WHAT'S YOUR WHY?

Simon Sinek (2009) repeatedly tells us that “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” After hearing this statement over and over, I thought about what I have done in my classroom. For the most part, I have been stating my statements backward from the what, how, and then the why. Which isn’t effective as I recall, and Sinek’s (2009) Golden Circle supported that. It is in my best interest to provide students with ample opportunities to take ownership of their learning, and showcase their progress, and individualities, all while equipping them with 21st Century skills. I believe that the incorporation of e-portfolios in the classroom will achieve that goal; thus, I wrote my innovation proposal to my principal.

My innovation plan is a significant change to my campus, and any significant change is hard. In the Heart of Change video, Kotter (2011) stated that creating change starts by winning over their hearts and minds. Focused on their emotion to get the buy-ins. Most of the teachers at my campus are young and considered to be tech-savvy. However, not everyone is fond of the idea of students building their e-portfolios to showcase their progress. Fortunately, though, they do believe that students are much more than a test score and there needs to be a way to learn more about our students. Thus, based on this belief, I will create an urgency for this need. As Kotter (2013) has mentioned to be successful with any significant change, you need to create a sense of urgency and lower the complacency first. It is crucial to raise the feeling of urgency so that people start telling each other that something needs to be done.

I believe in empowering students and providing them ample opportunities to take ownership of their learning, demonstrating their growth, fostering reflective practices, and preparing them for lifelong learning. This can be achieved through the incorporation of e-portfolios and students will be empowered to take ownership of their learning, showcase their work, and more importantly, express their individuality and interest as they are not merely a number. I believe by establishing a why and winning their hearts and minds, teachers will be more supportive, and the innovation plan will be more successful.