donna volpitta
join me and hundreds of other educators as we examine the ideas in my newest book innovating inside the box co-authored with katie novak. in this discussion group, we’ll explore the power of combining the innovator's mindset and universal design for learning (udl) to empower educators to create opportunities that will benefit every learner. for example, how might you develop the 8 characteristics of the innovator’s mindset in your students, and how might we use udl to proactively design learning experiences to foster choice and voice, while also addressing barriers that may disrupt learning.
let’s explore your challenges and questions related to creating empowered learners and empowered leaders in us all. questions like - you might be ready to lead, but are others ready to follow you? why do we value the expertise of those across the world more than we value the abilities of those across the hallway? why are relationships are at the core of what we do in education?
i hope that these podcasts can provide you some inspiration for the week ahead, or use them for “podcast pd” and have your whole time listen in.
although schools are moving forward, change is always something that many struggle. focusing on an innovator’s mindset and our “why,” this workshop is meant for leaders to help others within their organization not only accept change but embrace it, to create better, powerful learning opportunities for our learners. it is not focused on the “how-to” of technology but is more focused on the conversations that will help staff move forward in a way that they will be excited yet feel supported in their journey.
sanée bell says the following; “students should have rich, relevant, and authentic experiences at school, across the board.” starting with this thinking, what are some of the ways that we can “innovate inside the box” to immediately empower our students and educators to create those experiences within the school while understanding there are constraints and barriers in education? the “core of innovative teaching and learning” focuses on four areas where we need to deepen and push our thinking to create an environment within education to develop our students as the leaders of not only tomorrow but give our students opportunities to make an impact on the world today.
parent involvement in the learning process of schools is the number one factor for student success. as schools look forward to using social media to improve learning in their schools, many parents are fearful of what this means. social media provides an opportunity for parents to have meaningful engagement in the learning of their children. this can significantly change the conversations not only at school but also at home with the child. this talk provides peace of mind to parents while also engaging them in considering the unique opportunity they have to participate in their child’s learning.
education lements is a national education consulting firm. we help schools, districts, regional service centers, and state education departments with challenges related to leadership development, instructional model design, strategic planning, and many more. we have built a reputation in relation to school redesign, focused on helping schools and districts to design and implement student-centered instructional models and change how schools operate to better meet the needs of students. we have built upon that foundation to help our clients build capacity throughout their technical, operational, and academic organizations to support students and teachers.