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A Calling for All Educators

to encourage and empower learners to explore their innate curiosities.

Couros (2015) offers educators a mindset for teaching students skills that:

foster innovation
inspire creativity,
encourage critical thinking while empowering our learners to be forward thinking

These are skills our students need to learn to be successful, and both educators and students benefit from time to explore and wonder about the world around them to change the landscape of the classroom.

Couros challenges his readers to think about the way they teach and how educators and students learn to make the most of the opportunities that are in front of us!

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So What is the Innovator’s Mindset?

It is a guide for educators that will empower them to shift their mindset to lead others in risk taking and innovative thinking.
It explains the concept of innovation and its importance to education.
The characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset are discussed, which is an opportunity to create something new and better for our learners so they can be inspired to create new and better ideas.
Mindset begins with questioning what we do and why we do it, igniting readers to embrace change in order to move our school’s forward.
The text lays the groundwork to shift the culture of learning and innovation within schools, encouraging others to build powerful relationships, discussing the importance of continuous learning, and discovering the transformation the innovative mindset has on learners (Couros, 2015).

This mindset calls educators to action, encouraging them to lead alongside their colleagues and make changes within themselves to truly be effective at creating a culture where innovation flourishes.
Readers are challenged to move beyond past practice towards inquiry based professional �learning to bring positive �organizational change where �stakeholders actively contribute �to the process (Couros, 2015).
We are reminded to never stop �questioning the world around �us or to forget the endless �possibilities of learning that �occurs when boundaries �are pushed.

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Historical Context of the Innovator’s Mindset

Historical methods of teaching children in schools are insufficient because our society has evolved.
Advancements in science, technology, health, transportation and all aspects of industry have influenced the way our student experience the world and have created new opportunities for creativity and success.
A greater demands for alternative learning such as online, private education and homeschooling options have increased over the years.
Students experience life differently and learn differently, but many educators feel compelled to teach them using old strategies and methods.
Old philosophies of teaching endorse a Fixed Mindset - or belief that abilities, intelligence and talents are fixed traits.
Innovation subscribes to a Growth Mindset - or belief that abilities, intelligence and talents can be developed.

Technology has played a major role in how we see and interact with the world but technology is a tool for learning not a behavioral outcome.
Innovation allows us to push the boundaries of education and challenge and encourage students to stretch their thinking
An educator with an innovative mindset will find the balance between drawing on experience while maintaining a willingness to try something new.
Learning is more than regurgitation of facts and is about creating new meaning and new connections to the world.
There is an increase in today’s job market for skill learners that are not only problem solvers but can think independently and have a desire to create new things and make something better.
Having an innovator’s mindset can empower students to become innovators themselves.

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Big Ideas Concerning Innovation

Endeavors in Education

Innovation begins with a question.
Innovation can be a single idea that changes the way that we think, create and build new connections for students.
Innovator’s Mindset can be defined as the belief that the abilities, intelligence and talents are developed so that they lead to the creation of new and better ideas.
Educators can work within the constraints of the system and still create innovative learning opportunities for students.
There are 8 characteristics of the innovator’s mindset: Empathy, Problem Finder, Risk-taker, Networked, Observant, Creators, Resilient and Reflective.

Our role is to empower students to see themselves as innovators who take responsibility for their own learning and leading.
Technology is a tool not a learning outcome.
Laying the groundwork for innovation within an organization begins with relationships.
Leaders must be able to trust their educators and empower them to be innovative, create a culture of “yes” rather than fear of taking risks.
Culture is developed by the expectations, interactions, and, ultimately, the relationships of the entire learning community.

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Innovator’s Mantra

The Innovator’s mantra is the foundation that George Couros set for himself and wanted to share with the world.
It is his mindset when thinking innovatively about education, as this way of thinking is not new to education. He believes we can do better at how we approach things (Couros, 2015).
His innovative mindset takes into account the rapid ways technology has changed and shaped our world, increasing access and opportunities for all learners.
He hopes being innovative with become ingrained in what we do in education, stretching our minds towards all that is possible.

George Couros (2015) believes “I am an innovative educator and I will continue to ask ‘what is best for learners’. With this empathetic approach, I will create and design learning experiences with that question as a starting point.”
His mindset is constantly evolving and growing.

To read the mantra in its entirety visit:

http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/5216

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Reflections on the Innovator’s Mindset

As a novice teacher, schools often hand out curriculum, and teachers are expected to use a pacing guide from September to June to get through it. Couros (2015) discusses the importance of creating our own educational experiences. If the current system is not working for our students we need to change what is going on within the walls of the building to better serve our educators and students.
It is imperative to have empathy for our learners and ourselves, discovering what students are passionate about to create a learning community where everyone can grow from each other.
Leaders need to scaffold their modeling of the mindset in order to help educators create solutions that work for them.
Another take away was the ability for those with an innovator’s mindset to seek talent in others and unleash it. Empowering others not only builds trust but also builds a community that values learning, leading, and innovation. This includes the need for schools to create a shared vision and mission statement that will excite the entire learning community.
According to Couros (2015), “To truly be empowered, people need both ownership and autonomy.” Couros believes we can no longer continue to address each problem as it arises, rather we need to change the mindset of our educators to continuously seek ways to experiment, collaborate, and reflect on learning experiences to create better opportunities for our students.
Amazing starts with us (Couros, 2015). It starts with us; we must be empowered and inspired to become the inspiration toward change. And we must not lose momentum because we will not get there. According Couros (2015), we should not arrive there, as we should continually be changing, perpetually moving forward, to reach for better, for the benefit of the school and students:
We must have relentless relentlessness (Couros, 2015).
We are all learners, and as we continue to forge our passions toward learning how to teach better, we must be reminded that innovation is not about skill set; it is about mindset (Couros, 2015).

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Final Thoughts

George Coursos sees the world of education as it should be - full of wonder where all learners (students, teachers, administration, and other stakeholders) play a vital role in shaping the culture of the organization. �His book, The Innovator’s Mindset, provides readers with a mindset, giving �all learners the freedom to think, act, try new things. This is what we should all �strive to create within our walls. He encourages educators to innovate within �the box, which is so important to recognize! We have the tools we need inside �each of us! Having in innovator’s mindset is about curating relationships and �building upon them towards a vision. It is about working as a team and using �strengths of all. He also reminds us of the power of reflection.

Follow George Couros on Twitter @gcouros

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