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

by George Couros, Katie Novak

The answer to creating innovative teaching and learning opportunities lies within you.

Every educator faces constraints—from budget restrictions to predetermined curriculum to “one-size-fits-all” mandatory assessments. The question is, how can you, as a teacher or administrator, ensure that regulations and limitations don’t impede authentic learning?

In Innovate Inside the Box, George Couros and Katie Novak provide informed insight on creating purposeful learning opportunities for all students. By combining the power of the Innovator's Mindset and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), they empower educators to create opportunities that will benefit every learner. Couros and Novak show you how to . . .

Leverage the Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning with a focus on developing meaningful relationships. Develop the 8 Characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset in your students—and yourself. Use UDL to proactively design learning experiences that foster voice and choice while addressing barriers that impede learning. Create learner-driven, evidence-informed learning experiences that provide all students with options and choices to maximize success.

“If you’re looking to bring creativity to student learning amid all the constraints educators face, this is the book for you.”
—Daniel Pink, author of Drive

“No one articulates a more compelling, a more urgent, or a more motivating vision of education—for both teachers and their students—than George Couros. No one articulates how that vision can be reached—for every student and teacher—more daringly, more practically, and more inclusively, than Katie Novak. Having them together in one book not only helps us reimagine the goals and practices of education, it reminds us of why we ever wanted to be teachers at all.”
—David Rose, PhD, CAST's cofounder and chief education officer, emeritus

“An incredible book! Innovate Inside the Box speaks to educators who are the change agents in their sphere of influence.”
—Sarah Thomas, PhD, founder of EduMatch

“George and Katie's combined talents as spectacular storytellers drive this book. You will feel like you are flying through it and then realize how deeply you are learning.”
—Loui Lord Nelson, PhD, author of Design and Deliver, and podcast host of UDL in 15 Minutes

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Teaching, Teachers, School, Professional Development

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 11, 2019

Reviews

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as professional development books go, this one is easy to read, inspiring, and full of practical implementations. What more could you want? Haha Couros is CHEESY but it’s endearing and memorable—definitely can see him in a classroom, like a dorky teacher. Honestly I wish we had more from Novak because she had more of the concrete applications. Can always use more of those! But I have already implemented several practices from this book, including check-in questions with my students. Every once in a while we need a good book to invigorate our practice, and I recommend this one!

[Melissa Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a whirlwind 4 weeks of a Facebook book study with both authors, but well worth it. I'm sure I will go back and reread sections as things come up that I want to refer to. I'm hoping to use this as a book study with my own group of Innovators next Fall! If you are connected to education in any way, I'd highly recommend you read this book.

"The answer to creating innovative teaching and learning opportunities lies within you.
Every educator faces constraints—from budget restrictions to predetermined curriculum to “one-size-fits-all” mandatory assessments. The question is, how can you, as a teacher or administrator, ensure that regulations and limitations don’t impede authentic learning? In Innovate Inside the Box, George Couros and Katie Novak provide informed insight on creating purposeful learning opportunities for all students. By combining the power of the Innovator's Mindset and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), they empower educators to create opportunities that will benefit every learner. Couros and Novak show you how to . . .Leverage the Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning with a focus on developing meaningful relationships. Develop the 8 Characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset in your students—and yourself. Use UDL to proactively design learning experiences that foster voice and choice while addressing barriers that impede learning. Create learner-driven, evidence-informed learning experiences that provide all students with options and choices to maximize success."

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just When I Thought It Couldn't Get Better...

George comes back with Katie Novak to provide practical ways teachers can implement an Innovator's Mindset with students. The final two chapters were my favorite, wrapping up the book with advice for all educators.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoy everything by George Couros, but I loved every word that Katie Novak added. This is a great one for all educators and parents to read.

[Dylan Temple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great teaching tips! This woll remain on my bookshelf incase I need a reminder of UDL and innovating inside the box!

[Natasha Oxford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been the catalyst to my awakening. I have read many books over the last few years to help inspire my teaching and have taken much from each book. This book however has sparked a true intention to really examine my practice. I highly recommend that any educator, no matter where they are in their career, to read this book. It is one I will keep returning to.

[Kris Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have liked more Katie, less George.

[Paul Signorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes a book can be much more than what rests upon its pages. It can be a catalyst. A meeting place. An invitation to engage in reflective learning. And the center of a community that forms when each of us, through our own reactions and interactions with the book and other readers, end up producing our own individual, highly-personalized versions of that book—which is exactly the sort of multilevel, potentially transformative experience that George Couros and Katie Novak have produced through Innovate Inside the Box: Empowering Learners Through UDL [Universal Design for Learning]and the Innovator’s Mindset. The book itself is a paeon to the idea that innovation can be fostered as much by and within the limitations we face as trainer-teacher-learners as by thinking outside the box: “…the system, with its rules and limitations, is never a reason not to innovate. To the contrary, the system or ‘box’ you work within may be the very reason you need to innovate,” Couros writes in the opening pages of the introduction to the book. And, as has happened both times I have read books he has produced, I find myself taking an innovative approach to the act of reading itself: slowing down rather than racing through the text; stopping to follow links to sources (e.g., blog posts, short articles, or videos) he has cited in his text so that they become part of my personal version of the book; reflecting, through blog posts, on the content he (and, in this case, in collaboration with Novak) provides as a way of more deeply and rewardingly absorbing what he offers; and engaging in online interactions with others who are also reading—or have read—the book. Section One of the book—“The Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning”—has Couros, as a co-conspirator in our learning process, walking us through chapters exploring the importance of relationships in learning; learning that is learner-drive and evidence-informed; creating (and engaging in) empowered learning experiences; and being both a master learner and a master educator—recognizing, at all times, that the word “master” does not mean that we are perfect. The second section fully carries us into chapter-by-chapter explorations of the “characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset”: empathetic, problem finders-solvers, risk-takers, networked, observant, creators, resilient, and reflective. A short, very sweet concluding section suggesting “You Are the Change You Seek” serves as a reminder that “finishing” the book does not mean we are about to place it on a shelf where it becomes covered under an ever-growing shroud of dust, for this is not the kind of book you finish—or that is ever finished with you. As long as we remember what we have gained and apply it to the work we do, we will continue innovating within the box—and far beyond it, too. (A more detailed version of this review is available on my Building Creative Bridges blog at https://buildingcreativebridges.wordp....)

[Kevin Parkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I kind of regret reading this book. Not because it is bad, but because it's just plain mediocre, and there are too many other good books out there.

It's essentially some white dude's educational philosophy, with some loose references to research and a few decent attempts at humor.

Much of what he shares are things that would make him popular at a political rally, which makes his "ohhhh I know this is a controversial thing to say" grift cringeworthy. He'll say things like, "Students should be empowered." Granted, that's not happening in most classrooms in this country. Nonetheless, that idea is nothing more than a platitude, and even still it's at least a decade old. If I heard this dude say, "lEt KiDs MaKe A bLoG pOsT" one more time, I'm going to lose it. "I know this is going to be a hot take, but standardized test scores are overrated." Oh rally?!?! HOW NOVEL!!!

Additionally, this book is sort of the opposite of "Focus" by Mike Schmoker, which I found to be a much more compelling book. Schmoker and Couros would both agree that the status quo isn't working. Couros's solutions involve "let's just innovate and try new ideas." Schmoker argues, "We actually haven't gotten good at the three things we know to be effective - curriculum, pedagogy, and literacy. If we can get even halfway decent at those three things, we can make an impact." Meanwhile, Couros has what seems like a seventeen point plan that sounds politically popular, but that is based mainly on his own ideas. And to top it off, he calls any critic of his arguments simply afraid of change.

This book was written for the masses, which is fine - and it's not a bad book. But I read at least a half dozen other books this year that made me think, "This should be required reading for all educators," so this halfway decent (but mainly empty) book simply won't cut it.

[Lisa Gusewelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful but Mixed with a Presenter's Fluff

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.

[La-Shanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to Innovate Inside the Box, Empowering Learners Through UDL and Innovator’s Mindset book on Audible. It helped me further understand the notion “one size doesn’t fit all.” Each child (student) possesses strengths and deficiencies. Working in collaboration with stakeholders, we can teach (school and the society at large) and support children. I disagreed with two ideas mentioned, less reliance on technology and the sole accountability on teachers to build and fostering a love of learning for every child. Technology is 21st century learning. Some education programs are paperless. However, acknowledging there is a digital divide, it is a fair assessment not to completely rely on technology. As well, accountability rests with the stakeholders within the education system. Otherwise, I highly recommend this book.

[Justine Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the summer read I needed as an educator. I was feeling stuck, like I couldn’t make the huge impact I wanted to make to reinvent education. Couros and Novak’s book helped to reframe this “pie in the sky”’idea I held. Education change is possible when we start with ourselves and our sphere of influence through relationships and god UDL practices. The book is a great balance of theory/stories and practice.

[Chanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has broadened my understanding about authentic learning and student choice, which I thought I knew a lot about. I’m excited that this book is a Book Study for our staff and that I’ll get to read it again and discuss the principles more deeply with other teachers’ insights. I will be teaching Marine Science in our afterschool program and I plan to implement my new learning immediately.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Couros’ work and attitude and contagious efforts in education. Overall I’m a fan of this one, much like Innovator’s mindset. I wasn’t too excited about the guilt trips from the additional author, Katie Novak. Something about her delivery fell short and didn’t fit with the tone of George’s delivery.

[Tamij · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed the stories that Couros shares in this book, as well as practical ideas to use in the classroom. Both Couros and Novak focus on Universal Design Learning within this book, which I found interesting to learn about.

[Heather Stringham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couros and Novak have written a book to help educators be the best they can be for students. They give clear ideas and options for how to make changes to what is occurring in the 21st century Classroom.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book; George Couros challenges readers to offer deeper learning opportunities by using the 8 characteristics of the innovator’s mindset: empathy, problem finders & solvers, risk taking, networking, observers, creators, resilience & reflection.

[Jonathan Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Couros is a blessing to anyone interested in thinking deeply about education and innovation. I like all of his work, but this is particularly helpful as it builds on past work in compelling ways.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was assigned this book. I liked a lot of what I read but I also see it not happening even though it was recommended by our district. It's actually been a frustrating experience, through no fault of the book or the authors.

[Dave Moyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for both teachers and principals, this book simultaneously combines a sense of urgency and can-d0 reassurance, with guiding principals, practical tips, and success stories. I am looking forward to welcoming George to our district in August.

[Travis Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling read with some great insight into how to make learning accessible and relevant for students. Written more like a conversation than a textbook. Certainly gave me a spark in the way I approach my practice!

[Andrea Brinkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because I had to but was glad for the knowledge that I gained to revitalize my teaching practice.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has two different authors with two distinct writing styles that I feel did not mesh well together. As a lower grades elementary teacher I didn't learn enough from this book to justify the read. I think for Middle and High School this would be a fantastically useful book, though - which is why I rated it 3 stars.

Each section of the book began with an anecdote by one of the two authors and those anecdotes were often confusing and unrelated to the content of the book - which made me want to stop reading altogether. There is an exceptional anecdote about a coach at the end of the book that was very meaningful, though.

This book was given to the entire staff at my school to read, so I could not stop once I started to dislike it - it was required reading. I will keep the book and refer to the sections I found helpful, but, overall the style and format of this book was not for me - but I suspect that lower elementary school teachers are not the target audience for this book.

[Stella Pollard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the real life examples that were infused with the learning content. I love how the authors shed light on what it means to be innovative within the classroom and how we can get kids to think differently. Thanks for the learning!

[Jay Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for educators ... easy to read, lots of examples and narratives. Many of our staff members are reading this after hosting George in our district this fall and they've only had positive feedback.

[Dan Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Couros does it again! Another great book educators can use immediately to improve their school culture and leadership.