As you many have already guessed, I have decided to read the book "The Innovators Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity" written by George Couros. George is an inspiring leader in education who promotes innovation in education. He encourages teachers to not only ___ but to empower their students.
In part 1, George begins by explaining why innovation is so important in society today and the implication that it can have on the prosperity of an individual, company, and/or society. He used an example comparing Netflix and Blockbuster. The innovative change to streaming movies and TV shows over the internet propelled Netflix to victory in the movie rental world. We must continue to be more innovative in how we teach in order to produce future leaders who are more innovative and forward-thinking. George defines innovation as "... a way of thinking that creates something new and better." Being innovative is not the specific task or technology. It is a way of thinking that has led to this accomplishment. Agricultural education provides a great platform for producing leaders who have a more forward thinking aspect. The need for constant improvement in agriculture is greatly driven by a growing world population and a push for more sustainable agriculture. Producing innovative students is a necessity in order to find ways to assess these future world problems.
This section also got my "wheels turning" on how we as teachers can empower our students to be forward-thinking. There are several factors that contribute to the growth of our student's innovative thinking. We must help shape students into resilient, technology fluent, individuals that have plenty of hands-on experience and networked connections. A valuable agriculture teacher easily addresses resiliency, hands-on experience, and networking. Teachers often struggle with incorporating technology in their student development. I myself have been working to overcome this problem before I enter the teaching profession. Here at The Pennsylvania State University we utilize many different platforms of social networking and resources. Our use of these resources at a university level will lead to an improved transition into our future classrooms.
"The Innovators Mindset" has already provided me with a new perspective on how I facilitate now and how I will facilitate with my future students. I appreciate all of the real world examples the author includes, as they provide another level of clarity. I look forward to continuing my exploration of innovation and continuing to reflect on what I can take with me and apply in my future career.
