Going into our first session with George I felt anxious because I was unsure of what to expect. I just kept thinking that in order to get the most out of the opportunity I would approach it with an open mind. Well I’m not going to lie, so far this learning experience has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. However, I have realized that good things can come out of situations that challenge me. Our first session with George sparked an interest in me to look more closely at innovative ways to empower my students.

Since then I have taken some time to further my understanding of innovation by watching videos of TED talks surrounding various topics in innovation and education. One video that resonated with me was one entitled “How to Escape Education’s Death Valley” by Ken Robinson. He made reference to a valley in the United States that many call “Death Valley” because nothing grows there. Nothing grows there because it doesn’t rain. However, in the winter of 2004 seven inches of rain fell in the valley and in the following spring the whole floor of the valley was carpeted in flowers. Ken explained that what this showed was that “Death Valley” wasn’t dead but that it was dormant and “right beneath the surface are these seeds of possibility waiting for the right conditions to come about”. He then went on to use this as an analogy in comparison to schools. This really stuck with me and made me think of my students and how they carry within them many “seeds of possibility” and how they rely on me to provide them with the right conditions to allow their “seeds” to grow. In my mind it comes down to innovation and new ways of thinking and learning that I can use to empower my students to achieve their potential.

 

Ashley Edgar

École Robert H. Smith School

Cluster Group 1996