Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

Overarching Question:
What strategies can be implemented in order to develop innovative thinkers inside and outside
of schools?

The following questions were posed at the February 7th District Town Hall Meeting and were
met with the following answers through an intensive group brainstorm which involved many
educators, administrators, students and parents. This resource will serve as a summary of the
findings and conclusions from the meeting and a toolkit for teachers to encourage innovative
thinking in each of the discussed categories.

What strategies can be implemented to develop innovative thinkers within schools?

1. Create opportunities for students to be innovative through real-life application and individual
passion.
2. Students take ownership of their learning by having opportunities to apply learning to real-
life problems.
3. School should create schoolwide opportunities for teams to solve student-identified.
problems/opportunities for improvement, where integration of subjects is purposely planned
for.

What strategies can be implemented to develop innovative thinkers outside of schools in

collaboration with parents?
1. Assign work that intentionally requires conversations between parents and students around
problem solving.
2. Students keep track of extra-curricular activities outside of school (sports, travel, building,
cooking with family) as they relate to skills and abilities in the curriculum, and get credit for
those things.
3. Foster relationships with community businesses and partners to support student innovation
and real-world learning (3-5 year sustainable plans).

What strategies can be implemented to develop innovative thinkers outside of schools in

collaboration with business and industry?
1. We will embed real-life application and hands-on experiences into our curricular outcomes.
Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

2. Create a platform/network to inform businesses of things being taught in school and provide
opportunities for them to share their expertise with students, both within their workplace and
in school (younger students as field trips, older students as internships).
3. Build strong relationships with businesses and industry in order to assist with connecting
curriculum to the real world, in and out of the school setting.

What strategies can be implemented to develop innovative thinkers outside of schools in

collaboration with community?
1. Embed time in the school timetable to partner with the community for activities such as
business mentorships, volunteerism, local government, athletics and connections with cultural
organizations.
2. Annual “life experience day” (job shadowing, career/community connections) offered
through middle and high schools, facilitated by a database of willing stakeholders.
3. The community identifies a real-life problem for community improvement, and brings it to all
schools for students to solve.
Here’s a picture of the world café brainstorm process that took place

ME
Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

Innovative Thinkers: The Teacher’s Toolkit

The results of the February 7th District Town Hall Meeting yielded the aforementioned answers
to the guiding questions. These answers provide an excellent starting point to answer the
question of how to create innovative thinkers inside and outside of school. The answers
themselves are most useful for the administrators who have used them in order to craft the
following strategies which will be included in the District’s Education Plan for 2017-18:
At a District Level:
 Develop strategies that provide parents with learning opportunities in areas that relate
to the development of innovative thinkers: promoting creativity, critical thinking and
innovation; brain based learning; literacy and mathematics as foundational skills. Use
technology to reach a broader audience of parents with delivery through the websites
with monthly themes that link print information, relevant websites and videos.
 Work with business and industry partners to increase the network of opportunities for
students to explore opportunities outside of school. With a fairly solid foundation of
industry partners linked to trades, focus will be given to partners linked to professions
and business.
 Provide learning opportunities for teachers to build capacity in delivery of the provincial
curriculum competencies that link to innovation.
At a School Level:
 Promote and support accessing parent and community expertise as part of learning in
the classroom.
 Promote and support volunteerism as part of meeting curriculum outcomes.
 Promote and support links at the municipal, provincial and private industry levels to
work on real-world problems presented in their realm of governance or business.

As for teachers, the encouragement of innovative thinking within their students is something
best accomplished through day to day teaching activities and strategies. That is why this toolkit
will provide teachers with several strategies for each of the questions posed at the Town Hall
Meeting. With these strategies, teachers will provide students with the opportunity to develop
as innovate thinkers. These strategies will also help teachers to adhere and add effectiveness to
the District’s Education Plan for 2017-18.
 Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

What strategies can be implemented to develop innovative thinkers within schools?

Strategy Explanation Considerations

Inquiry based A classroom where students are encouraged Inquiry based learning will appeal
learning with to ask question is a classroom where to some students more than others
availability of students feel free to be creative. One primary so a key is to know your students
choice method of encouraging this behaviour within and which ones will need more
students is inquiry based learning. Inquiry guidance or less guidance with
based learning encourages students to be their inquiries.
engaged thinkers that question the world
Inquiry based learning must come
around them and provides them with the
after the establishment of
ability to hone their skills at answering the
necessary skills such as making
questions that they may have. The availability
inferences and logical thinking.
of choice is how inquiry based learning can
These skills are crucial for student
be connected to real-life application and
success with inquiry based
individual passion. This will lead to students
learning.
taking ownership of their learning because it
is based upon something that truly interests
them and real life problems that they may be
facing.

Problem One of the proposed solutions for developing The problems identified will vary
Identification innovate thinkers within schools was to with the age of the students.
and Solving “create schoolwide opportunities for teams
to solve student-identified. Older students may require
problems/opportunities for improvement, approval upon the issues that they
where integration of subjects is purposely bring forth as well as their
planned for”. This will mean devoting time to solutions. They may choose an
identifying opportunities for improvement issue that is the result of their
within the school (something older students teenage angst rather than one that
especially will have an opinion upon). Once is worth their effort and
these are identified, a student committee can appropriate.
devote themselves to finding a reasonable
and logical solution that benefits the entire
school. The problem-solving skills that they
employ and the solutions that they create
will undoubtedly showcase innovative
thinking.

Teach Students The connection of real-life to what is being Already mentioned in the
to Infer taught is a recurring theme in the responses explanation was the consideration
to the above question. One method of doing of the age of your students and
 Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

this in a quite simple manner is through how that impacts the manner in
observation and inference. This can start at a which you implement inference
very young age and persist throughout a activities.
student’s education. Teach students to make
inferences by giving them “Real-world”
examples. You can start by giving students a
picture of a people standing in line at a soup
kitchen. Ask them to look at the picture and
focus on the details. Then, ask them to make
inferences based on what they see in the
picture. This can also be applied to historical
thinking as making inferences often puts
students in the shoes of other and helps
them to gain an appreciation for the
struggles of the past. Another way to teach
young students about how to infer is to teach
an easy concept like weather. Ask students to
put on their raincoat and boots, then ask
them to infer what they think the weather
looks like outside.

What strategies can be implemented to develop innovative thinkers outside of schools in

collaboration with parents?

Strategy Explanation Considerations

Parent Guest This strategy is most often seen with the This will require a solid line of
Speakers classic example of a parent career day. This communication and working
method simply presents all those careers and relationship with parents. It will
sources of knowledge upon the students in also have to be planned and
one long day that lacks a common theme coordinated well in advance of the
besides careers. A more effective way of date. The parent guest speakers
performing this strategy is to use parents in will of course vary due to the age
accordance with where you are at in the and interests of your students.
school schedule and which outcomes you
wish to address. A guest speaker sprinkled
into certain topics of study will serve as
method of introducing a topic in a fresh and
 Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

engaging manner and allow for real expertise

and experience to be shared.

Rewards At the start of the school year meet with The range of extra curricular
Program For parents and discuss and create a rewards activities that students perform
Extra Curricular program for students and their extra will have to be taken into
Activities curricular endeavors. The extra curricular consideration. It is also important
activities would be rewarded if they align that certain extra curricular
with curricular outcomes and this will of activities are not undervalued or
course require a great amount of parent given too much stock. This will
insight and involvement. The way that this send the impression that certain
strategy was worded in the results of the activities are more important and
town hall meeting was “students keep track worthwhile than others rather than
of extra-curricular activities outside of school encouraging all activities.
(sports, travel, building, cooking with family)
as they relate to skills and abilities in the
curriculum, and get credit for those things”.

Meaningful The agreed upon number one method of The obvious considerations here
Conversation developing innovative thinkers in are the home life of students and
Homework collaboration with parents at the town hall their age. This will determine
meeting was to “assign work that which conversations they should
intentionally requires conversations between be having with their parents or
parents and students around problem even how realistic of a possibility
solving”. This solution will allow parents to this strategy is for a particular
pass on their abilities to solve problems group of students.
logically. This ability is one that students
most definitely will make use of in their
futures as more and more pressure is being
put on young adults. While this is occurring,
there is insufficient focus being put upon
teaching skills in resiliency. A simple or
complex problem can be assigned for
homework that requires students to discuss
possible solutions with their parents. This
could and should include things that are
relevant or likely to happen in their own
lives.
 Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

What strategies can be implemented to develop innovative thinkers outside of schools in

collaboration with business and industry?

Strategy Explanation Considerations

Business Themed Most field trips are to museums, notable This will have to be done by the
Field Trips/Guest landmarks and historic sites, or educational best judgement of the teacher
Speakers themed events. In order to encourage based upon what the interests of
students to become innovative thinkers in the students are and what
relation to business and industry why not businesses they believe should be
provide them with a first hand look at how explored. Each collection of
those businesses operate on the inside. students will have a different
This can be themed and relate to the range of interests in regards to
educational outcomes that you are trying business and industry so the
to address with your teaching. This may teacher will have to use their
also help students to find a future career judgement to make a choice that
that they otherwise would not have known will resonate with students and
that they have a passion or interest in. align with their goals and
interests.
If you are unable to go to the businesses,
have the businesses come to you. This is
already done in the form of career fairs to
some extent. However, speaking from
personal experience a career fair is mainly
looked at as a day off school and not an
opportunity to find your passion. If a guest
speaker on behalf of a business is brought
to a class, it will resonate far more.

Invitation to Class The creation of a class website is often A common concern brought
Website done in order to keep parents connected to forward during the town hall
what is being learned in the classroom. meeting by members of the
Why can’t this same principle be applied to business community was the
businesses and industry? A reason (of the disconnect they feel with today’s
many) for the disconnect between students students. The disconnect is a two-
and their future employers is that the way street and each of these
employers graduated from school many strategies serves to remedy this.
years ago. This means that they are not
aware of what is being taught in schools
and this means that they do not know
some of the strengths that the current
school system allows for students to
 Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

develop. Businesses have the opportunity

to show themselves off to our students.
Why not show off our students to
businesses? Create a class and school
website and encourage business owners to
browse your website, even if they don’t
have a student in your class.

Business Themed A culminating task relating the business Once again, a teacher should use
Culminating/Inquiry world to curricular outcomes is one that their discretion in order to craft a
Tasks can provide an interesting take in multiple culminating task that aligns with
subjects. Looking at things from a real- the strengths and interests of
world perspective is something that their students.
students appreciate and this style of
culminating task provides. The business
that serves as the them for the culminating
task could possibly include a law firm or
accounting branch. Another possibility is
that the stronger bond between schools
and businesses be used in order to have
students attempt to solve a problem that a
real business is currently facing. This will
give students a clear idea of what life inside
of that business is like and if they have a
skill set that would make positive
contributions to the prosperity and success
of that business.

What strategies can be implemented to develop innovative thinkers outside of schools in

collaboration with community?

Strategy Explanation Considerations

Random Acts of Random Acts of Kindness are a very self The Random Acts of Kindness can
Kindness explanatory endeavor in terms of their be themed based upon the time
name. They can be performed in a number of year that they are performed.
of different settings. One of these Winter gives the opportunity for
possibilities is to use Random Acts of snow removal, Autumn for tidying
Kindness in order to foster collaboration leaves and so on. Holidays will
 Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

with students and their community. This also give this same opportunity,
would involve the students performing a Valentine’s Day, Remembrance
random act of kindness for the residents Day and Christmas especially
living in the area surrounding their school. serve as times where Random
This act of kindness can be chosen by you Acts of Kindness can be planned
or the students and there are many accordingly.
different avenues to explore in this regard.
Some could include celebrating cultural
diversity, athletics, or simply just aiding
those in need of a helping hand. Random
Acts of Kindness are a means of
encouraging empathy and compassion in
your students and these traits are crucial
for innovation to take place in the
community setting.

Mandatory As a past member of 4-H Canada I have Community service has many
Community Service been required in those years to perform at benefits for the developing
Hours least one act of community service per year character of students. Among
that meets a standard of contribution and them are gaining pride and
time given. This is often seen with Earth appreciation for one’s
Day themed roadside, cemetery and park community, and perhaps finding a
cleanups. Like many of the initiative of 4-H cause that a person can become
Canada this gives the participants a lesson passionate about. The second of
in work ethic and the ability to “learn to do those reasons is why I would
by doing”, the 4-H motto. There are many suggest allowing students to pick
forms of community service and the their method of performing
options will vary in different contexts. community service. This would
encourage them to pick
something that they already are
or may become quite passionate
about. The hope being that they
find something that may give
them a sense of purpose and
pride to be a part of in the future.

Involve Political A culminating task where real political This strategy may appear to be
Matters in matters that impact the students are more geared towards older
Culminating/Inquiry involved is the essence of this strategy. students, but it can easily be
Tasks Students can learn about matter being made into a relevant culminating
discussed by the Municipal or Provincial task for younger students as well.
Professional Inquiry Project Michael Page

government through either research or a The main consideration will be

field trip to witness discussion upon the what alternative issues have the
matter first hand. Students are then tasked largest impact upon younger
with finding a manner of solving the students. Parks and other
political issue and the class’ hard work is Recreational facilities are likely to
presented or mailed to the government be a choice of subject for younger
employees dealing with the matter. students. This could possibly lead
to a discussion of upkeep or
An alternative to attempting to solve a
renovation of current parks or
political issue currently being discussed is
building new ones.
for students to identify a real-life problem
that ought to be addressed for the sake of
community improvement. Students can
then work to present the issue and their
proposed solution to a member of the local
government.