myself asking this question on a daily basis.

Today it was when I was in an empty classroom waiting for students come to me for their GT instruction. The school has an empty classroom devoted to the occasional meeting and spontaneous out of district services; all while I offer daily services in a portable without running water or a bathroom. Today it was raining so I went through the protocol to use this empty room and as I watched the clock tick, every minute is one less I get to spend with these students...I think, "is there a better way?"

My answer is yes but often what I say yes to, others say no.

In the State of Maine, gifted services are mandated and fully funded...however, the catch is we are limited to services the top 3-5%. In a district of 2500 students, this means 125 students k-12 are identified. A shockingly small number that has pushed the ceiling of identification standards to mean students must test in the 98th or 99th percentile to be identified. Identification is the worst part of the job.

So how can I use an innovator's mindset to make things better?

#IMMOOC Week One

I work in Gifted Education. It is a field that I deeply believe in. When I first started teaching a GT class, it was a eureka moment. My teaching went to a different level and I had fun. I loved this population of students and was amazed at their dedication, curiosity, and ability. They kept me on my toes and my teaching changed...I was no longer a holder of knowledge but a curator of resources who could lead them to the information they needed.

But, the GT field must innovate or it will die. I see too much of Blockbuster in Gifted Education. As a relatively young player in the world of education, gifted education looks very similar to what it did years ago. When people try to change service delivery or try new approaches there is often a ringing of the fear of change. I want to change the mindset so change is embraced "an opportunity to do something amazing."

As I go through this #IMMOOC, I want to look through a lens of how I can apply the Innovator Mindset to Gifted Education.

My takeaways from the Introduction and Chapter One are:

• We forget that if students leave school less curious than when they started, we have failed them (4)
• Compliance does not foster innovation (5)
• If we want people to take risks, they have to know we are there to catch them and support them (7)
• Moving away from a culture of compliance to create engagement and ultimately, empower those in our schools (7)
• Shift from telling to listening (7)
• When we stop worrying about who is best and concern ourselves with helping everyone succeed (9)
• Twenty-first century education is not about the test; it is about something bigger (9)
• Innovation can come from either"invention" or "iteration", but if it does not meet the idea of "new and better," it is not innovative(19)
• A single idea can completely change our thinking (25)