Module 2 Explorers
Reflect on your learning from Module 2 and respond to the following questions:
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
Please read and respond to at least 1 of your colleagues’ reflections.
Next, you can level up to Module 2 Investigator, or jump ahead to Module 3.
8 Replies
- Social innovation depends on the vision of one, but requires the support of others.
- I would like to make myself more available to support students' extracurricular efforts to create change. I can't (and shouldn't try to) come up with all the ideas or even to provide the only forum for ideas, but I can be a support for my students.
- I can show them my own youthful attempts at social innovation and show them how it can work for them.
- This year we are doing a deep-dive into the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our current project is for students to pick a goal and a target, create an action plan to help achieve that target, and carry it out. We're in the investigation stage, so we'll see how it goes.
(Not a reply to the comment above)
- I learned that social innovation will take leaders, collaboration, and a lot of effort; however, the outcome is worth it.
- One of the most significant things I can do to elevate my student's voices is give them some choices of where to go next in the class. I can offer them a list of broad topics then allow them to choose where we go from there. We can do a deep analysis of the sub-topics under the broader idea.
- To help my students develop a social innovation mindset, I can educate them. I can highlight the issues in society; I can show them the projects that are currently in the works; I can inspire them to make a change.
- I will begin by asking students what issues they see. If students are not sure, I will have them conduct research and offer up some ideas myself. What issue we focus on will be completely up to the students, but we will do research, investigate, and collaborate then use the information to formulate a potential solution.
Hello Cortney! I agree with the outcome is worth it. Social innovation is a great goal to achieve whether young or old. Peoples outcomes when aspiring to become social innovators are tremendous.
Hi Cortney,
I agree with you. The student voice is give them some choices of where to go next in the classroom.
Hello cortney, i agree with you the outcome is very worth it!
Hello Courtney,
I agree with you that the outcome of very worth it!
Hey, Courtney, I am with you in allowing student choice in order for things to go smoothly in the classroom. When students choose what they do they are more willing to put in effort unlike when they have to do something they don't like.
I like how you said social innovation will take effort. A lot of times people will give up when things get too hard, but it is important to keep going if you want to see change.
It is an awesome lesson to teach you can always be the change.
Hey Courtney, I agree with you that having a strong leader is step one to creating change in the world. There may be a lot of hurdles to overcome, but the ending is worth it.
I agree that one duty as an educator is to inspire the students to look at their lives as the next generation to make a difference
(reply)
Hi Carolyn! I think sharing past experiences with students is a great way to help students get in this mindset of social innovation. Not only will it show them that these types of projects are doable, but you might even inspire students to adopt this mindset.
(Initial Post)
- I learned that it takes a team of different backgrounds to be able to collaborate and bring new ideas to achieve an initial idea.
- My way to give students voice and choice is to provide them with real-world problems and for them to use their own background knowledge and experiences to come up with creative solutions to that problem. STEM based activities is ways for me to give students voice and choice.
- As a way to help my students have a innovative mindset, I can educate them and provide examples that would relate to them. Show them why it is important and how it does affect them. Again, STEM based activities that solve real-world problems within their community. It is them coming up with solutions to problems around them and that affect them.
- My STEM based activities that solve problems within the students community is ways I will help students achieve this within their community.
(Initial post)
- I learned that social innovations takes teamwork and leadership. Also takes people of all different backgrounds working together.
- As an educator i want to provide my students with a safe place so they can use their voices. I also think i should relate activities to real life and require critically thinking.
- As an educator i can inspire students to want to be the change in the world we live in. Allow allow for opportunities for students to thrive.
- I will allow students to bring up issues in the real world that are in their lives that they think can be changed for the better of the world.
Hey Kathryn! I loved how you related it back to STEM methods. I think STEM lessons are perfect for adding social innovation. Rea life application is so important.
Hey Emily, I enjoyed reading what you've learned so far. It is important to teach our students the importance of their voices and opinions. Having class debates will build students find their opinion and voices.
I agree that providing your students examples of social innovation will help them to fully understand what social innovation is.
I love how you were able to relate this to STEM and the aspect of real-world issues, and this is so important and sometimes saved to the end of lessons. With you focusing on this application, students will be way more engaged!
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues? Volunteer work stood out to me the most.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice? Teach them to be the change to make a change and not expect others to do it.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation? To let them slowly make changes and let them see to themselves what they did matters and will truly help others.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community? I will research volunteer work nearby and give my students information about the organization.
Please read and respond to at least 1 of your colleagues’ reflections.
Hi Emily, I agree with your post. Volunteer work stood out to me as well, I was thinking about the amount of organizations mentioned that would benefit from volunteers. I also agree with what you said about teaching the students not to expect others to make a change and that they have to do it, it is definitely true. I also mentioned volunteer work for the students to do nearby. I think it would leave a lasting impact and likely inspire them to continue to do so.
initial post
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
With this section, the main lesson I learned was the true impact that one person could have. As most of us want to be teachers, we will have 20 students each year that we can try and encourage this social innovation process in our younger generations so we can have a better future.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
Something that you can do is reinforce positive behaviors and contributions. Students should feel like they can speak up even if they disagree. A way to do this is by creating a safe environment and a non-judgemental zone for students.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
You should lead by example as this is so important as young kids learn by observing. With this, teachers should be involved in the community and educate their students on the acts they do to help our future.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
I will listen to them and then ask them to learn more about the problem and bring that research to me. Then I can put them in contact with the right people so they can start making a change in the area they are passionate about.
Hi Emily,
I also thought volunteer work as social innovation was interesting. It seems like a very common thing to do, but when you think about it, it is helping those underlying issues within our systems.
(Initial Post)
One of the things that I learned after reading the inspiring stories is that putting others first can really make you a great leader. Many wanted to see a change in the world and in others. They saw those most in need and saw that as a motivation.
One of the things that I can do to elevate a student's voice and choice is by giving confidence. Many students have great ideas but are too afraid to speak out and share them. Giving them a push of confidence can allow them to elevate their voices.
As an educator, I believe I can help my students develop a social innovation mindset by always giving them positive feedback on their ideas. Many look for that one person to tell them that what they are doing is good. Being that person can really allow them to see their innovation positively and be more confident.
I will help students identify and explore compelling social issues based on their interests or background. I believe that students thrive better and develop more ideas when they are interested in the topic. They feel more motivated to help people when they are truly interested in the topic.
(Initial Post)
- Social innovation may start with one person, but it requires the support of a global community to be successful.
- 2. Give my students real-world problems, and also demonstrate or show them what is happening in cultures throughout the world. Give them activities that promote critical thinking and collaboration amongst peers.
- 3. Inspire them to make the change, they are our next generation, and change hasn’t been made, but demonstrate to them that if they will not be the voice of change, then who will?
- 4. What issues are important to them, give them a broad base of global issues, and allow them to choose one that relates to them the most.
Angelica, Real-life applications are important to teach our students that their voices and ideas matter in our global society.
Angelica, I love your plan to help students engage in issues that are relavent to them. I also agree that students are more likely to thrive when they have interest in what they are learning.
I really love your ideas and how you plan on executing them I also believe it is important to teach real life problems in the classroom and i am glad that its being addressed now, especially since for years there has been no curriculum on the issues in the world.
(Initial Post)
- I learned that Social Innovation is involving other people in order to really be successful.
- I want to give students chances to have their own input in the classroom.
- Help my students to become more confident within themselves and their work.
- I will help my students by doing extra research into whatever it is that they are exploring.
(Initial Post)
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- Social innovation focuses on positive changes among communities, it is something we work on as a team in order to succeed.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- work with students to make their own personal goals
- open discussions
-give student multiple opportunities and roles to speak
-giving them choices for assignments or areas they would like to work in
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- words of affirmation
- motivate them to work hard and believe in themselves
-give feedback and help them improve
-motivate and inspire them to take risks
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
-take field trips
-take time to reflect
-volunteer
(Initial Response)
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- Social innovation is something that works through teamwork and encouragement in order to be successful.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- Allow them to be open about their opinions and have choices to make on their own like seating and group/partner work.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- Educate and inspire students to believe in themselves and do what they know is the right thing when making a change.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
- Communicate and research the compelling social issue or problem they are interested in.
I love that you mentioned giving students a say in their seating! They deserve to have a say in these things. It is where they will be everyday, so they should choose. This also allows them to show responsibility and accountability with their choices.
Response to Alyson:
I agree that we should allow our students to have their own opinions and choices, and for them to be open about them. It is important for us to motivate students so they can succeed, we should also see failure as positive because they can learn from their mistakes.
(Initial Post)
- I learned that social innovation can be defined in many different ways. Social innovations is mainly trying to meet the needs of a person or environment but by using different solutions.
2. Get them involved in the class by letting them speak what they feel and maybe even offering them choices on assignments.
3. I could help them be able to be confident and believe in their selves and show them that they can make positive changes in the world.
4. I can let them talk to me about and then look up ways that I can help their issue they are exploring.
definitely agree ,that their are several ways.
(Initial Post)
- I learned that even though social innovation is started by a few people, those people are not the only ones inspiring the change. There are also people who come along later and inspire more change, as well.
- I want to ensure that my future students feel like they are able to share things with me and that it is safe to do so. Things like google forms for anonymous intake on things that students can help with could definitely help with that.
- Educating the students on real-world and fictional examples. Give age appropriate examples of kids around their age who are either social innovators or are impacted by social innovators' work.
- Researching local and global issues. Determining what type of issue we want to address specifically, then narrowing it down to a pretty local issue. Letting the students provide most of the research and assist would be super beneficial, though. Then we can all decide how to help our specific issue. For example, would it best be helped by a benefit of some sort, or just some volunteering?
Getting the students involved in the classroom is so important and offering them choices of assignments is a neat idea.
Initial post
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
- I gathered that there are many different ways to define social innovation and essentially how it is used. Social innovation can start and end as two completely different things.
- As an educator, I will leave time for discussions and conversations to arise to give students the opportunity to have their voices heard and still being able to spread their own ideas and creativity.
- I think it is important to allow students to learn about social innovation globally, and that they should be able to learn about real world issues and examples so that they set themselves up for success.
- I think that researching and doing hands on learning can help students identify and explore social issues.
initial post
- I learned that social innovation is a wide variety of different solutions ideas that can be small or large scale as long as it fixes a problem in a cycle.
- As an educator, I feel like the most important thing that needs to be evaluated students voices and choice is what the students seem most interested in. See how to react to different options to present a project and let them have some freedoms.
- The educator should not only talk about the role but act it. To help students become social innovators, you need to be a role model for it. Please show them you're not in charge but keep a community a democracy, not a dictatorship.
- Allowing students to explore issues in the community could become a project for a unit in multiple areas of studies. Therefore, I will allow and give them resources and freedom to explore, find the issue, and help them brainstorm logical ideas to fix the problems that they then can present to the class.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues? I learned that there are many different definitions on social innovation. Everyone has a different view but in the end it takes a team to conquer something.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice? I plan to allow for a safe learning environment for my students. They will be able to use their voices and I will let them know that it is important to let their voices be heard.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation? I will inspire them to be the change they want in something.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community? I will allow them to choose social issues that interest them and then I will research and communicate what I find.
Hey Taylor,
I agree with how you mention team work is needed in social innovation to conquer the problem at hand. I also like how you and I both had the same idea to let the students explore social issues and then talk about them as a unit.
Landon Orrand (Initial Post)
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
I learned about a selfless woman who fought for change. Women's voices are often suppressed, but we are in the generation that is fighting against that. In the past 100 years, there have been so many huge steps for women. Thanks to the brave women before us, we have greater opportunity. It is important that we use that opportunity for growth and change.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
While it seems simple I learned that listening is so effective. Giving students a voice does not just mean the opportunity to talk. It means giving them the opportunity to be heard. If they have a suggestion to improve the classroom, genuinely take it into consideration! Their voice is powerful, and they should know that.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
It is important that we give students a a say in what effects them. They deserve to have a say in the classroom rules. After all, they spend five days a week in the classroom. This teaches students that they are heard, and what they have to say matters!
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
This is the moment when we can put what we preach to practice. If student have an idea for change, we must go above and beyond to help them. We can help them by utilizing our resources and those around us. We can discuss the what, why and how. Change starts with anyone regardless of age, gender, etc.
I agree with you Landon, listening is a skill that is so important to understanding and tends to be overlooked. Students having a say in the classroom rules helps them follow them better as they are accountable for the rules that they made. Going above and beyond to help students is also important as they need to have the feeling of comfort and a trusting relationship so they are willing to take risks.
Landon,
I agree completely with your finally statement. It is important for us to offer support and guidance when a student comes to us with an idea for change. I mentioned how it is important to encourage them to research and become fully educated on this issue in order to be able to effectively come up with an idea to help change this issue. Great post Landon!
I learned that social innovation is coming up with ways to help another successfully, the story I seen related to this because it showed someone helping another and coming up with new ways to find solutions.
An an educator giving a student the opportunity to heard or use their voice can come in several ways, I would encourage the student to find hobbies and more to support what they believe in and be determined to follow goals as well as challenge them self's, through this they can be a voice to other as their determination and challenges can inspire other kids around them.
As an educator its important to show students how to organize and challenge themselves as well as deal with tough challenges to keep pushing forward . I would give students challenges in the class room as this will teach them how to come up with different solutions to help themselves as well as others. Having students work in groups to use each others ideas to find several solutions.
When addressing issues throughout a community its important for students to knows what's causing the problems and solutions to fixing the problem. Teaching students to organize thoughts and groups to solve these issues through a community's gathering to have them all propose solutions to set goals and challenges to fix the issue.
I learned that we must teach students to not know he leaders but to be followers as they navigate the world. We can do this through environments that are safe where students are not at risk of total failure. The idea of allowing second chances is very controversial but has a very big impact.
I think that by supporting student strengths I can help students feel safer and as if they have a voice. Even in bad circumstances a student can have a choice as it is a part of decision making and learning that process.
Allowing students to see the leadership process of how confidence is key. Using social emotional learning one can teach students how to communicate their emotions and reasoning instead of starting with the what. Answering the why questions will model that for students as well.
Having resources and strategies in place where students can explain their interests and build on them over time.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
I learned that working as a team is important and that even though everyone is different it is important.
Having them choose where to sit and assignments that allow them to use their voice.
The most significant thing is to educate them or be an example.
Helping the student will include a plan of something and see the ending results.
I agree that teamwork is essential to success and it also creates a diverse space for individuals to express themselves openly.
Initial Post :
1. What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
I learned how social innovation takes teamwork and leadership. Also how a diverse group of people come together for the same cause.
2. What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
As an educator I want to give my students a safe environment where they are safe to use their voice and create activities that correspond to real life choices.
3. What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
As an educator I can inspire and plant a seed in their heads to want to change the world they are living in for the better.
4. How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
I can have discussions with my students on what is going on in real time and allow them to try and come up with a way they would change the problem.
Lawson, I agree that teamwork is a key essential to have to have success amongst groups and individually as well.
Initial Post
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
I learned that social innovation requires collaboration, leaders, and support. Teamwork is very important when it comes to social innovation.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
As a future educator, the most significant thing I can do to elevate students' voices and choices is to make sure the students know that the classroom is a safe environment and that it is ok to express their feelings and opinions with no judgment.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
Educate them and show them that all they have to do is set their mind to something to make a difference in the world.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
Sit down and have a real conversation about what problem they want to address and ask them what they want to do about it.
Reply
Ruth, I think it is a great idea to plant a seed in their minds and try to inspire them to make a change to make the world a better place.
Elevating students voices is a great way to showcase that they all have their own thoughts.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- I really liked the story I found. I learned of a young man named Chad Cherry that was diagnosed with type two diabetes. He was unaware of how diet effects diabetes so when he found out he became a chef and helped others learn how to eat a healthy and organic diet. I think this important because diet in America has become a problem and especially in children. It is important to teach children how to live a healthy lifestyle in order for them to live a long and healthy life.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- I can encourage students to use their voice when they believe strongly in something as well as be sure that the environment is a safe and risk free environment that allows them to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- It is important to educate them on the problems that are occurring in the world and also to show them all the things so many people are trying to accomplish or have accomplished to make the world a better place. This will hopefully get them thinking and encourage them to want to do what they can to help and make a change of their own in the world.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
- I think it is best to just communicate with them about their issue they want to address and help them and lead them in ways they can research and learn more on this issue in order to fully educate themself on that issue that they feel strongly about.
(Response to Katelyn Barfield)
Hey Katelyn,
I enjoyed the idea in the second question where you stated students should use their voice if they strongly believe in something if it is a safe and risk-taking environment. We need to educate students on the world around them because it can allow for more open-minded people in society, who look at issues and try to support them if they are for a good cause. I think people often forget that if we don't address issues of our world they get behind and become bigger when we least expect it. Good discussion board!
Thanks for reading :)
Hey Katelyn,
I really like reading your post!
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- i learned that teamwork is the basis for social innovation and that we all have to work collaboratively or it will not work in our favor.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- Encourage your students to be heard, make them comfortable and safe. Also make sure your class is a safe space so they feel they can speak up if needed.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- Encourage students to speak on problems they have heard about in the world or educate them about the problems. Show them ways to help and better themselves and the world in order to bring fourth a new generation of people who are more woke about the idea of social innovation.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
- I think it is good for them to explore and if they would like my help to explore the issue than we can research it as a class, turn it into a project and even just have a class discussion about the problem and ways we could resolve it.
(Initial Post)
- Social innovation requires leaders and the collaboration of others
- You can allow your students to have a say in their learning and allow them to work together with other students in the class.
- You can show them how social innovation should work. You can explain what it is and show them how it will work when it is successful.
- You can let them discuss issues that are important to them.
I agree with all of your points, however I think the most important point is for students to have a say in their learning. When students don't have a voice in the classroom they will not reach their maximum potential.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- I learned that social innovation come from many different forms of ideas and doings.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- The most significant thing I can do is allow students a space to speak when they want to. That can be after/before school,
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- The most significant thing is showing that I posses those qualities and having my students see what those qualities look like.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
- I will allow them a time to research problems they want to address and give them a place where they can bounce ideas off of.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- I learned that social innovation can come in many different forms of the world. We have seen stories of how women have fought for equal rights as men, people fought for safer work environments, and many more incidents. The group of people who saw the need for change fought for change which is another important goal that we all need to work towards.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- I can hear students' thoughts on how to do something that they feel will better benefit them and allowing students to have a choice in how they want to learn about it I feel will help elevate student voice and choice. Students need to understand their belonging in the classroom environment so I need to allow them to express their thoughts, opinions, and what approaches they would take to build that type of environment I feel.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- I could allow students to find an issue of the world they would like to change, come up with a thought out process that makes sense realistically on how they plan to solve this issue, have them find connections of people who have the same idea as them, may be they could get in contact with these people as well to gain insight and learn more about it, and have them present this information that they collect to the classroom so that they can receive feedback from their classmates. It would teach them about change, but it would also give them a taste of people's response to what they are trying to change. I think it is important for students to face real life scenarios so that they could be better acquitted to some of the things that they will face in life.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
- I could provide students with resources of issues that affect them locally or affect people globally. Have them research information on these issues and get their thoughts on how this could be solved. We need to teach children to look at the world around them and understand that things could be better but how could we make them better starting with ourselves? We have so many issues in the world, but we also have so many bright minds that could change the dynamic of things as well. I find it very important to teach kids about these local and global issues to inspire them to go out, change, and recreate!
Hey Daniella! I also believe that providing students opportunity to express themselves is the most important thing an educator can do to increase student voice and choices. If kids believe they are being heard, they will continue to express their opinions.
(Initial Post)
I discovered that social innovation is built on attempting to fix an issue at its source. Anyone committed to fixing the problem and willing to overcome any obstacles can do so. Creating a safe environment where students feel safe to speak up is one of the most important things an educator can do to elevate a student's voice and choice. Students should have a voice in the classroom, as this will increase their self-esteem. When they are confident in themselves, they are more likely to leave the classroom and attempt to solve problems in their communities or around the world. Additionally, I will help students explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local and global community by making sure I model leadership qualities and give them the confidence and belief that they can do anything they set their mind to.
Initial Post:
Social Innovation requires leaders. You will be amazed at the outcome when you put collaboration and support with leadership.
To elevate students' voices, I would allow them to pick their own sets but make it clear that I will change it if it does not work.
The social innovation mindset is to educate!
I am not a teacher yet. But it depends on the grade. For Kindergarten, I would start with items that they are already aware of.
Social innovation requires lots of leadership and cooperation.
as an educator it is important that you create a good safe environment for the students and one in which they will feel comfortable expressing their ideas and thoughts
As an educator you could try to help kids better understand the world they live in and hopefully inspire them to want to make the world a better place.
You could explain situations that are going on in the world and ask the students what they think could be done to help resolve or better these situations.
(Initial Post)
What I learned about social innovation is that it can come in many different ways but what stuck out the most was having a great leader. Having a great leader allows for trust to be formed and allows for great collaboration. The most significant thing you can do as an educator to elevate students voice and choice and is allowing to have a voice in what they want to learn in the classroom and letting them have the choice. The most significant thing you do to help students to become great leaders is to be a role model and show students what it means to be a great leader. Students will learn to identify and express their concerns in their community by forming a community meeting.
Hey Jahmik , I agree with you starting off with a great leader can be of huge help to students in becoming great social innovators. They need someone to look up too for inspiration and never giving up.
INITIAL POST
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
With social innovation, you must have an idea and be willing to work with the people around you and use teamwork to begin to start a change.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
Giving students options, classroom rules made by teachers and students, and designing lessons to students' needs.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
Build upon problem-solving skills and promote teamwork.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
Help them begin their research and lead them in the right direction depending on what they want to explore. Willing to be there to help them through the process.
Initial Post
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- I learned that social innovation can take on many forms so it is less about how you do it and more about the impact it makes.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- The most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice is to allow them to decide what they want to learn or how they learn it, ask their opinion, ask them how they feel, and make them feel safe.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- The most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation is to introduce PBL learning and boost teamwork skills through group work or class discussions.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
- Since I plan on going into teaching visual arts I think a big part of my history portion of the class is to explain the different movements and the social issues that influenced the artwork. I may even see how that connects to current events we face today and ask them to identify current issues and see how contemporary art is influenced by them. A big part of art is seeing how environmental factors influence artists.
1- I learned that social innovation is all apart of teamwork and making sure you have an idea to implement.
2-As an educator I can have my students backs if they have an idea then support them on it, I also believe in giving feedback to allow for a better outcome but also challenge them to explain why their idea may be a good one.
3-I believe that having them tell me a problem they want to fix and showing them what is implemented already and how they think it can improve would help them with problem solving, I believe allowing them to show their own ideas will also make them feel heard and giving feedback would make them rethink ideas and show critical thinking.
4-I believe in the idea of current events day. Where student find a current event going on in their state and bring it to class along with 2 questions for the class to openly discuss. This will allow them to see others thought and idea as well as reflect on their own. Maybe then they could see how something could be done about a situation.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
- I learned that social innovation can come from any age.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- When students don't want to share and have a voice is when they feel judged by others. It is our job as educators to ensure a judge free zone.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- To appreciate students that think outside of the box and show others that it is okay to have questions. My little brother shared a story recently about him always asking somewhat random questions that still go along with the subject, and the teacher told the class that she loves when students have questions like that.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
- If students come to me with a social issue/problem, to encourage them to think outside the box to help address that issue.
I think it is great that you included the part about questions! It is so important that children know that it is a good thing that they have questions- it shows that they are growing!
(Initial Post)
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
I learned that social innovation doesn't occur from living inside the box, afraid of risk. It requires risk and taking chances. I also learned the importance of leadership, and how the leaders should be the example for the followers.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
I can provide my students with restricted decision. This gives them a voice and decision when it comes to assignments, topics, and mediums for how they want to demonstrate their learning.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
I can increase these things by setting an example for them. As their leader, I can instill qualities of leadership, such as communication and problem solving, by simply demonstrating it in the classroom. I can also encourage them to be creative and aware of the things around them.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
I will help students explore social issues by giving them assignments to increase the awareness of them. For example, I can spend 10 minutes in the morning having them watch CNN10 and brainstorming solutions or creating ideas about the global and local issues they learned about.
Haley, I like that you chose to use a restricted decision approach to voice and choice. It allows them a choice and say but within your limits. It reminds them that you are the adult and leader but that they can express their opinions!
Initial Post
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
I learned that social innovation happens when people take risks. They don't just stand by and wait for something to change, they become the change.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
As an educator, I will be an advocate for my students. I will hear their voice and use mine to amplify theirs. I will give my students a choice in the classroom rules. We will set up the classroom structure together.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
I believe having my students find a problem within the classroom, school, or outside the school and having them come up with a solution to solve it will help. Students need to be encouraged. I believe encouraging my students and telling them they can be the change will help them develop that mindset. I will also be conscious of myself as their role model and make sure I am setting an example of a good leader.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
I will show my students a daily news report in the morning. Students will then take an issue from the episode and brainstorm an idea that could bring some form of change to the issue. This will be done every morning. We will also hold classroom discussions and talk about some of our ideas.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
I learned that social innovation is when people take charge to make a change or to make something happen. They see a need in the world and they work to meet it.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
I can encourage them to always be bold and confident. Being bold and confident will help them when they are faced with challenges or really anything in life. This will also help them when they want to make a difference in the world, they will have the confidence to keep pushing.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
The best thing an educator can do to help students develop a social innovation mindset is to set an example of that. They are more likely to follow in the footsteps of those who make an impact in their life and having good leadership skills is a great way to do that.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
There are local committees and groups in many towns that create "jobs" to identify and work towards making changes in the world when they see a problem or social issue. Students should be able to reach out to those groups and committees to get involved or create their own group within their school community.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
I learned that social innovation is when people take charge to make a change or to make something happen. They see a need in the world and they work to meet it.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
I can encourage them to always be bold and confident. Being bold and confident will help them when they are faced with challenges or really anything in life. This will also help them when they want to make a difference in the world, they will have the confidence to keep pushing.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
The best thing an educator can do to help students develop a social innovation mindset is to set an example of that. They are more likely to follow in the footsteps of those who make an impact in their life and having good leadership skills is a great way to do that.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community?
There are local committees and groups in many towns that create "jobs" to identify and work towards making changes in the world when they see a problem or social issue. Students should be able to reach out to those groups and committees to get involved or create their own group within their school community.
Social Innovation
- Requires leaders, collaboration and support - when all is put together the outcome is incredible.
As a Teacher, Elevate Student Voice :
- I allow my Kinders to pick their seat, I have choice boards for when they complete their work and I give them STEAM projects - encouraging their thought process to solve the problem.
Social Innovation Mindset:
- Educate, educate, educate
Identify and Explore:
- Since I teach Kindergarten, this will begin with a conversation. We will start with things that they are aware of - food, water, school, etc. and together research; learn about other students across the globe.
(Reply)
Hi Paula! I love that you created your plan based on your classroom and students now and your own personal experiences as a teacher.
I love that your plan is based off of your current students. It is awesome that this is based on their needs for the age.
- I learned that everyone has a different look and it takes a teamwork of others.
- I would support the students more and give them assignments where they can have a voice.
- I can educate them
- Create a plan and see it to the end.
- I learned that social innovation takes team work from people of different backgrounds and experiences.
- As a future educator, I can encourage students to further research their ideas and provide constructive feedback.
- I can be an example for "being the change you want to see in the world."
- I will help students research issues that are relavent to their age, location and interest.
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues?
I learned that some of the most important parts of social innovation is teamwork, good leadership, and the ability for students to feel empowered enough to share their voice. - What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice?
- As an educator, I can make sure that I am being a strong leader, and making sure that my students are learning in an environment where they feel that they can share their voice safely.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation?
- To help students develop a social innovation mindset, I can ensure that I am empowering their ideas, even if at first they sound crazy. as seen in this module, sometimes ideas that seem crazy are actually extremely effective.
Katie, I completely agree with the points you made. I love that you stressed the importance of being a good leader, as this is something I mentioned as well. This is something that is such an important part of being an effective educator!
Initial post
- What did you learn about social innovation from the inspiring story you researched and the other stories shared by your colleagues? I learned that communication is one of the most important things as well as teamwork when helping students have a voice.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to elevate student voice and choice? As an educator, the most important thing I can do is be open to change and be a person they can talk to when they need.
- What are the most significant things you can do as an educator to help students develop a social innovation mindset and the qualities of leadership needed for social innovation? I can help educate my students on global events. This will help the students expand their knowledge to a more global scale.
- How will you help students identify and explore a compelling social issue or problem they want to address in their local or global community? I will help students research social issues.
Reply
Katie, I agree with everything you said, I really liked that you said teamwork from different backgrounds experiences. Having that gives so many different options.
Social innovation is based on the vision of one person but others will help to make that vision succeed. I would like to help with students to understand the importance of banking information and taxes and other things that are typically not involved within the normal curriculum. I would like to show them how it is important and why using my own experiences. I will start by asking what issues they see and issues might arise from what has been presented to them.
Hello Brooklyn, I think it is amazing how one person can make a difference but having the ability to lead a group of people makes the change happen. I also agree that showing upper middle to high school age children how to handle financials can be beneficial to them because these are the kids who already have jobs and need to know the proper ways to handle money.
Social innovation starts as a passion or idea and then put into action.
Let students have more time to be creative and collaborate with each other.
As an educator you need to listen and support your students. Let them know you are there to help.
Help them research community problems. Let them see they have a voice. help create understanding and communication links to government resources.
(Initial Post)
~Social innovation is a great idea to help create change and inspire young learners to motivate themselves to create new ideas that could be a positive for the world.
~Motivate students to never give up and no idea is too big or small.
~No matter if others criticize their work inspire them to keep on going as they could end up becoming successful.
~First always listen to students and then motivate them to keep on researching about the topic they are very much interested in.
- I learned that social innovation will take leaders, collaboration, and a lot of effort; however, the outcome is worth it.
- One of the most significant things I can do to elevate my student's voices is give them some choices of where to go next in the class. I can offer them a list of broad topics then allow them to choose where we go from there. We can do a deep analysis of the sub-topics under the broader idea.
- To help my students develop a social innovation mindset, I can educate them. I can highlight the issues in society; I can show them the projects that are currently in the works; I can inspire them to make a change.
- I will begin by asking students what issues they see. If students are not sure, I will have them conduct research and offer up some ideas myself. What issue we focus on will be completely up to the students, but we will do research, investigate, and collaborate then use the information to formulate a potential solution.
After this lesson, the main thing that stuck out to me was the fact that one action, no matter how small, can make a huge difference in the world. We can begin to let children use their voices and opinion within the classroom by giving room for open discussions. We as educators can introduce a social innovation mindset by leading as an example. An idea to allow children to address problems in the community is to have weekly class discussions about issues they may for-see.
Carolyn Brown
Sep 26, 2019 at 2:01 PM