Innovation. It’s the new buzz word, and it could change your whole teaching life. The way I see it, innovation is a way of thinking. By definition, innovation is something new or different introduced. This really is open to interpretation. In my teaching practice innovation is incorporating choice and freedom into learning. Letting students be able to take control of their learning so that it encompasses and guides them. I see it in lots of places already; their choice of topics in an extreme weather project, their choice of science fair focus or the book they read & way they present a book report. But HOW do you make innovation a daily practice? I wonder about the chaos…how do we make sure that everyone is on task? How do I accommodate those that are not focused and able to stay on their chosen topic task? It’s scary. When everyone is doing the same task in the classroom, there’s a great sense of comfort in knowing where everyone is and what they’re doing. They’re engaged.
But innovation. Engagement is not the same as empowerment. How do we empower the students without losing those in the class that are the most susceptible to loss? How do I deliver a sense of empowerment in education to those students that find it tough to attend on a regular basis? That find school a challenge? OR…. Are they the ones most needing of empowerment? Stay tuned.

Torrie Vicklund
Stanley Knowles School
Cluster 1871