Learn by Doing

Today, someone will come to you with an idea and will ask, “Can we do it?  You will be reading an article about a new technology and suddenly you will have a great idea about how that technology can be implemented in your school, but will you do it?

Any time we consider a new idea (especially in this economy) the first question we have is can we afford it?  I suggest you instead consider the consequences of your inaction; what will happen if I don’t do this?  At first, the answer seems clear; nothing, but think again,  the world is changing at an alarming rate, no longer must you innovate to stay ahead, rather you must innovate to even hope to maintain your current position.

Perhaps, however you don’t feel comfortable with the innovation in question and would rather “study it” before implementing anything (even a small pilot program).  What you are really saying is that you don’t want to commit anything other than reading and talking about it rather than actually doing something.  Well, while you are ‘studying it’ someone is trying it and ‘learning by doing’ a valuable lesson and that lesson will inform their practice.  That is one lesson you will not have learned, but perhaps you can “read about it” later while you continue to “study it”.

The essence of a school is to be a model of learning; the organization should be the change it wishes to see in it’s classrooms.  Isn’t the change you want to see in classrooms; students learning by doing?  So why not be that change by helping your organization learn by doing through innovation?

Today and everyday going forward, find a way to do something you weren’t doing yesterday.  Learn by doing something today.

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