CNN currently has a news link titled Six Steps to Creative Breakthroughs. They are:
- Look behind you - Investigate the history of what worked, what did not work, and what might have worked given different scenarios.
- Lose the routine - In other words, ‘Play!’ This might be reading, hitting seminars, attending conferences, etc. Taking time away from the routine of preparing, teaching, grading can have great rewards.
- Use the brains you hired - Let employees (i.e., teachers snd ) take risks and not be penalized for failure.
- Get cozy with customers - Get to know the needs of students, parents, and the community.
- Share the load - Use resources in house, at the local college, or in the community to get things done.
- Try to fail quickly - Quickly move from thinking about change, to doing it. Set benchmarks to determine if the innovation is working. Commit but don’t be afraid to admit defeat.
These steps are powerful if put in terms of K-12 education. I wonder how many schools are willing to embrace this mentality? Should they?
Jayson W. Richardson
University of North Carolina Wilmington