Introducing George Couros!

I’ve been reading the book, “The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace”, by Ron Friedman, and was struck by this part on Google’s 20% time.

One of things that I have been really thinking about is not only embracing change, but educators creating it. Creating better ways for our kids and ourselves to learn. Too often change is thrust upon us, yet how often do we lead it?  How often do we create change in education?

This was a quote from Kristin Melnyk, a member of the “Innovative Teaching and Learning Leads” that I am working with in Winnipeg School District.  The program is focused on developing not only educators to challenge the way they think about education, but to also develop innovative teacher leadership, to help this group lead meaningful change within their own schools.

As Pixar’s Academy Award-winning director Brad Bird puts it, organizations that spread and sustain excellence are infused with a “relentless restlessness”—that often uncomfortable urge for constant innovation, driven by the nagging feeling that things are never quite good enough.

Blogging has probably had the biggest impact on my learning, not only in the last six years, but my entire educational career. The process has been absolutely amazing, and it has really pushed my thinking. I try to take a 360 degree view of my learning and think of the perspectives of others before I press “publish”.