EP#80 | Learn to Become a Life Ready Innovator and Reimagine the World

The best way to get learners to see the space in between as an opportunity is to create a culture of innovation. This can be done through leadership and design thinking. When it comes to innovation, leaders should be able to take a step back and see the big picture, whereas design thinkers should be able to understand the needs of the student and create solutions that are both innovative and practical.   Leadership is key when it comes to creating a culture of innovation. Leaders should be able to step back from their day-to-day work and see the bigger picture in terms of innovation.   The future of education is not about the end result, but about the process. The process of learning is what matters most, and this is where design thinking can be applied. Design thinking is a process that helps learners see obstacles as opportunities and know how to navigate the space in between. It teaches them to be resilient and persistent in their pursuits, which are skills that will serve them well in any field they pursue.   Tony Richardson, Vice Principal, leads the MLK Steam and Design Campus in California. He joins us today to discuss how he's assisting his primary school community in becoming "life-ready innovators, rethinking the world."   0:00 Introduction 1:49 Importance of design thinking for overcoming obstacles and unlocking your creativity 3:24 How Tony designed his vision for MLK Steam 8:22 Creating a growth mindset culture 10:07 Tony's journey and two inflection points that shaped him into a leader 13:35 How Tony first came to learn about design thinking and how has it impacted his work 15:52 Some strategies that Tony used to create a culture of trust 19:46 Knowledge, motivation and organization influence performance 21:12 Tony's views on motivation influences and how to balance them against toxic positivity 23:06 Examples of changes made by Tony through design thinking in classroom 27:28 Transitioning to integrated learning 30:11 What is 'teacher trauma' and how can one create an enviroment of psychological safety 35:36 Tony's current area and students he is working with 37:27 Presenting a study on how design thinking can help low achieving students 39:16 Using portfolios as assessment 42:21 Tony's views on the relationship between leadership and social influence 43:46 Some strategies and advice on creating a culture of trust and safety   Leading Teams That Work Better Together Workshop:   https://designingschools.org/workshops   Connect with Tony Richardson:   Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyrchrdsn   Connect with me, Dr. Sabba Quidwai:   Website: https://designingschools.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabba-quidwai/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/askMsQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designing_schools/