Innovation Project Update

Identification and Reflection on Components and Work Completed​

As I reflect on my My Innovation Plan: The impact that implementing blended learning will have on student motivation during the writing process in kindergarten, I can see how, even though my goals remain the same, the how to do or teach approach has had a bit of an update. The biggest revelations dealt with intrinsically motivating students and how blended learning can be a handy tool. I had initially confirmed that the focus would be solely on writing activities but immediately pointed out the need for a holistic component that would integrate the whole school community, from students and families. This change came from an understanding that meaningful learning can only occur in a non-isolated environment that shares value ​​in their progress and celebrates achievement. My work has focused on trying to solve the persistent problem of our students having many ideas but usually lacking in organizing them meaningfully or taking them into writing.

 

As is apparent, given their stage of development, traditional approaches alone do not appear satisfactory. The process has thus enabled me to understand that innovation is not a static condition; it's dynamic. It implies incessant needs for evaluation, fine-tuning, and adaptation.

From the perspective of the completed parts, she designed an organized course built on blended learning and the station rotation model. The station rotation model promotes guided face-to-face activities and online and independent explorations for students.

• Pre-planned activities that will help develop students' motivational resources include interactive digital tools and an emphasis on collaborative writing.

• Family communication strategies that favor family active participation in the student's learning process and strengthen the bond between school and home.

• So far, The work has benefited my students and reshaped my teaching practice. I have grown from a mere professional desiring to make one-off changes to an educator who realizes the importance of leading a continuous improvement process.

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Where Am I in My Innovation Project?

Currently, I am in a strong position in Phase I: Creating Conditions for Success and Phase II: Planning. I was able to reflect, assume, and promote Carol Dweck's "growth mindset" theory. Start from within (ME) to impact outside: the classroom and the work environment. In addition, I conducted and updated a literature review, saw other schools that have implemented the station rotation model in Kindergarten, and explored some digital resources to develop writing, such as SEESAW-iREADY. Conduct a diagnosis to determine the techniques and methods used in the kindergarten writing program and their impact on children's learning. Motivate students to develop the motor and cognitive skills of writing through technological resources so that they feel the need to reflect on what they are learning in writing. Create and implement an interactive tool (portfolio) where students can independently develop writing habits, allowing us to assess their growth. The next step will be pilot implementation. I will introduce students to the new way we work in a writing workshop and how technology can be helpful in our learning to motivate and excite students. As well as Start with small group rotations: handwriting practices using iPad rotation to model expectations.

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What worked?

The blended learning strategies, including the station rotation model, clearly engaged students in both the process and product of writing. They combined face-to-face with digital tools, making learning more dynamic and personal. It impacts the writing process in our kindergarten students because we had some classroom experiences with digital resources at this stage and already managed to observe student acceptance and change during the learning process. Another point that should be underlined is that since we prepared this Innovation Plan, some activities involving parents in their children's learning using digital tools have been carried out. Such support and communication with the school have boosted students' confidence and tightened the school's and home's bonds. Besides, regular reflection on the teaching strategies enabled me to outline areas that needed changes in my teaching approach to meet the needs of students more aptly.

 

What Could You Do Better

Balancing the implementation of the innovation plan with daily teaching responsibilities proved to be a real challenge. Setting more apparent schedules and prioritizing tasks could help manage time more effectively. At this stage, I have only focused on my classroom, which left aside training for my teaching team on blended learning methods, which could have amplified the plan's impact. My assessment included using some digital tools, but further development of more comprehensive metrics as to student motivation and progress in writing could provide better insight into the effectiveness of this plan. Parent involvement has been very effective. Many more stakeholders, such as school administrators and community partners, could be engaged to build a stronger support system for the program. Although the plan was developed and adapted to my classroom, its wider replication for all kindergarten classrooms needs much more detail regarding the framework and resources.

 

Lessons Learned

Lessons learned have been many. From this period of study, creation, and innovation, I changed my perception of my role as a teacher and how I interpret the echoes of life. My focus remains on building a learning environment that motivates, inspires, and prepares my students for today's world's challenges. This also reminded me of the importance of being flexible and responsive to my community's needs as they change concerning their education. Something I have been opposed to in the past. Another underlying pillar was "The Power of NOT YET" by Carol Dweck. It showed me that through mistakes and failure lie growth opportunities, and everything is step-by-step toward success. This attitude helped me overcome my initial fears and approach the project with confidence and determination, facing resistance to change in my professional and personal environment.

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Concerning achievements, I realized that flexibility and willingness are the most critical features of any innovation project. The general design of the plan was a good one at first. Still, self-reflection and constant feedback have helped me improve it and align it with the needs of my students and the reality of my educational environment. The most crucial point was the technological skills learned in this course. I created meaningful activities incorporating technology with academic goals. I developed my ePortfolio and put the time into learning and perfecting it to look professional, containing relevant information that will positively impact others. This ePortfolio should help keep it a living document I can draw from to keep my colleagues and teammates aware of what I know. It also enables a view into how I develop and contribute over the different stages of my implementation plan.

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How do you plan to promote and communicate your innovation project?

I will first use the Six Sources of Influence to promote and communicate my Innovation Plan, a great tool to engage and connect with people. Implement the motivation and skill goals across the personal, social, and structural. Then, I will use digital platforms such as Schoology to share course materials, updates, and success stories with students, parents, and colleagues. Social media use platforms like Twitter or Facebook to showcase student progress and engage the broader educational community. Organize events with parents and school staff to demonstrate how blended learning improves the writing process in kindergarten. Send newsletters to parents highlighting student achievements and the impact of the program. Meet regularly with school leaders, informing them of progress and supporting project scaling. Create short videos documenting the journey of the project from planning through implementation, highlighting key successes, and using infographics to communicate the structure and outcomes of the blended learning approach in a visually appealing way.

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What key things (if any) would you do differently knowing what you know now?

Knowing what I now know, I would do many things differently if I were to do the innovation project today. I would start with a Stronger Community Engagement Plan: Although I did recognize that involving families and the school community was necessary, I wish I had invested more in the front end of the project to organize opportunities for collaboration ahead of time. Hosting information sessions and involving the parents in interactive workshops would have created closer ties with them earlier. I would then introduce blended learning gradually by using small pilots in the classrooms to try out and fine-tune strategies before class-wide implementation. It would also permit immediate feedback and reduce potential problems. One timely factor would be the collaboration of colleagues right from the start.

 

Involving my peers' expertise earlier would have enriched the project much more. Other examples of resources are peer observations and group brainstorming sessions that should give excellent insight into best practices for integrating technology into the writing process. Initially, I would have invested much more time training with specific digital tools and blended learning strategies. This would raise my confidence level and efficiency in the project implementation. Initially, my tracking methods regarding student progress and motivation were broad. Based on the experience, I would design more detailed tools for measuring academic results, student motivation, and confidence changes. By reflecting on these aspects, we identified areas for improvement that would have streamlined my process and amplified the project's impact. While I am proud of what I accomplished, these changes would improve the effectiveness and sustainability of my innovation efforts.

 

How would you apply what you have learned to your next innovation project?

 

I have learned the importance of understanding the singular needs of all stakeholders. In my next project, I would conduct surveys, interviews, and observations to gain more details from the students, parents, and colleagues that will aid the project in meeting their expectations and challenges. I would instead begin the process early by relationships with the families, colleagues, and administrators. I would run workshops, do presentations, and have regular updates so everyone involved is informed and interested in the success of the project. First, I would ensure the project is adaptable and can be scaled up. Much of my work would be the development of materials, workflows, and strategies that other educators could be using or adapting to extend the impact beyond my classroom. Multiple periods of regular reflection during the project will allow me to adapt quickly to unforeseen challenges.