The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast

What does success look like when a school creates more than one path forward?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros talks with Shannon Anderson, superintendent of Momence Community Unit School District 1 in Illinois, about the opportunities small-town schools can create for students. From shop classes and STEM to career credentials and dual credit, Shannon shares why students need options that reflect their strengths and goals.

George also reflects on his experience delivering a keynote for Momence educators, and Shannon shares how much he enjoyed the presentation and its message for his district. Their conversation explores the school’s role as a community hub during difficult times, what authentic leadership looks like, and why learning alongside staff matters. They also discuss how technology can give educators more time to build human connections.

For school leaders planning an opening day, convocation, or professional learning event, this conversation offers a look at the ideas behind George’s education keynotes on innovation, leadership, and building stronger school communities.

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👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

Traditional doesn’t mean bad, and new doesn’t mean better. How do we decide what to keep and what to change in education?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros explores three things to consider before replacing familiar practices or embracing new ideas:

Traditional does not equal bad.

New does not equal good.

A combination of new and traditional can create better opportunities.

The question that guides this conversation: Does this practice serve our students and community today?

Drawing on ideas from Forward, Together, George shares why meaningful innovation builds on relationships, gives educators time to deepen their practice, and encourages adults to learn before introducing new tools to students. The goal is to help each community create a shared vision that reflects its strengths and the people it serves.

📘 Read Forward, Together for more on building stronger communities and creating better opportunities, together:

🎤 Bring this conversation to your school, district, or conference. George’s keynotes connect storytelling, practical insights, and questions tailored to your community to help educators move forward together.

Looking for a keynote on school leadership, innovation, or building stronger school communities? Explore George Couros’s speaking topics: https://georgecouros.com/speaking/

Read the article here: https://georgecouros.substack.com/p/3-things-to-consider-when-deciding

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/a

Looking for a keynote on school leadership, innovation, or building stronger school communities? Explore George Couros’s speaking topics: https://georgecouros.com/speaking/

What does it take to create opportunities for students that once seemed out of reach for a small district? George Couros talks with Don Beck, superintendent of Marion ISD, about building the trust and community support that make innovation possible.

Don shares how listening to more than 200 community members helped shape the district’s direction, and how a once skeptical school board became an advocate for learning and new opportunities.

They also discuss Green Space, a student-run business park where students apply skills in business, construction, and culinary arts to real work, and why Don believes in “competitive collaboration” with neighboring districts. It’s a conversation about starting with relationships, learning from others, and giving students authentic experiences close to home.

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

What happens when you intentionally look for something to be grateful for every single day?

For the month of August, I challenged myself to share one thing I was grateful for each day. What started as a simple personal experiment ended up changing the way I experienced one of the busiest and typically most stressful months of my year.

In this episode, I share three things I learned from making gratitude a daily practice: how looking for the good changed the way I experienced my days, why I’m not sure whether gratitude brought more good into my life or simply helped me notice what was already there, and how gratitude can make the weight of difficult moments feel a little lighter.

I also discuss why I believe some of our most meaningful learning comes from going first, living the experience, and reflecting on what it teaches us.

Gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring the hard things. Sometimes, it simply helps us see the good that exists alongside them.

Read the article here: https://georgecouros.substack.com/p/3-things-i-learned-when-i-made-gratitude

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

Assessment can tell us something about how students are learning, but it cannot tell us everything about a student, a teacher, or a school.

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros talks with Carin Adermann about the role of testing in education and the importance of protecting time for meaningful learning. They discuss the limits of school ratings, the tension between standardized assessments and personalized learning, and how educators can innovate inside the box while meeting accountability requirements.

Carin also shares how TSNAP supports assessment professionals across Texas. Together, she and George explore what effective professional learning looks like when teachers share practices, learn from one another, and have leaders who help their strengths shine.

George Couros will be keynoting the Texas Assessment Conference in November 2026. Learn more here:

https://web.cvent.com/event/3c27a4ef-d83e-48e7-9e5b-560ecf85d7b7/websitePage:3e80b867-b025-428e-b6d2-b38f5a33884c

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

In a 2017 post called “Recognize, Rectify, Move Forward,” I wrote about interrupting someone during a passionate conversation. Reading it again, I can see an early version of a principle that became central to Forward, Together: point at yourself first.

"Forward, Together"  https://a.co/d/0d3Uq1H4

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, I share advice my deputy superintendent gave me when I was a principal: if a difficult conversation with a family might reach her desk, give her a heads-up first. I also tell the story of a bad call I made as a basketball referee and what happened when I admitted it to the coach.

Owning a mistake does more than end an argument. It can build credibility, make room for a better conversation, and show others that growth is possible.

Notable quotes from the episode:

“I did not cut her off to be rude. I cut her off because I was passionate, but that passion made me rude to her.” (6:14)

“I think it gives you credibility when you call out your own mistake before anyone else can do that.” (9:59)

“When you show your ability to learn and grow from situations, people are more likely to grow themselves.” (10:10)

“We need to learn to have pride in growth from our mistakes, as opposed to embarrassment that we made the mistake in the first place.” (10:29)

Read the original post: https://georgecouros.com/recognize-rectify-move-forward/

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

What if we focused less on labels and more on removing barriers to learning?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros talks with Kim Hinton, Director of Special Education at CKEC, about creating learning environments where expertise is shared, instructional decisions are made collaboratively, and every learner has greater opportunities to succeed.

Kim shares how her team is bringing different perspectives and areas of expertise together rather than working in separate silos. The conversation explores how leaders can rethink professional learning, strengthen collaboration between educators, and use technology intentionally to address the specific barriers learners face.

George and Kim also discuss an important idea: practices designed to support individual learners can often make learning better and more accessible for everyone.

Questions for Reflection:

How can we better bring different areas of expertise together when making instructional decisions?

Instead of starting with a specific tool or strategy, what would change if we first asked, “What barrier to learning are we trying to remove?”

How can practices designed to support individual learners ultimately create better learning opportunities for everyone?

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

Find the full article here: https://georgecouros.substack.com/p/3-blog-series-that-never-became-books

What if writing isn’t simply a way to share what you know, but one of the best ways to figure out what you think?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros reflects on nearly two decades of blogging and almost 2,000 published posts. What started as a short-term project to better understand blogging from the perspective of a learner ultimately helped him find his voice, deepen his thinking, and eventually write multiple books.

George revisits three blog series that never became books, including his work on rethinking grading and assessment, his response to Jonathan Haidt’s ideas on technology, and his “Myths of Technology” series. Along the way, he explores why writing about an idea before presenting it can sharpen our thinking, why disagreement can be an opportunity for deeper learning, and why publishing our ideas allows them, and us, to evolve.

The bigger question is not simply, “Do you want to write a book?” It is, “Do you want to become a writer?”

Sometimes we write to share what we have learned. Sometimes we write so that we can learn.

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

How do we prepare students to use AI responsibly while protecting the human connections that make learning meaningful?

George Couros talks with Dr. Scarlet Clouse, Dean of the College of Education and Director of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Institute, and Brandon Ligon, Director of AI Education and Learning Innovation, at Angelo State University. George will keynote the university’s free AI and Cyber Summit in San Angelo, Texas, on October 15. 

Together, they discuss AI literacy, cybersecurity, student safety, and why students should help lead conversations about the future of technology. They also consider how AI can support creativity and learning without losing the value of working through a challenge ourselves. It’s a conversation about helping people make informed choices and using technology to strengthen, rather than replace, their human gifts.

Looking for a keynote on school leadership, innovation, or building stronger school communities? Explore George Couros’s speaking topics: https://georgecouros.com/speaking/

Check out the summit here: https://www.angelo.edu/events/calendar/event/88954-angelo-state-university-ai-and-cyber-summit-2026

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

After spending the summer working with school districts and leadership teams across North America, I walked away with a lot of ideas about how we bring educators together and start the school year well.

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, I share three things that stood out to me from school opening events this summer:

Why starting with students and celebrating your own staff's talents can completely change the day's energy.

Why leaders need to be willing to step outside their own comfort zones if they expect their staff to do the same.

Why the best time for an “Opening Day” event might actually be a month AFTER school starts.

That last idea really challenged my thinking. Sometimes people don’t need as much inspiration to start as they do encouragement to keep going.

I also share what these experiences reminded me about being observant, learning from the people around us, and continually looking for better ways to serve our school communities.

What is one thing your school or district does to bring people together at the beginning of the year?

Based on the following article: https://georgecouros.substack.com/p/3-things-i-learned-from-school-opening

___________

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

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#Education #SchoolLeadership #Teachers #EducationalLeadership #ForwardTogether #InnovatorsMindset #ProfessionalLearning