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A review by lalaguse
Innovate Inside the Box: Empowering Learners Through UDL and the Innovator's Mindset by George Couros, Katie Novak
3.0
Useful but Mixed with a Presenter's Fluff
This book is way more about empowerment than it is about innovation. I think it uses the term innovation to get teacher geeks like me to sink our claws in. Regardless, the times when the writers focused on developing empowerment for students and staff were the most poignant and useful parts to this professional development book.
What brings it down to 3 stars for me is that it doesn't go into detail on how an educator shifts into this mindset. Their presentation is great, fluffy, and makes its readers say, "yes! Me!" But from experience, there are important steps that go into creating this mindset. For example, I didn't see any reference to Malcolm Gladwell's focused practice, the encouragement to join professional organizations, the search for effective professional development and what that PD looks like, and recommended policies for classrooms and schools to help transition into this mindset shift.
However, the book does say to reach out to colleagues, take notes, engage in reflective practice. But for me being such a fan of Robert Greene's and Brene Brown's books, I was hoping for an elevated experience not just a half-hour presentation for each chapter.
This book is way more about empowerment than it is about innovation. I think it uses the term innovation to get teacher geeks like me to sink our claws in. Regardless, the times when the writers focused on developing empowerment for students and staff were the most poignant and useful parts to this professional development book.
What brings it down to 3 stars for me is that it doesn't go into detail on how an educator shifts into this mindset. Their presentation is great, fluffy, and makes its readers say, "yes! Me!" But from experience, there are important steps that go into creating this mindset. For example, I didn't see any reference to Malcolm Gladwell's focused practice, the encouragement to join professional organizations, the search for effective professional development and what that PD looks like, and recommended policies for classrooms and schools to help transition into this mindset shift.
However, the book does say to reach out to colleagues, take notes, engage in reflective practice. But for me being such a fan of Robert Greene's and Brene Brown's books, I was hoping for an elevated experience not just a half-hour presentation for each chapter.