Administrators′ Corner
Can you teach innovation?
By Leisa Simapili
Focus on skills
Teachers are always being encouraged
to develop students’ 21st century
skills. It is hugely important to focus
on these skills if we want to foster
innovation in students. Skills, such
as collaboration and critical thinking
are fundamental to the innovation
process. Communication is also
paramount but in my opinion, creativity
is of vital importance. Information is
everywhere, but developing the skills
to access and effectively use this
information will serve our students
throughout their entire lives.
Encourage teamwork
Help students to form teams and learn
to rely on each other to complete
or improve on projects. Create an
environment within teams, where
students feel free to be able to,
constructively criticise each other’s
work. When we focus on teamwork
instead of merely working in groups,
we encourage students to value the
talents and contributions of their
fellow team members.
T
Reward innovation
he week of November 20 -24
last year was marked in the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) as
'Innovation Week’. There was
a plethora of activities taking place
in companies, government offices
and schools, all in a bid to encourage
innovation and to help in the UAE’s
continuous bid to become one of the
most innovative countries on earth.
I must say that I find this to be a very
noteworthy ambition. Given the fact
that our future generations will face
new and very challenging problems,
the likes of which, we have not seen
before; we ought to be ensuring that
our students are as innovative as they
can be.
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During Innovation Week, I overheard
one teacher telling another that she is
about to teach innovation and it made
me think. Can teachers really teach
innovation or can they merely foster it?
I am open to a discussion on this, but I
strongly believe that as educators, we
can only facilitate innovation. I would
like to suggest some of the ways in
which schools can do this.
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Give teachers space to try
new things
Teachers in general are very innovative,
if they are given the space to
experiment. One of the major setbacks
to innovation is a lack of freedom on
the part of the teacher. Yes, we have to
get results, but we don’t always have
to stipulate the methods. Allow the
teachers to choose how they get to
their goals. By doing so, they are being
given the freedom to be innovative in
the classroom.
Get students to solve ‘real’
problems
From observations, most of the
projects I have seen students being
given are not asking them to solve
problems that they are currently
facing. Don’t get me wrong; I am a big
advocate for project-based learning. I
believe that when students are asked
to solve real and current problems and
they see their solutions being used for
everyone’s benefit, it will encourage
them to become even more innovative.
Class Time
I know this might be difficult to do
given that our school systems are
set up to reward students who get
the highest scores on standardized
tests, but look for every possible
opportunity to reward innovation.
It does not have to be the biggest
reward but as I am often told by my
mother, ‘encouragement sweetens
labour’.
Administrators, be innovative
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