Thinking inside or outside the box first requires reflection on whatever it is that you want to improve or change. Throughout the school year as we work I way through the standards I, of course, plan on doing activities and projects refined and honed from the previous school years. But, some of those activities and projects need a fresh life. Sometimes I begin a project or an activity with my students that though it once excited me and now it fills me with dread. I don't like the feeling of dread and I don't like slogging through material that should be engaging for all concerned. That's when it is time to reflect on the situation. I recently read a Wall Street Journal article title Think Inside the Box. The authors of the article stated that, "People are at their most creative when they focus on the internal aspects of a situation or problem—and when they constrain their options rather than broaden them." They continued by outlining five techniques: Subtraction, Task Unification, Multiplication, and Division. Subtraction was the removal of seemingly essential elements. The authors offered contact lenses, exercise bikes and powdered soup as examples. Task Unification was defined as bringing together unrelated functions or tasks. The Samsonite luggage company was one example as they moved into the college backpack market and used the heaviness of all those books to provide shiatsu massage from the shoulder straps. Multiplication is copying a component and then altering it. Double-sided tape, bifocals, three-way light bulbs, and twin blade razors were all borne out of multiplication. And finally Division which is to separate the components of a product or service and then rearranging them. Airline passengers printing their own boarding passes at home and the TV remote control were named as examples of Division.
So, I read this great article but can I apply this to teaching, to my teaching? Right away Subtraction appears to be a biggie for me. When I start reflecting on some of my practices I often find that there are things I can remove and in turn improved the process. Homework is a good example. I am in charge of the homework for my grade level. We send a packet of homework home at the end of each week. This year a parent complained that it was too much and asked if it could be changed. I begrudgingly started reviewing the packets and did a major alteration. OK parent, you want less homework, I'll give you less homework. In subsequent weeks and months more students have turned in their homework and completed all of it than when the school year started. Students who weren't successful at completing their homework suddenly were turning it in regularly. A pushy parent had me reflecting on my practice and the Subtractive change improved student outcomes and saved a few trees to boot.
I have employed Task Unification as well. This year I have pulled science into the language arts part of the day as never before. I have unified science and language arts because they shouldn't be separated. Science is so hands-on that it is easy to write about and invites collaboration.
I'm still contemplating the rest. I do believe that all the apps and devices making their way into classrooms and all this "21st Century" learning is outside the box. But soon it will be firmly inside the box and we'll be applying these techniques mentioned above to help us to continue to innovate.
So, I read this great article but can I apply this to teaching, to my teaching? Right away Subtraction appears to be a biggie for me. When I start reflecting on some of my practices I often find that there are things I can remove and in turn improved the process. Homework is a good example. I am in charge of the homework for my grade level. We send a packet of homework home at the end of each week. This year a parent complained that it was too much and asked if it could be changed. I begrudgingly started reviewing the packets and did a major alteration. OK parent, you want less homework, I'll give you less homework. In subsequent weeks and months more students have turned in their homework and completed all of it than when the school year started. Students who weren't successful at completing their homework suddenly were turning it in regularly. A pushy parent had me reflecting on my practice and the Subtractive change improved student outcomes and saved a few trees to boot.
I have employed Task Unification as well. This year I have pulled science into the language arts part of the day as never before. I have unified science and language arts because they shouldn't be separated. Science is so hands-on that it is easy to write about and invites collaboration.
I'm still contemplating the rest. I do believe that all the apps and devices making their way into classrooms and all this "21st Century" learning is outside the box. But soon it will be firmly inside the box and we'll be applying these techniques mentioned above to help us to continue to innovate.