I help students feel confident to step outside the box and innovate by...

I help students feel confident to step outside the box and innovate by fostering a supportive environment where failure is seen as a natural part of learning. By encouraging experimentation and emphasizing that mistakes are opportunities for growth, students feel empowered to take risks and explore new ideas.

Challenge: Root Coding Robot

Giving them freedom to show their learning in their voice and choice. By being willing to guide from the side, and learn together!

I love showing my students that we can try new things and take risks. <3

I help students feel confident to step outside the box and innovate by providing multiple opportunities for project submissions for review. It's ok not to be perfect on the first, second, or even third attempt. The learning process, demonstrating growth is of utmost importance.

The previous responses are essential to providing this safe innovative environment, supporting students on their learning journey. I've also adopted an approach where students are encouraged to submit as many drafts of a project as they would like before the due date. I am glad to provide detailed constructive feedback on how the project might be improved and have a dialog with the students to help elevate the quality of their work. Most students work well with this.

However...

There are certain students (we've all been that student from time to time) who submit their project just minutes before the due date with no drafts/revisions. How do we reach these students? I have found that setting a surprise second due date - extending the original date - for submission of all final revisions is helpful. Therefore the first due date becomes an artificial (soft) deadline, allowing ALL students who have submitted work to be able to benefit from the critique/revision process.

For our previous project in one of my courses, I removed this artificial due date, sharing with my students that I would be giving them more time to complete their projects and the due date was firm - no extensions. As you might have guessed, most students didn't take advantage of draft submissions, critique, and revisions and projects weren't as polished as before.

I surveyed the class to learn which process they preferred and 100% agreed that they appreciated that artificial deadline to encourage them to submit drafts of their work. They needed the extra motivation to get the work done early. We'll reinstitute that process for the remainder of the semester.

My students don't know this yet, but they will also have an additional opportunity in the last month of classes to revise ALL of these projects and submit for re-assessment.

I want to emphasize a culture that encourages growth throughout the course and creating these artificial due dates seems to facilitate the effort. My students agree. 😁

Yes, yes, and yes...

Students challenge the system for many reasons and sometimes need a lot of latitude to get the assessment finished. Allowing many opportunities to "show what they know" is all a part of reimagining education to embrace creativity and growth.

I help students feel confident to step outside the box and innovate by modeling that behavior in my classroom; occasionally failing, owning and learning when it happens, and trying again.

By honoring, showcasing and celebrating their creative learning choices.

I help students feel confident to step outside the box and innovate by...using a revise & resubmit process, rather than "one and done" assignment submissions. Learning is a process, and if we want students to feel comfortable trying new things, we have to create space for them to keep working with an idea until they get it where they want it to be.

Students gain confidence when there is a culture of choice and sharing in the classroom. By providing a supportive environment, students are able to find their voice and inner creativity... they are ready to step outside the box and innovate!

I help students feel confident to step outside the box and innovate by modelling and inviting students to support me through a process similar to what I'm hoping for from them. Celebrating mistakes and curiosity around wondering 'what if'... is a method to elevate progress over perfection in my opinion.

Setting an example through think aloud and crowd sourcing problems along with possible solutions is a great way to grow out loud alongside learners.

Providing opportunities for them to create and celebrating with them about how proud we are about the final product

I help educators boost their confidence to think creatively and foster innovation by offering opportunities for them to explore fresh ideas and possibilities that can be implemented in their classrooms immediately.