Summer Book Study #launchbook Week 1

I decided to participate in a Facebook group (The Educator's Book Club) summer reading of LAUNCH and figured I'd use this an opportunity to reflect on my blog.  So this is more for me than for whoever is reading it, but it keeps me accountable. However, this is an area I struggle with so if you have any advice specific to the courses I teach, feel free to comment!

Week 1 Reflection Questions:

1. We are all creative somehow. Thinking of yourself as a person first and a teacher second, how are you creative? How might you be able to bring that into the classroom?
2. Have you ever "launched" in the classroom? If so, how?
3. Before we dive into Launch, what is design thinking to you?
4. "Behind each of these challenges is an opportunity to innovate." What challenges do you have at work that prevent you from being creative in the classroom?

It's funny. Since I am a "computer teacher" and teach photography, Photoshop, and design, people think I'm super creative. I feel totally opposite! I struggle to come up with fun things to do in the classroom and know students despise trying too hard, forced cooperative learning, and probably my silly singing and memes. I like Pinterest, but can't create all those cool things (my attempts are terrible). I can't cook. So, I guess I'm still working on this one. As a person, my creative outlet is often music, singing, and exercising... not sure that's creative. I did try cardio drumming once and even made a YouTube demo! lol

I think I've "launched" before. Last year, my Web Design 2 students created a website for a local business. But, though they all created one, it wasn't actually used by the business, so I am not sure it counted. I'd like to do more business integration. At my old school, we did a DTP project once where I had students create new menus for a local business and the business judged them. That was cool.

As for design thinking... eh, I don't know. I'll research that some more.

And the challenges I feel I face most are that my students, since I teach in a computer lab, tend to want to "live in their own world" or cubicle syndrome. If I gave them the chance, most would prefer to work alone, with earbuds in, and that would be that. So, I implement rules/strategies to get them to at least seek input from others more. I'm still working on it.


Final thoughts...

I always fall down some crazy rabbit hole when I read that ends up with me looking up related YouTube videos. It's true. In my research, I ran across this great TED talk called The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers by organization psychologist Adam Grant (who you have to follow @AdamMGrant and now I want to read his book). He talks about what he terms "Originals" and creativity (and procrastinators, which is certainly ME, versus PREcrastinators).  My "aha" moments from his speech included this:

To be original, you don't have to be first. You just have to be different and better. It's much easier to improve someone else's idea than to create something new from scratch.

I loved this graphic he shared-->

The greatest originals are those who fail the most because they are the ones who try the most.

Being quick to start and slow to finish can boost your creativity.

Oh, and by the way, he supported my use of Google Chrome as my browser choice. YASSSS. #saynotothedefault #morecreative

Anyway, go watch his video. Maybe it didn't really relate to this first chapter, but it led me here. :)