Today’s keynote at #SASinstitute2018 was dynamite! Dr. Tony Wagner, author of “Creating Innovators”, left me in awe as he connected data to the burning topics of education. It is powerful to hear others speak of their passions and what resonates with them, but something bigger started to formulate in my mind as I soaked in the experience and research that was connected to his words. He took us on a journey of curiosity, problem solving, the assembly line approach to teaching, connecting innovation to team sports, referencing the silos that should no longer exist in learning, extrinsic and intrinsic rewards, mindfulness and accountability. Yet the simplest share out, possibly a side thought or reflective moment, of remembering “the outlier” is what left me nodding my head in full agreement. He mentioned that if you ask a child who their favorite teacher was… or even their favorite year of school, the answer fell with the outlier… the one flying solo… the “different one”. Yep, no doubt… every time!
The outlier! Beyond a statistics class, I am not sure that I really thought about it, but that is exactly where the innovation in education is taking place. That teacher that students remember…
the one that was different
not status quo
a disruptor
a risk taker
the playful
passionate
student centered
and full of driving purpose.
A teacher of impact!
It leaves me thinking… when did such impact become the outlier in learning? How did creativity, failing, imagining, perseverance, empathy, and passion get so far out of reach from the norm that comes with developing as a child? It truly amazes me the amount of conferences, blogs, books, and professional development on a whole that is needed to create change so that students are not left with a silo experience of one teacher making a difference. When did the average experience become acceptable for our children? When did conformity become so comfortable?
When will you… become the outlier?
Thank you Dr. Wagner for never losing sight of our most precious part of the future, our children. Thank you for continuing your journey with education to allow others the opportunity to question our practices, as I have done today. May we all come down from our “ivory towers” and allow for experiences that pave the way for our young people that are ready to change the world!
T.R.U.E. G.R.I.T. 