Innovation has become a word used frequently in the world of education. This past week a parent asked me specifically about the purpose of innovation in schools and what it meant specifically for Eminence Independent Schools. I realized that I needed to do a better job communicating the purpose of our work as a District of Innovation. This post is not one that encompasses everything there is to be known about innovation, but one that hopefully gives you some insight on the purpose. The online Merriam's Webster dictionary states that innovation is a new idea, device, or method and the act or process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods. The School on F.I.R.E (Framework of Innovation to Reinvent Education) is committed to a focus on designing instruction that personalizes learning for your student at Eminence. The work at Eminence Independent encompasses a variety of new methods that focus on the work of innovation from the ACES (Apple Computers for Eminence Students) that allow personalization of learning to our newest PBL (Project Based Learning Classroom) known as UNLOCK that embeds Language Arts, History, and Technology into one course focused on partnering with others to change lives in third world countries. I am including a video to show this concept. This is one of my all time favorite videos, as it demonstrates how innovation stems from motivation and the impact achieved as a result. This is a must see.
Landfill Harmonic
Innovation is exciting and can have impacts beyond anything ever imagined. It is about changing our focus and delivery methods within the system of education. Unlike the education most of us experienced, the desire is that our students become critical thinkers that have the capacity to Change the World, one project at a time. They are learning through real-world experiences that embed critical thinking, problem-solving, and a student driven activities. It is different, difficult at times, yet amazingly fruitful. Follow our first PBL classroom and our UNLOCK project through Jennifer Montgomery's blog as she captures the moment she achieved the shift from teacher driven instruction to student driven instruction, it was amazing to hear her excitement as she explained to me what she has written about in her blog shared around "the moment of shift" at http://pblunlock.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-day-to-remember.html?spref=fb. Enjoy and there will be much more to come!
Innovation is exciting and can have impacts beyond anything ever imagined. It is about changing our focus and delivery methods within the system of education. Unlike the education most of us experienced, the desire is that our students become critical thinkers that have the capacity to Change the World, one project at a time. They are learning through real-world experiences that embed critical thinking, problem-solving, and a student driven activities. It is different, difficult at times, yet amazingly fruitful. Follow our first PBL classroom and our UNLOCK project through Jennifer Montgomery's blog as she captures the moment she achieved the shift from teacher driven instruction to student driven instruction, it was amazing to hear her excitement as she explained to me what she has written about in her blog shared around "the moment of shift" at http://pblunlock.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-day-to-remember.html?spref=fb. Enjoy and there will be much more to come!
