As the world continues to evolve, it demands innovations, and that also rings true for our classrooms. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest examples of educators having to shift their practices to better accommodate their students. While that period in K-12 was turbulent, to say the least, some of the strategies implemented at the time brought results that school leaders could not ignore.
In an article published by Frontiers in Psychology, researchers examined the teaching innovations that emerged during the pandemic and how they benefited students. By using innovative methods such as flexible lesson structures and student-centered learning, teachers reported seeing great improvements in both student motivation and performance. Students were also rating innovative teachers more favorably than teachers who followed traditional methods.
Although we are not in the same circumstances as we were during the pandemic, we can still learn from these insights and encourage a culture of innovation in the classroom.
Support a Growth Mindset
One of the most effective ways to promote innovation among teachers is to provide them with the tools needed to achieve innovation in the first place.
Teachers who are able to attend workshops or webinars on innovation in teaching can learn strategies they either never considered or just need a new perspective. Principals who support teachers in attending these training courses or even earning additional certifications can soon start to see a positive effect in the classroom.
It doesn’t end with just providing resources. Teachers who learn about innovative methods need their leaders to be open to change. Be curious and show a willingness to adapt where possible to meet teachers where they are as they try these new strategies.
Plan for Success
While teachers need flexibility in order to pursue innovation, they also need structure to help them reach their goals. When working with these teachers, establish learning objectives that align with educational standards. Choose metrics that will help to show how academic performance is affected by the changes and schedule regular check-in sessions to monitor progress.
Educators shouldn’t have to go about this journey alone either. Encourage teachers to pursue innovation together, granting time for them to co-create lesson plans and share best practices.
Teachers may also need time to evaluate how they want to implement or adapt these new methods. Allow them periods to self-reflect on their plans while also offering collaborative feedback sessions so they can get a well-rounded perspective on the changes.
It’s Okay to Fail
Bringing new teaching strategies into the classroom is a learning experience for all involved, and this includes the teachers. Not every implementation will work as intended after the first try. It will take practice and experimentation to determine what the best structure looks like for each classroom.
For the best results, principals need to allow teachers the space to fail. Through making mistakes, teachers can gain a better understanding of how new approaches work for their classrooms. However, if teachers don’t feel safe enough to fail, strategies that were meant to be experimental could end up falling back into traditional methods.
Instead, encourage teachers to experiment with the knowledge that mistakes can and will happen. In doing so, you can help foster a culture of continuous learning that will bring new teaching methods into the classroom that can be refined and strengthened over time.
Commitment to Change
Innovation in the classroom is a necessity for continuous growth and improvement. The lessons learned from the pandemic have shown that when teachers are given the right tools, student engagement and performance thrive. As we move forward, principals must continue to champion innovation in the classroom so that both teachers and students can reach their full potential.
