How to Survive 5 Fast and Intense Weeks of Disruptive Innovation

This has been an awesome experience! It has been a lot of learning with few hours of sleep but so worth it. I got to create an innovation plan for my school, and I can’t wait to start itl!

My innovation plan consists of an After Is Cool program where 1. I will provide videos to help with homework, and 2. We will have a blended class where the students will explore and research their interests. I already mentioned both parts of my project to parents and students and even though it is not very clear now, they seem very interested in trying it.

I have always been concerned with how to help with homework and give more to the GT kids. I completed a literature review and it confirmed the need that the Hispanic population has because of the big educational gap. This was my first time doing a literature review so even though it was very stressful, it took me to new places of learning and that was very motivating. I hope I will have the approval from the principal after I send her the innovation proposal with the video. Before I started putting together the video, I had an idea of what I wanted. Then, the district sent a magazine where some of my kids were featured because they were talking with the principal about some projects they wanted to implement for the community. That’s when I remembered that the district wants to give the students voice and I decided to include an emphasis on that too. If the principal says yes, I will show her the implementation plan and I hope she will give me suggestions on how to improve it. My vision is to have an alternative where we can help students with what they are missing during regular school hours.

I am really excited because my students will have a space to explore some of their interests. I know I will need to read a lot of different books to be able to help my kids with their topics. I have been looking for books that might be useful for the different parts of my project.

Books to create the videos:

How To by Michael Bierut. The author is a renowned graphic designer and the books looks very interesting because the overview says that it helps to “sell things, explain things, make things look better, make people laugh, make people cry, and change the world.”

Video Ideas by DK

How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck: Advice to Make Any Amateur Look Like a Pro by Steve Stockman

Book for Google Classroom (I think this is what I will be using to connect with the students):

The Google Infused Classroom: A Guidebook to Making Thinking Visible and Amplifying Student Voice by Holly Clark

Book for the homework:

No More Mindless Homework (Not This but That) by Kathy Collins & Janine Bempechat

Book for the blended classroom:

Blended Learning in Action: A Practical Guide Toward Sustainable Change by Catlin R. Tucker, Tiffany Wycoff & Jason T. Green

One of the most important things that I have learned with this course, is how important it is to try to find solutions instead of reacting negatively to the circumstances. Negative reactions don’t get you anywhere while proactive reactions might get to solutions that might change the world.

I wish everyone a great winter break and see you guys back in January! :)