Educators who step into the shoes of a “Co-Learner” learn alongside their students. When these educators run into a question that they don’t have an answer to, they demonstrate humility and excitement about the potential to learn something new. When educators are willing to learn with their students, students see a role model who is willing to push through the tough “I don’t know what to do next” phases of the invention process.

At Project Invent, educators “Push to the Next Level” by encouraging their students to reject “good enough.” Our educators believe that students can build impactful products and solutions – deserving of funding and awards! – and they continuously help students remove any mental blocks getting in the way of their own aspirations. When students are pushed to the next level, they are given an opportunity to develop an intrinsic sense of ambition, built upon their own self-confidence.

Educators who “Let Students Take the Wheel” consistently embrace the role of the facilitator, resisting the urge to solve problems or remove obstacles for their students. In a student-driven classroom, students are trying new skills without waiting for a teacher-led demonstration, leading student meetings, and working on projects outside of allotted class time. When educators take their hands off the wheel, they give students opportunities to develop agency.

The human brain makes assumptions and relies on biases to process information on a daily basis. Educators who encourage “Challenging Assumptions” in the classroom help their students slow down and build awareness around their own thought processes and conclusions, especially as they relate to empathizing with Community Partners. In a Project Invent classroom, students who successfully challenge their own assumptions learn that the best design solutions are the ones informed by empathetic listening and inquiring.

Educators who “Make Failure OK” encourage risk-taking and experimentation in the classroom. When students “fail” to achieve an outcome they hoped for, they know that they have learned something new in the process. In creating safe spaces for failure, educators build resilience within their students, and help them understand that “failure” is an integral aspect of innovation.

Educators who “Leave Room for Exploration” inspire students to follow where their curiosity leads them. Explorative classrooms are imaginative, full of re-written plans and webs of research and discovery. When educators leave room for exploration, students gain creative confidence, and derive motivation from the process, not the product.

Project Invent’s six teacher practices are Leave Room for Exploration, Make Failure OK, Challenge Assumptions, Let Students Take the Wheel, Be a Co-Learner, and Push to the Next Level. These six teacher practices are intended to encourage six student mindsets: Resilience, Ambition, Curiosity, Agency, Creative Confidence, and Empathy. As a Program Manager, Jerome Link supports Project Invent Fellows in embracing our teacher practices.

Christopher Blevins

https://projectinvent.org/contact

Project Invent™is a national nonprofit that empowers students nationwide to invent technologies that make a difference. We train and support educators to run programs where students identify a real problem in their community and invent a human-centered, technology solution. This podcast will feature the stories of teachers from across the country who have brought Project Invent into their classrooms, and the impact it's had on their students. You will hear stories of resilient youth doing whatever it takes to innovate for their community and brave teachers who aren't afraid to disrupt the traditional classroom and put their students in charge.

Your host, NEA Art of Teaching award recipient Dr. Ronda Beaman, will explore how Project Invent is on a mission to create the next generation of fearless problem solvers, through invention. Join us!

Max Shen

https://projectinvent.org/contact

Project Invent™is a national nonprofit that empowers students nationwide to invent technologies that make a difference. We train and support educators to run programs where students identify a real problem in their community and invent a human-centered, technology solution. This podcast will feature the stories of teachers from across the country who have brought Project Invent into their classrooms, and the impact it's had on their students. You will hear stories of resilient youth doing whatever it takes to innovate for their community and brave teachers who aren't afraid to disrupt the traditional classroom and put their students in charge.

Your host, NEA Art of Teaching award recipient Dr. Ronda Beaman, will explore how Project Invent is on a mission to create the next generation of fearless problem solvers, through invention. Join us!

Jordan Mareno

https://projectinvent.org/contact

Project Invent™is a national nonprofit that empowers students nationwide to invent technologies that make a difference. We train and support educators to run programs where students identify a real problem in their community and invent a human-centered, technology solution. This podcast will feature the stories of teachers from across the country who have brought Project Invent into their classrooms, and the impact it's had on their students. You will hear stories of resilient youth doing whatever it takes to innovate for their community and brave teachers who aren't afraid to disrupt the traditional classroom and put their students in charge.

Your host, NEA Art of Teaching award recipient Dr. Ronda Beaman, will explore how Project Invent is on a mission to create the next generation of fearless problem solvers, through invention. Join us!