Innovate Inside the Box: Empowering Learners Through UDL and the Innovator's Mindset

This book is way more about empowerment than it is about innovation. I think it uses the term innovation to get teacher geeks like me to sink our claws in. Regardless, the times when the writers focused on developing empowerment for students and staff were the most poignant and useful parts to this professional development book.What brings it down to 3 stars for me is that it doesn't go into detail on how an educator shifts into this mindset. Their presentation is great, fluffy, and makes its readers say, "yes! Me!" But from experience, there are important steps that go into creating this mindset. For example, I didn't see any reference to Malcolm Gladwell's focused practice, the encouragement to join professional organizations, the search for effective professional development and what that PD looks like, and recommended policies for classrooms and schools to help transition into this mindset shift.However, the book does say to reach out to colleagues, take notes, engage in reflective practice. But for me being such a fan of Robert Greene's and Brene Brown's books, I was hoping for an elevated experience not just a half-hour presentation for each chapter.

Our current constraints may be different, but our priorities remain the same. Now more than ever, we need to “innovate inside the box”.Packed with inspiration as well as explicit strategies, the authors masterfully weave the core of innovative teaching and learning with the characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset through practical, universally-designed examples. My copy is covered in post-it flags with notes and so much underlined!Regardless of your role in education, you will walk away with fresh ideas and a new lens for designing learning that is focused on relationships, learner-centered, evidence-informed, and empowering.All educators should read this book. I give it my highest recommendation!

I knew before hand that this was going to be a great book for my journey as an educator. So often in schools today, we tend to get caught up in the rules, regulations, and procedures of the day to day. This wonderful piece outlines how we can use the constraints in front of us as inspiration to innovate regardless of barriers we face. I love how the authors connected the concepts of the Innovator's Mindset to the Universal Design for Learning. Both embrace the importance of the art of "how" and "why" in education. There is so much noise in education today and most of it revolves around tons of money and superficial programs. Innovate Inside the Box gives you uplifting practical tools you need to truly have an impact on student and teacher learning. This is a great read! Buy two and share with a friend!

Innovate Inside the Box reminds me WHY I wanted to be a teacher and also nudges me to do better. This book is filled with practical strategies, stories from the field, and common sense content that makes it a fun and easy read. If teachers are going to pick up any new book this school year, this is it. It's hard to find books that warm your soul, touch your heart, AND leave you with methods you can take right back into the classroom. Somehow, George Couros and Katie Novak found a way to write a book that is both grounded in research AND a joy to read.Sometimes, we make things seem harder and more complicated than they have to be. This book makes what felt impossible before seem possible now. Hands down, this is the best book I've read in a long time.

Want to help your students become everything they can be? ALL of them (not just the ones who will learn despite you??) You need this book. A fabulous pairing of The Innovator's Mindset and Universal Design for Learning, this book helps you see the why (George Corous) and the how (Katie Novak) in chapters that go systematically through all the elements of an innovators mindset and how to create and implement pathways for all students. They're even doing a book study beginning Sept 15. Get this book, check out the website, sign up for the book study and learn along with a bunch of us. And yes, that is my and the book in Redwood Canyon at Sequoia National Park yesterday. I spend my labor day hiking and reading!

This very book reminds me that it is not the constraints in education that keep me from being innovative within my practice, but my own mindset and willingness to push my own boundaries to reach beyond my comfort zone. I thrive on the consistency throughout, allowing me to take my very own innovator’s mindset and question the depth to which I extend my teaching. I felt the depth of UDL and appreciated how Novak was able to compliment yet another side of Couros that I had not yet seen. In the end, I find that it will continue to create the “stir” needed in education to propel learning for all! A true must have!

As an avid reader of every book I can get my hands on, this is one of the most practical books I have read. Educators can immediately implement many ideas shared by George and Katie. Part one takes us through core elements of innovative teaching and learning. I underlined and earmarked so many pages in this section. Part two of the book gets even better. This is where George and Katie bring together their genius. Here, they focus on the 8 characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset then provide strategies on how to implement each of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines for each of the 8 characteristics. The authors value and acknowledge the difficult challenges faced by educators and seek to empower them through this book.

This book provides a lot to think about for educators today. George & Katie hit a home-run with a balance between what innovative teaching is all about and practical ideas that can be implemented into your classroom right away. They are transparent with their own hits and misses as educators and encourage the reader to reflect purposefully on their own teaching. Their passion for helping educators to become their personal best is obvious.

Love the book, loved the one before as well. Definitely suggest it to teachers with all experience levels.

I was really energised by this book. It was simple and provided helpful strategies to develop an innovative culture within my large organisation. Definitely recommend this.