Sharing Good Practice on innovation ”. So , what does this look like and how can it be implemented ?
Jumeirah English Speaking School , one of the most innovative schools in the UAE are leading the way with using virtual reality in their curriculum . Like many schools in the UAE , they are well equipped with smart devices , robotics and STEAM equipment . But , is this what makes them innovative ? I would argue it is much more than that .
Yes , technology helps schools achieve outcomes that may not be otherwise possible , however it ’ s the ‘ growth mindset ’ with constant learning and improvement that truly drives change through schools . The JESS Innovation Summit held in October reflects the culture of continuous learning that they have built , with educators from Dubai coming together to share best practice and ideas . I was lucky enough to attend a virtual reality CPD session at JESS recently . After beginning in a lecture theatre , we soon ended up under the sea and even had time for a quick trip to Mars ! Although the technology was impressive , the thing that struck me was the emphasis on how the students could apply it to their learning . Everything has to have a purpose .
The biggest killer of innovation in schools is a fear of getting it wrong . From teachers using a new app in a lesson for the first time or students attempting to code a robot in a STEAM lesson , mistakes must be celebrated and recognised as a by-product of learning . Albert Einstein summed up this point well when he said “ A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new ”.
The word ‘ consistency ’ is overused in schools . Of course each child should receive the same level of education and cover all of the relevant learning objectives . However , if our goal is innovation , we can ’ t afford to use the term ‘ consistency ’ to force teachers to work at exactly the same pace and teach lessons in exactly the same way . If we do , then we may as well replace teachers with robots , devoid of individual flair or their own ideas . to grow . This year , I have lead a group of teachers on an Innovation and Enterprise Team who created an action plan linked to all areas of the school . Through our conversations , we soon realised that to truly embed our chosen teaching methods and further integrate effective technology , our main focus had to be on CPD . Techniques like Flipped Learning , Talk for Writing , Singapore Maths and the Protégé Effect have to be methodically embedded into the schools curriculums , with enough training and support for staff to feel confident .
Just as the latest golf clubs aren ’ t going to help me get onto the Ryder Cup team , simply buying into innovative teaching methods isn ’ t going to improve teaching and learning on its own . Schools have to build a professional culture with the conditions necessary for those methods to flourish .
What is the most important element in building these conditions ? Trust would be top of my list . Trust from the school ’ s
management for teachers to take risks in lessons by attempting innovative lesson ideas , trust from teachers to management that they won ’ t be castigated if a lesson observation doesn ’ t go as planned , and trust from teachers to their students to drive their own learning .
For a school to be truly innovative it also has to look for ways to innovate not only in the classroom but also in other areas of the school . This includes the very mundane tasks of student registration , parent communication and even lesson observations . The leadership should also be innovative in the way they lead the school and should embrace the whole ethos of innovation in leadership and management .
If you want something you ’ ve never had , then you ’ ve got to do something you ’ ve never done . Failure is a part of innovation , maybe the most important part . To end with another Steve Jobs quote : “ Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity- not a threat ”.
I count myself lucky to teach in a positive environment at SAFA British School with supportive management and parents who have built an environment for innovation
George is currently the Digital Learning Leader at SAFA British School . Around two years ago , he built his own learning platform called Sharek , which is now widely used across the UAE . This year , George will be speaking at the JESS Innovation Summit , the GESS conference and the Edutech Middle East Conference .