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Innovation Proposal

To: Principal

From: Nicole Lipps

Date: October 30, 2022

 

Re: Innovation Plan Proposal

 

Dear Principal,


The last three years have been tough for students and teachers. Teachers are emotionally drained and feel they have so much on their plate that there is little time to focus on teaching with best practices. Many students no longer feel a sense of autonomy at school; engagement has dropped 40% in the last few years (Alley, 2019, p.6). Many students also struggle with mental health issues, lack of confidence, and connection with peers and teachers. Over the years, MJHS has become a diverse school, with new students coming to MJHS from all over the world. Many of these students arrive with limited English and need more experience using the applications critical to their success at MJHS.


To improve the culture and climate at MJHS, I am proposing to pilot an MJHS Geek Squad in which:

  • Students will be trained by myself, our technology para, and district IT to assist teachers with essential software and hardware issues and help the campus with device movement and event setup.

  • Students will help teachers explore student product creation programs, such as Adobe Express, Canva (pending approval), Google Workspace, iMovie, and Garageband.

  • Students can assist in the creation of campus instructional and informational videos to guide students and teachers.

  • Students will create and assist in onboarding new students to the district by guiding them through the transition to a new SSO, Canvas LMS, and critical apps. 


Participation in the Geek Squad will increase student confidence and engagement because they will have an opportunity to see that they have a positive impact on their school and realize that their words and actions count for something. In turn, being perceived as trustworthy will cultivate a vision of self-respect. (Bowman, 2013, p.59). Also, by acknowledging the students' interests and talent in servant leadership and the creative use of technology, we can foster a sense of autonomy and, therefore, their engagement in school (Alley, 2019).


A by-product of the reverse mentoring nature of the Geek Squad will be an increase in teachers' digital competencies leading to an increased willingness to take chances with tech and innovative instruction. In time, teachers will become more comfortable asking students for help, growing positive relationships between students and teachers. Studies conducted by John Downes at the Middle Grades Institute found that teachers that consulted with students about teaching and learning gained new perspectives about students, an agenda for improving instruction, and a new excitement in their teaching practice (Downes, 2013, p.28).

I look forward to the formation of the MJHS Geek Squad to increase positive student-teacher relationships, improve new student transition, and empower students to use their talents and interest to be a positive force for change at MJHS. Please support this plan by allowing me to assemble a Geek Squad during my Red 1 Technology Planning Period and to consider the creation of more teams in the future.  


I also hope the ISD IT department will support the team by providing security training so that the Geek Squad can exemplify digital citizenship in the 21st century.


 

Sincerely,

Nicole Lipps




References:


Alley, K. A. (2019) Fostering middle school students’ autonomy to support motivation and engagement, Middle School Journal, 50:3, 5-14, DOI: 10.1080/00940771.2019.1603801


Bowman, R. F. (2013). Learning leadership skills in middle school. The Clearing House, 86(2), 59–63.


Downes, J. M., Bishop, P. A., & Nagle, J. F. (2017) Tapping the experts in effective practices: Students as educators in middle grades professional development, Middle School Journal, 48:4, 27-35, DOI: 10.1080/00940771.2017.1343057


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