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These colors match the title photos throughout. Each step involves a cognitive process based on the content. This representation is simplified for clarity.

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What to Expect

This Neuroscience, Creativity, and Innovation Toolkit is designed to empower educators to take meaningful, local steps toward "Reformable Education." It offers clear, actionable strategies rooted in neuroscience and creativity to build understanding, confidence, and momentum for systemic change.

By breaking the process into manageable parts, this guide helps you start where you are with the tools and insights you need to make real progress. The Core Steps guide your actions, the "Pause & Reflect" section deepens your perspective, and the Resources Hub equips you with additional tools for creativity, collaboration, and innovation.

Why Use It

This toolkit will help you:

Take control by understanding the systems and policies shaping education.

Build confidence through small, thoughtful actions that lead to meaningful change.

Connect with others and strengthen your network to amplify your impact.

Inspire innovation with evidence-based insights that align with your community's needs.

How to Use This Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to grow your understanding, confidence, and influence:

1. Core Steps (Parts 1-10): A clear, step-by-step guide for taking local action using neuroscience and creative strategies.

2. Pause & Reflect: A space to explore equity, biases, and broader challenges in reform efforts.

3. Resources Hub: A dynamic section with tools and ideas to foster creativity, collaboration, and innovation.

By the end, you'll understand how your actions—big or small—can influence systemic change. This toolkit is your starting point for creating the future of education, one thoughtful step at a time. Together, we can make a more equitable and innovative education system, starting with your local efforts.

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Color Key: (Green) Cognition = Building understanding of systems and policies. (Blue) Metacognition = Reflecting on your approach and role. (Yellow) Creative Cognition =  Exploring and applying new ideas. (Purple) Convergent Thinking = Synthesizing information into actionable insights. (Purple) Divergent Thinking = Generating innovative approaches and solutions.

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Pause & Reflect: Juxtapositions, Biases, and Equity Perspectives

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Pause & Reflect: Juxtapositions, Biases, and Equity Perspectives

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This section encourages you to pause and examine critical perspectives on equity, biases, and systemic challenges in education reform. It bridges the structured steps in the Core Sections with deeper, reflective engagement.

Why Use It

Expand your perspective: Consider how biases, historical inequities, and systemic challenges shape education reform.

Ask critical questions: Reflect on your role in fostering equity and innovation in your community.

Engage in dialogue: Use this section to spark meaningful conversations with colleagues or stakeholders.

How to Use It

Before diving into this section, read the instructions at the beginning and follow the steps in order. This ensures that the foundational concepts make sense, allowing this section to deepen your understanding effectively.

Feel free to browse the resources provided or add your own thoughts and tools. Contributions here should focus on perspectives that help uncover new dimensions of reform and equity.

Reminder: To get the most from this Padlet, following the Core Steps will give you the context needed to engage with this reflective space fully.

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[Step 19] Learning for Justice – Educator's Advocacy Toolkit

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[Step 19] Learning for Justice – Educator's Advocacy Toolkit

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This toolkit helps educators build advocacy skills, providing guidance on standing up for fair policies and practices in education. With a focus on equity and justice, it equips you with the tools to advocate effectively.

➡️ For a list of priority topics, visit their resources page

➡️ Or search "Educator's Advocacy Toolkit" to see a comprehensive list with filters.

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Learning for Justice is a community education program of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) that centers civic and political action education for everyone.

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[Step 20] NEA – Legislative Action Center

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[Step 20] NEA – Legislative Action Center

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This NEA resource provides tools for engaging in policy discussions at the legislative level. It empowers you to understand and influence policies, enhancing your impact on local and state education systems.

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You have the greatest freedom of speech and other protections when you are advocating off duty and away from school.

When you are off duty, you generally have the same rights as any other person to advocate for your views, support your candidates of choice, march and attend protests, sign petitions on issues you care about, and communicate with your elected representatives about those same issues.

Whenever you are involved in any of these activities, you should be clear that you are speaking and acting for yourself or for your union, not on behalf of your school.

If you are writing something that members of the public might see, for example a letter to the editor or a Twitter thread, include a disclaimer that makes clear you are speaking only for yourself and/or for your union, and not as a school representative.

For example, "The opinions and positions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect my school district's position, strategies, or opinions."

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Educator Rights Speaking Up for Public Schools and Students

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You have the greatest freedom of speech and other protections when you are advocating off duty and away from school. When you are off duty, you generally have the same rights as any other person to advocate for your views, support your candidates of choice, march and attend protests, sign petitions on issues you care about, and communicate with your elected representatives about those same issues.

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NEPC’s policy briefs offer insights into understanding and creating policy briefs. Use these briefs to advocate for policies that support positive changes in your school, backed by research and data.

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Policy Briefs synthesize existing research knowledge on a policy or practice issue of importance. Written in language an interested non-expert would find accessible, policy briefs answer the questions: “What is the research evidence related to a given policy or practice option – and what policy recommendations follow from that evidence?” Policy Briefs are blind peer reviewed. NEPC Document Use Policy: NEPC publications are provided free of cost to NEPC’s readers, who may make non-commercial use of them as long as NEPC and its authors are credited as the source. For inquiries about commercial use, please contact NEPC at nepc@colorado.edu.

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[Step 1] State Education Policy Overview

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[Step 1] State Education Policy Overview

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This guide helps you understand the educational policies impacting your students daily. Knowing these policies makes it easier to advocate for changes that align with your vision. A strong foundation in policy knowledge is your first step in effecting real change. The education laws and policy decisions made in the state capitol might seem far removed from the realities of the schools you cover, but their impact hits much closer to home than you might realize.

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The education laws and policy decisions made in the state capitol might seem far removed from the realities of the schools you cover, but their impact hits much closer to home than you might realize.

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[Step 2] Education Commission of the States - Policy Tracking Tool

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[Step 2] Education Commission of the States - Policy Tracking Tool

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Use this tool to track education policies in your state. It’s a practical way to stay informed about current legislation and potential changes so that you can actively participate in discussions and decisions in your community.

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Education Commission of the States tracks state education policy on a wide variety of education topics. There are three options available:

1. Scroll down to view enacted and vetoed bills on a wide variety of education topics for the 2017 - 2021 legislative sessions.

2. Click here to view our 2021 State Education Policy Watch List, which includes pending legislation in a few issue areas.

3. Click here to view an archive of state policy tracking for the 1996 through 2016 legislative sessions.

For more information about how to navigate this interactive map, click here.

If you have questions or comments, please contact Jennifer Thomsen (jthomsen@ecs.org).

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State Education Policy Tracking - Education Commission of the States

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Education Commission of the States tracks state education policy on a wide variety of education topics. There are three options available: Scroll down to view enacted and vetoed bills on a wide variety of education topics for the 2017 - 2021 legislative sessions.

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[Step 7] MindShift - Fostering Creativity in Education

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[Step 7] MindShift - Fostering Creativity in Education

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This article offers a fresh perspective on how creativity in education can inspire change. Read it to expand your thinking about what's possible, even within a structured system. Embracing a vision of creativity will guide your steps toward reform.

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Creativity is putting your imagination to work. It is applied imagination. Innovation is putting new ideas into practice. There are various myths about creativity. One is that only special people are creative, another is that creativity is only about the arts, a third is that creativity cannot be taught, and a fourth is that it's all to do with uninhibited "self-expression."

None of these is true. Creativity draws from many powers that we all have by virtue of being human. Creativity is possible in all areas of human life, in science, the arts, mathematics, technology, cuisine, teaching, politics, business, you name it. And like many human capacities, our creative powers can be cultivated and refined. Doing that involves an increasing mastery of skills, knowledge, and ideas.

Creativity is about fresh thinking. It doesn't have to be new to the whole of humanity- though that's always a bonus- but certainly to the person whose work it is. Creativity also involves making critical judgments about whether what you're working on is any good, be it a theorem, a design, or a poem. Creative work often passes through typical phases. Sometimes what you end up with is not what you had in mind when you started. It's a dynamic process that often involves making new connections, crossing disciplines, and using metaphors and analogies. Being creative is not just about having off-the-wall ideas and letting your imagination run free. It may involve all of that, but it also involves refining, testing, and focusing what you're doing. It's about original thinking on the part of the individual, and it's also about judging critically whether the work in process is taking the right shape and is worthwhile, at least for the person producing it.

Creativity is not the opposite of discipline and control. On the contrary, creativity in any field may involve deep factual knowledge and high levels of practical skill. Cultivating creativity is one of the most interesting challenges for any teacher. It involves understanding the real dynamics of creative work.

Creativity is not a linear process, in which you have to learn all the necessary skills before you get started. It is true that creative work in any field involves a growing mastery of skills and concepts. It is not true that they have to be mastered before the creative work can begin. Focusing on skills in isolation can kill interest in any discipline. Many people have been put off by mathematics for life by endless rote tasks that did nothing to inspire them with the beauty of numbers. Many have spent years grudgingly practicing scales for music examinations only to abandon the instrument altogether once they've made the grade. The real driver of creativity is an appetite for discovery and a passion for the work itself. When students are motivated to learn, they naturally acquire the skills they need to get the work done. Their mastery of them grows as their creative ambitions expand. You'll find evidence of this process in great teaching in every discipline from football to chemistry.

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Sir Ken Robinson: Creativity Is In Everything, Especially Teaching | KQED

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Creativity is putting your imagination to work. It is applied imagination. Innovation is putting new ideas into practice. There are various myths about creativity. One is that only special people are creative, another is that creativity is only about the arts, a third is that creativity cannot be taught, and a fourth is that it's all to do with uninhibited "self-expression."

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[Step 8] Edutopia - Setting a Clear School Vision

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[Step 8] Edutopia - Setting a Clear School Vision

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Setting a clear vision is crucial. This guide helps you define a vision aligned with your goals and values, making it easier to communicate and get others on board. It’s about building a focused, practical approach to change.

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Administration & Leadership

Leaders who remind their staff of the school's vision and focus on established goals can build capacity for the future.

Leading during Covid-19 is hard. We have categorically changed the way we've done school, and we are putting out new fires daily while traversing not only a global pandemic but a reckoning surrounding racism and polarized politics. None of that is easy.

In challenging circumstances, building and district leaders often tend toward cheerleading-a commendable and appropriate response. But we cannot lose sight of the entirety of that word: The leading matters as much as the cheering.

Here's how I've kept myself accountable to the leadership aspect of my role as principal.

Setting a Vision

The amazing thing about educators is that they can quite literally do anything; I've seen this over and over again as they try to retrofit traditional in-person learning to remote learning and perfect direct virtual instruction in a matter of weeks.

But educators are human, which means they cannot do everything, including doing everything exactly the way they did before the pandemic. They're exhausted by trying to replicate classrooms and instruction in the face of an entirely new paradigm; everything winds up having equal importance when the disruption is that extreme.

This is where good leaders, irrespective of the level of leadership, step in: They make sure that teachers know what the priorities are and that they remain inspired and guided by a single vision-and that takes leading, not cheering.

Cheering alone subtly and unintentionally communicates that teachers should try to do everything-that doing so is a valuable and even noble endeavor-and it can encourage educators who already feel overwhelmed to take on even more. Cheering alone provides no direction forward; it simply encourages the same behavior.

Leading, however, directs. It involves expressing the fact that while you believe teachers can do anything, they can't do everything. With your direction, teachers can keep a laser-like focus on the big picture-the vision-and prioritize the tangible short-term "anything."

This year at Highland Elementary in Northern Illinois, where I am principal, our vision is that all students make growth on their local formative assessment scores over the first quarter. To move in that direction, we set small, incremental goals to get baseline data, establish classroom relationships and norms, and structure our scope and sequence to meet students' needs.

This prioritization means that some things have been dropped. By implementing morning meetings to build relationships, we have lost instructional time in other areas. Lessons get pushed off here and there to make sure that we meet students where they are and get baseline data on each of them.

The vision, however, is what keeps us aligned, and our job as school leaders is to keep teachers focused on that vision. If we don't, there's a risk that teachers will become even more overwhelmed and perhaps even demoralized.

Keep the Target Consistent

While a vision clearly defines where we are going, a target defines what success looks like at each step along the way.

We're often predisposed to raising our expectations-to raising the bar and shifting the target-when things feel good or get easier. We're also predisposed to lowering our expectations and even lowering the bar when we feel people struggling, just as they are now. But we have to resist that temptation and set and maintain targets.

When the target keeps moving and we cheer rather than lead, we're unintentionally communicating the impossibility of hitting that target and how little it means to actually hit it. It happens all the time: Leaders cheer for staff who are missing the agreed-upon target but are doing other stuff above and beyond. They get an A for effort. But what does that communicate about our belief in the target and our dedication to our vision?

At my school, we set a target of establishing classroom relationships and norms, and I send direct messages to teachers, cheering for them when I see that happening. But their success in this regard doesn't mean it's time to change the target; rather, relationship building remains the target as we continue to move the curriculum forward.

Lead by setting a clear target that defines what is most important-and then cheer when it is hit.

Focus on Relationships With Teachers to Help Them Move Forward

One of the toughest parts about leading during the pandemic is that people are in so many different places mentally and emotionally. In the face of this flux, we must differentiate the strengths and challenges that face each staff member in much the same way that they differentiate their students' strengths and challenges.

That's why building relationships is one of a leader's most important jobs. When you truly engage with teachers and know where they are, you have the information you need to coach them on how to move forward.

A couple of years ago, we did an activity at my school where each staff member identified their three primary core values and levers (trust, integrity, creativity, equity, etc.). Since then, I have cheered for each of them and their individual values and levers when I see them in action. If, for example, a teacher's core value is equity, I watch for that and cheer for them when they go out of their way to ensure that students have what they need to access learning, whether that means a home visit or a hot spot or a different computer. When I can encourage each teacher based on their core values, the encouragement means more-and it shows that I am in their corner.

One of the greatest pieces of advice I have ever received is "Seek to build capacity no matter the moment." Despite the challenges we are facing right now, we have an opportunity to create an entirely new way forward-to forge a future that is framed by what we are learning now, including about our responsibility to both lead and cheer for our staff.

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The Value of Setting a Clear School Vision This Year

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Administration & Leadership Leaders who remind their staff of the school's vision and focus on established goals can build capacity for the future. Leading during Covid-19 is hard. We have categorically changed the way we've done school, and we are putting out new fires daily while traversing not only a global pandemic but a reckoning surrounding racism and polarized politics.

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[Step 9] Teachers Pay Teachers - Vision Board Resources

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[Step 9] Teachers Pay Teachers - Vision Board Resources

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Vision boards make abstract ideas tangible. These resources offer templates and inspiration for crafting a vision board to visualize and communicate your goals clearly and creatively.

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World's most popular online marketplace for original educational resources with more than four million resources available for use today.

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Advancing Social and Emotional Learning - CASEL | Evidence > Implementation > Policy

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[Step 4] CASEL - Building Collaborative Relationships

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[Step 4] CASEL - Building Collaborative Relationships

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Change doesn’t happen alone. CASEL’s resources on social and emotional learning help build relationships within your school and community, fostering collaboration that amplifies your efforts and creates a supportive network for reform.

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Advancing Social and Emotional Learning - CASEL

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CASEL is helping make evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of education, preschool through high school.

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Data doesn’t have to be intimidating. This resource helps you use data to inform your goals and strategies, ensuring your reform efforts are evidence-based.

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Data Quality Campaign advocates to change the role of data to ensure that data works for everyone navigating their education and workforce journeys.

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[Step 28] OECD - Creativity in Education Summit

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[Step 28] OECD - Creativity in Education Summit

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Tap into global perspectives on creativity in education. The OECD summit resources can inspire creative solutions and help you reimagine what’s possible in your classroom.

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centre for educational research and innovation (ceri)

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The 6th Creativity in Education Summit - "Empowering Creativity in Education via Practical Resources" is a premier gathering designed to address the critical role of creativity in shaping the future of education. It aims at inspiring and equipping educators with the necessary tools and strategies to integrate creative resources across various educational settings.

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[Step 29] ArtsEdSearch - Creativity Research

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[Step 29] ArtsEdSearch - Creativity Research

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Discover research-backed tools for integrating creativity into your curriculum. Creative teaching methods help engage students in ways traditional methods may not, keeping learning fresh and dynamic.

Click here to jump directly to their "Creativity Research" section.

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The Arts Education Partnership has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Department of Education since 1995 and is administered by Education Commission of the States.

ArtsEdSearch is made possible through the generous support of AEP sponsors: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Wallace Foundation.

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The Arts Education Partnership has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Department of Education since 1995 and is administered by Education Commission of the States. ArtsEdSearch is made possible through the generous support of AEP sponsors: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Wallace Foundation.

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[Step 16] University of Kansas - Community Tool Box

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[Step 16] University of Kansas - Community Tool Box

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This toolkit provides step-by-step guidance on engaging and understanding community needs. By aligning your goals with local interests, you can build a strong support network, gaining buy-in and creating lasting partnerships.

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Needing guidance for your community efforts? We offer a number of additional supports for your work. Troubleshooting Guide Seek guidance solving common problems and dilemmas in community work. A Model for Getting Started How do you go about taking action in the community? Here is a simple model you can use.

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[Step 17] National PTA - Building Partnerships

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[Step 17] National PTA - Building Partnerships

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The PTA’s partnership guide offers practical advice on building community-centered approaches, rallying support, and sharing resources. These partnerships strengthen your goals and amplify your reach within the community.

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Standard 6 - Collaborate with Community | National PTA

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The school collaborates with community organizations to connect students, families and staff to expand learning opportunities and community services. The goals include building foundations for community partnerships by mapping community needs and connecting schools with community partners.

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[Step 18] Coalition for Community Schools

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[Step 18] Coalition for Community Schools

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This resource emphasizes integrating community partnerships into schools, providing tools and insights to collaborate effectively. Working closely with stakeholders supports sustainable change and helps align educational goals with community needs.

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[Step 22] Education Support – Teacher Wellbeing

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[Step 22] Education Support – Teacher Wellbeing

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Education Support offers practical resources to help educators manage stress and maintain well-being. These strategies are essential for staying resilient and focused, especially during challenging periods of change.

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The only UK charity dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and education staff.

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[Step 23] Greater Good – How to Set Boundaries as an Overworked Educator

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[Step 23] Greater Good – How to Set Boundaries as an Overworked Educator

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Setting boundaries is essential for maintaining balance and preventing burnout. This article offers practical guidance for educators on creating healthy boundaries, helping you protect your time and energy so you can stay engaged and effective in your work.

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How to Set Boundaries as an Overworked Educator

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Boundary-setting and self-compassion are vital practices to help protect your well-being and promote a positive school culture.

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Headspace provides free access to mindfulness tools tailored for educators, promoting mental health and mindfulness in daily routines. Building self-care habits can help you stay grounded and resilient as you work toward your goals.

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Improving the health and happiness of the world, one educator at a time.

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[Step 25] National Education Association – Legislative Program

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[Step 25] National Education Association – Legislative Program

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The NEA Legislative Program outlines national education policies and agendas. Understanding these can help you take a proactive role in shaping policy discussions and advocating for meaningful changes.

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NEA has a wide-ranging agenda for federal action, reflecting the educational and social concerns of its members.

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[Step 26] Teach the Future – Policy Impact Education

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[Step 26] Teach the Future – Policy Impact Education

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Teach the Future offers resources for educators interested in influencing policy. It explains the impact of education policies on schools and provides pathways for educators to get involved in policy work.

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Futures Thinking Educators | Teach the Future

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Our aspiration is that every student is prepared to navigate an uncertain world and has the agency to imagine and create their preferred future. Our mission is to teach futures-thinking skills to students and educators around the world and to inspire them to influence their futures.

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[Step 27] EdWeek – Teacher Leadership Handbook

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[Step 27] EdWeek – Teacher Leadership Handbook

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This handbook from EdWeek empowers teachers to take on leadership roles. It includes strategies for advocating within schools and influencing policy at local levels, helping you make a significant impact in your community.

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Was recently sent a slender new book by 2009 California Teacher of the Year Alex Kajitani (a hugely interesting guy who is well worth getting to know). Kajitani's The Teacher of the Year Handbook spells it all out in the subtitle: "The ultimate guide to making the most of your teacher-leader role." Katijani takes the unusual step of providing a wealth of concrete, practical advice on how teachers can go about making their voice heard beyond the walls of the schoolhouse.

While there are plenty of books calling for teachers to have more influence on policy, offering collections of classroom tips, exhorting teachers to speak up, and relating inspirational stories about influential teachers, one has to look long and hard to find much that tells teachers how to influence policy or speak up effectively.

In a pithy, low-key, and highly skimmable format, Kajitani offers advice on giving speeches, dealing with media, making conference presentations, using blogs and social media... you know, all the stuff that can help teachers contribute effectively to the public debate on schools and schooling. Because the dirty secret is that, even as teachers are frustrated that they don't have a more influential voice on decision-making, I rarely encounter classroom educators who have a sense of how to acquire or wield that influence. (The exception here are the small networks of teachers involved with TeachPlus, Educators for Excellence, the Center for Teaching Quality, and so on -- but I think they too would find the volume more than a little helpful.) What's more generally visible are strident spokespeople, angry blog comments, and the occasional rally -- none of which is especially likely to win allies, change minds, or alter policy.

Now, let's be clear. This state of affairs isn't anybody's fault per se. Teacher preparation does little or nothing on this score, nor does most professional development. And few teachers have much experience outside of classroom and school settings, so it's not like they'd have a lot of opportunities to cultivate those skills. So observing the problem is more of a diagnosis than an exercise in assigning blame. And that's where Kajitani comes in. He offers practical advice on how to productively engage community leaders, journalists, and policymakers. The advice he offers may be familiar to those who spend a lot of time speaking publicly and talking to media, but it'll be enormously useful to folks who've been too busy actually teaching kids to worry about such things.

When it comes to interviews, Kajitani explains the import of anticipating questions and polishing key anecdotes. He explains why teacher leaders should have business cards, what they should say, and how to use them. He offers a bunch of strategies for how to craft and deliver a great speech -- from the value of telling stories to the importance of focusing on what your audience cares about. He tells a terrific story about being interviewed by Katie Couric, offers advice on how to survive cocktail parties, and provides suggestions on how to pen blogs that will make a difference. He even offers some hugely needed advice on how to make conference attendance useful and how teacher leaders should deal with the question of being compensated for appearances and contributions.

Featuring a bunch of anecdotes and observations from other teachers of the year, the book can be easily read in an hour. Are you an educator wishing to have more impact beyond the schoolhouse? If so, I think you'll find it an hour really well spent.

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A Handbook for Teacher Leaders (Opinion)

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Was recently sent a slender new book by 2009 California Teacher of the Year Alex Kajitani (a hugely interesting guy who is well worth getting to know). Kajitani's The Teacher of the Year Handbook spells it all out in the subtitle: "The ultimate guide to making the most of your teacher-leader role."...

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[Step 14] FutureEd - Standards and Testing

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[Step 14] FutureEd - Standards and Testing

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This resource provides insights into standards and testing, helping you understand and interpret data on student performance. These insights can build a strong case for change by highlighting areas where current policies impact students and teachers.

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Education standards and evolving strategies for measuring whether students and schools meet them…

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[Step 3] National Education Association - Educator Rights & Advocacy

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[Step 3] National Education Association - Educator Rights & Advocacy

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Understanding your rights is empowering. This resource from the NEA offers insights into advocating within policy frameworks, equipping you with the tools to protect yourself and your students without fear of backlash.

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You have the greatest freedom of speech and other protections when you are advocating off duty and away from school.

When you are off duty, you generally have the same rights as any other person to advocate for your views, support your candidates of choice, march and attend protests, sign petitions on issues you care about, and communicate with your elected representatives about those same issues.

Whenever you are involved in any of these activities, you should be clear that you are speaking and acting for yourself or for your union, not on behalf of your school.

If you are writing something that members of the public might see, for example a letter to the editor or a Twitter thread, include a disclaimer that makes clear you are speaking only for yourself and/or for your union, and not as a school representative.

For example, "The opinions and positions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect my school district's position, strategies, or opinions."

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Educator Rights Speaking Up for Public Schools and Students

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You have the greatest freedom of speech and other protections when you are advocating off duty and away from school. When you are off duty, you generally have the same rights as any other person to advocate for your views, support your candidates of choice, march and attend protests, sign petitions on issues you care about, and communicate with your elected representatives about those same issues.

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[Step 5] School Reform Initiative - Protocols for Productive Collaboration

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[Step 5] School Reform Initiative - Protocols for Productive Collaboration

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Collaboration needs structure, especially with sensitive topics. These protocols guide you through productive conversations, helping everyone feel heard and focused on common goals.

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Center for Leadership & Educational Equity | CLEE

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CLEE's nationally recognized programs empower shared leadership to tackle educational inequities, transforming instructional practices and systems for student success.

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[Step 6] National Education Association - Local Networks

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[Step 6] National Education Association - Local Networks

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The NEA can connect you to local networks, helping you find like-minded educators who share your vision. Networking opens doors for collaboration, resource sharing, and group action.

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NEA edCommunities is an open professional learning network created for educators. You can use this virtual space to exchange ideas and share resources with thousands of education professionals.

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[Step 15] EdReports - Curriculum and Instructional Materials Reviews

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[Step 15] EdReports - Curriculum and Instructional Materials Reviews

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EdReports provides detailed reviews of instructional materials, helping you choose high-quality resources aligned with your goals. With data-driven insights into curriculum effectiveness, you’ll have the tools to justify curriculum adjustments that can positively impact student outcomes.

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We provide free reports that help you evaluate instructional materials because high-quality content matters to teachers, to kids, and to our collective future.

Select a subject to browse reports

Student Learning

Rigorous college and career-ready standards can improve and deepen student learning. What is taught matters.

High Expectations for All

Not all students have the same access to high-quality instructional materials and this perpetuates the opportunity gap.

Equity

When teachers are provided with high-quality materials and aligned professional learning, this increases the opportunity for all students to learn and grow.

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We provide free reports that help you evaluate instructional materials because high-quality content matters to teachers, to kids, and to our collective future. Select a subject to browse reports Student Learning Rigorous college and career-ready standards can improve and deepen student learning. What is taught matters.

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[Step 10] American Psychological Association – Psychological Safety at Work

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[Step 10] American Psychological Association – Psychological Safety at Work

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This resource offers insights into creating a psychologically safe workplace, emphasizing the importance of open communication and trust among team members. Implementing these strategies can help foster an environment where educators and students feel secure to express ideas and concerns.

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The term refers to your ability to freely express your opinions at work without fear

Cite This Article

American Psychological Association. (2024, March 4). What is psychological safety at work? Here's how to start creating it. https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/psychological-safety

Have you ever questioned your boss's decisions in your own mind, but felt it was safer to just not say anything out loud? Unfortunately, far too many workplaces have a culture where that sentiment is common. It can result in mistakes that should have been prevented, lost opportunities, and an overall lack of new and original ideas. The antidote is to build a psychologically safe workplace, which can make an incredible impact on teams reaching their goals (Edmondson & Bransby, 2023).

"Psychological safety" has become a catchphrase. Those unfamiliar with the term often think about protecting workers' mental health or protecting workers from psychological harm to ensure a psychologically healthy workplace, just as "physical safety" means protecting workers' bodily health. But psychological safety is one component of a psychologically healthy workplace. It is a specific, targeted concept critical for innovation and success.

What this looks like

Psychological safety develops over time. When it exists, members of a team can be themselves, and they share the belief they can take appropriate risks, and they can and should:

admit and discuss mistakes,

openly address problems and tough issues,

seek help and feedback,

trust that no one on the team is out to get them, and

trust that they are a valued member of the team.

For example, when an employee makes the decision to pose difficult questions to their boss about a tough issue, there is a risk the questions may be misperceived as a personal attack or as unproductive, which depending on the leader and the team could put the worker's job or reputation in jeopardy.

Amy Edmondson, PhD, the Novartis professor of leadership and management at the Harvard Business School and author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, says, "Leaders must prioritize a culture of learning and innovation for team members to be comfortable speaking up, taking risks, and sharing information. This does not happen by default. It emerges with effort and curiosity and care. When achieved, the result is a more creative, innovative, and successful team and organization."

Is your workplace psychologically safe?

You can measure where your team stands by asking them the following questions in an anonymous survey:

If you make a mistake on this team, will it be held against you?

Are the members of this team able to bring up problems and tough issues?

Do members on this team sometimes reject other members for being different?

Is it safe to take a risk on this team?

Is it difficult to ask other members of this team for help?

Would anyone on the team deliberately act in a way that undermines efforts?

Working with members of this team, are unique skills and talents valued and utilized?

Robert Sutton, PhD Stanford professor, organizational psychologist, and co-author of The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder, says "A good test is, who are the stars in your workplace? Are they the people who stifle, frighten, and blame their colleagues? Or do they promote learning and drive out fear by talking openly about their own mistakes and gently but candidly pointing out others' failures and mistakes, and talking about what we can all learn together from such troubles? When people talk about their own mistakes, rather than point out others' missteps, that suggests your workplace is psychologically safe."

What you can do to build psychological safety

Here are some great examples to begin building this culture:

Leaders can

Celebrate learning from mistakes and build "lessons learned" debriefing sessions into every project.

Lead by example to show how to raise problems and tough issues for discussion in a constructive, nonjudgmental manner.

Encourage all team members to raise problems or tough issues that may be on their minds.

Applaud thoughtful risk taking and demonstrate it yourself.

Publicly recognize and celebrate the unique skills and talents brought by each member of the teams you lead.

Organizations can

Train leaders and managers on concrete steps for fostering psychological safety.

Examine the organization to see if there are unnecessary hierarchies, chains-of-command, or professional boundaries that discourage communication from front-line workers to upper management.

Provide ways to recognize and celebrate employees' unique skills and talents in organization-wide communications.

Repeatedly emphasize that the organization will not tolerate any employee deliberately undermining the efforts of another employee.

Employees can

Focus on finding solutions with questions like "what can we all do to help solve this problem?"

Ask others for their opinions-with questions like "I'd love to get your feedback on that idea."

Actively listen to the ideas shared by your colleagues and ask respectful questions.

Extend kindness and respect when team members share ideas even if you disagree with them.

Provide feedback in a respectful, thoughtful way.

Beth M. Schwartz, PhD, associate director in the Office of Applied Psychology at APA, noted "Through psychological safety we can find out what each member of a team has to offer. It allows us to learn what smart and talented team members really bring to the table, and ultimately, leads to more productive organizations."

Much more can be found in Edmondson's many publications, including her two books The Fearless Organization and Right Kind of Wrong.

Resources

Edmondson, A. C. (2023). Right kind of wrong: The science of failing well. Atria Books.

Edmondson, A. C., & Bransby, D. P. (2023). Psychological safety comes of age: Observed themes in an established literature. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10(1), 55-78. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-120920-055217

Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. John Wiley & Sons.

Ferrère, A., Rider, C., Renerte, B., & Edmondson, A. C. (2022). Fostering ethical conduct through psychological safety. MIT Sloan Management Review, 63(4), 39-43.

Newman, A., Donohue, R., & Eva, N. (2017). Psychological safety: A systematic review of the literature. Human Resource Management Review, 27(3), 521-535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2017.01.001

Stomski, L., & Jensen, K. (2021). Building learning agility through psychological safety. In V. S. Harvey & K. P. De Meuse (Eds.), The age of agility: Building learning agile leaders and organizations (pp. 365-381). Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology; Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190085353.003.0015

Sutton, R. I., & Rao, H. (2024). The fiction project: How smart leaders make the right things easier and the wrong things harder. St. Martine's Press.

Recommended Reading

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What is psychological safety at work? Here's how to start creating it

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The term refers to your ability to freely express your opinions at work without fear.

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[Step 11] Symonds Research – Psychological Safety Activities for the Workplace

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[Step 11] Symonds Research – Psychological Safety Activities for the Workplace

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This article provides practical activities designed to build psychological safety within teams. Educators can adapt these exercises to create a classroom culture that encourages open dialogue and mutual respect.

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12 Psychological Safety Activities for Employees in the Workplace

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Free psychological safety activities. Learn how build psychological safety for workplace employees with psychological safety exercises.

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[Step 12] Center for Creative Leadership – Psychological Safety Training

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[Step 12] Center for Creative Leadership – Psychological Safety Training

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This training module outlines methods to develop psychological safety in leadership and team settings. Educators can utilize these approaches to enhance collaboration and trust within their schools, promoting a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.

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Our evidence-based psychological safety training modules show leaders how to build greater psychological safety in the workplace-learn more.

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[Step 30] Harvard Graduate School of Education – Understanding Creativity

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[Step 30] Harvard Graduate School of Education – Understanding Creativity

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This Harvard resource offers insights into nurturing creativity within structured curriculums. It includes evidence-based strategies to encourage creative problem-solving and engagement, helping you inspire students to think innovatively while meeting curriculum standards.

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Understanding the learning that happens with creative work can often be elusive in any K-12 subject. A new study from Harvard Graduate School of Education Associate Professor Karen Brennan, and researchers Paulina Haduong and Emily Veno, compiles case studies, interviews, and assessment artifacts from 80 computer science teachers across the K-12 space. These data shed new light on how teachers tackle this challenge in an emerging subject area.

"A common refrain we were hearing from teachers was, 'We're really excited about doing creative work in the classroom but we're uncertain about how to assess what kids are learning, and that makes it hard for us to do what we want to do,'" Brennan says. "We wanted to learn from teachers who are supporting and assessing creativity in the classroom, and amplify their work, and celebrate it and show what's possible as a way of helping other teachers."

Create a culture that values meaningful assessment for learning - not just grades

As many schools and districts decided to suspend letter grades during the pandemic, teachers need to help students find intrinsic motivation. "It's a great moment to ask, 'What would assessment look like without a focus on grades and competition?'" says Veno.

Indeed, the practice of fostering a classroom culture that celebrates student voice, creativity, and exploration isn't limited to computer science. The practice of being a creative agent in the world extends through all subject areas.

The research team suggests the following principles from computer science classrooms may help shape assessment culture across grade levels and subject areas.

Solicit different kinds of feedback

Give students the time and space to receive and incorporate feedback. "One thing that's been highlighted in assessment work is that it is not about the teacher talking to a student in a vacuum," says Haduong, noting that hearing from peers and outside audience members can help students find meaning and direction as they move forward with their projects.
IN ACTION:

Feedback rubrics help students receive targeted feedback from audience members. Additionally, looking at the rubrics can help the teacher gather data on student work.

Emphasize the process for teachers and students

Finding the appropriate rubric or creating effective project scaffolding is a journey. Indeed, according to Haduong, "we found that many educators had a deep commitment to iteration in their own work." Successful assessment practices conveyed that spirit to students.
IN ACTION:

Keeping design journals can help students see their work as it progresses and provides documentation for teachers on the student's process.

Consider the message sent by the form and aesthetics of rubrics. One educator decided to use a handwritten assessment to convey that teachers, too, are working on refining their practice.

Scaffold independence

Students need to be able to take ownership of their learning as virtual learning lessens teacher oversight. Students need to look at their own work critically and know when they've done their best. Teachers need to guide students in this process and provide scaffolded opportunities for reflection.
IN ACTION:

Have students design their own assessment rubric. Students then develop their own continuum to help independently set expectations for themselves and their work.

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New research provides insight for educators into how to effectively assess creative work in K-12 classrooms.

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Education Reform as a Way to Help Build Community

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Ever wonder about the history, challenges, and potential that more "local control" could have on education reform? This article invites you to reflect on how local efforts can shape broader change to foster a renewed sense of purpose and collective good. The author (David Tyack) is a professor at Stanford University. His latest book is Tinkering Toward Utopia: A Century of School Reform. 🍎

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Excerpts from a speech by the Stanford University professor on what he terms “a lost opportunity in American education: the power of local control to link public schools more firmly to their communities.”″

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Explore the balance between local control and educational equity. This article examines how local reform fosters community-driven innovation while also perpetuating inequities. It challenges educators to reflect on how local autonomy can align with efforts to create fair and equitable education systems.

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I have noticed some flirtation with local control recently by those on the left end of the political spectrum, who are otherwise committed to educational equity. This includes the Black Lives Matter movement and the NEA. There seems to be some interest in returning more control and autonomy not simply from the federal government to the states, but from states to local communities--so that communities can decide questions like when to close schools, whether to allow charter schools, and how to assign teachers.

It is puzzling to see groups that care about educational equity embracing local control. Local control in education has historically been associated with justifying inequities. In two watershed cases, preserving local control was used by the United States Supreme Court as a reason to leave inequities untouched....

Read more at Education Week.

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This article originally appeared in "Education Week."

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Expanding the Conversation: Educators' Resource Hub

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Expanding the Conversation: Educators' Resource Hub

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The Resource Hub is an evolving space designed to grow with contributions from educators. It houses supplemental tools, strategies, and innovative ideas that build upon the Core Steps and Pause & Reflect sections.

Why Use It

Collaborate and share: Contribute resources that have worked for you or inspired creativity in your practice.

Discover fresh ideas: Explore tools and techniques for neuroscience, creativity, and education innovation.

Foster growth: Create a living repository of knowledge for educators to use, adapt, and expand.

How to Use It

As with the Pause & Reflect section, it's best to follow the instructions at the beginning and go through the steps after that. This will provide the context for making meaningful contributions or understanding how the Resource Hub fits into the bigger picture.

Contributions to this section can include articles, tools, or ideas that inspire collaboration, creativity, and innovation in education. Keeping additions organized in this column will ensure the Padlet remains clear and easy to navigate.

General Guidance for Adding Resources

This Padlet is most effective when used step-by-step, starting with the Core Steps and progressing to the reflective and collaborative sections. Following the sequence helps ensure clarity and context. Contributions to the Pause & Reflect and Resource Hub sections are encouraged to expand this living toolkit.

Note: While you can add resources to any section, the Resource Hub is the best place to share supplemental tools or ideas to keep the Core Steps focused and streamlined.

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Why We're Wired to INNOVATE with David Eagleman

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Why We're Wired to INNOVATE with David Eagleman

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This video by neuroscientist David Eagleman explains how our brains are uniquely wired for innovation. Humans transform ideas into new possibilities through cognitive processes. In this video, they talk about bending, breaking, and blending ideas. Educators can use this framework to inspire creativity and innovation in their teaching, fostering change within their classrooms and communities. It’s a powerful reminder that innovation is profoundly human and essential for progress in education reform.

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Why We're Wired to INNOVATE with David Eagleman

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Why Do We Have Trouble Thinking Outside the Box?

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Why Do We Have Trouble Thinking Outside the Box?

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Functional fixedness limits our ability to think creatively. By default, it also tethers us to conventional uses of objects, solutions, and approaches. This article delves into the psychology behind this cognitive bias and what we can do.

The goal is to become aware of "functional fixedness" so you, as an impactful educator, can adopt a fresh perspective and engage students in creative problem-solving. Whether addressing classroom challenges or contributing to broader educational innovation, breaking this bias is crucial!

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Functional fixedness describes why we're unable to use an object in ways beyond its traditional use. Functional fixedness is a phenomenon found in problem-solving psychology and affects an individual's ability to innovate and be creative when solving challenges. ¹

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Functional fixedness describes why an individual develops an inability to use an object in more ways than it is traditionally intended to be used.

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Identifying and Eliminating Myths to Improve Educator Practices | Dr. Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa

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Debunking Neuromyths: Transform Your Teaching Practice Today

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Debunking Neuromyths: Transform Your Teaching Practice Today

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This video dives into the pervasive myths about how the brain learns and their impact on teaching. Tracy Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D. (professor at Harvard University, Extension School) breaks down misconceptions like "left vs. right-brain dominance" and "learning styles," explaining why they persist and how to replace them with evidence-based practices.

You can examine your beliefs about intelligence, learning, and teaching as an educator. This will help you create inclusive and neuroscience-informed classrooms. Use this resource to change your teaching by clearing up myths and using practices that match how the brain learns.

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Conexiones: The Learning Sciences Platform

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Debunking Neuromyths: Transform Your Teaching Practice Today!

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Understanding and Overcoming Myths to Advance Learning and Teaching

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International Report: Neuromyths and Evidence-Based Practices in Higher Education

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International Report: Neuromyths and Evidence-Based Practices in Higher Education

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This international study explores the prevalence of neuromyths among higher education professionals and their awareness of evidence-based practices. It examines predictors of neuromyth belief, general brain knowledge, and familiarity with Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) science among instructors, instructional designers, and administrators.

The report shows how higher education can use knowledge about brain functions to improve teaching, course design, and leadership. This resource helps educators align their teaching methods with neuroscience and understand how people learn better.

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Neuromyths are false beliefs, often associated with teaching and learning, that stem from misconceptions or misunderstandings about brain function. While belief in neuromyths has been established as prevalent among the general public and K-12 teachers, literature about neuromyth belief among higher education professionals (instructors, instructional designers, and administrators) has not been well-researched. This international study examined:

Awareness of neuromyths and general knowledge about the brain among higher education professionals across institutional types, course delivery modes, roles, and a variety of characteristics such as demographics, teaching experience, and level of education;

Awareness of evidence-based practices from the learning sciences and Mind (psychology), Brain (neuroscience), and Education (pedagogy and didactics; MBE) science among higher education professionals;

Predictors of awareness of neuromyths, general knowledge about the brain, and evidence-based practices among higher education professionals; and

Interest among instructors, instructional designers, and administrators in scientific knowledge about the brain and its influence on learning.

This study includes not only answers to important research questions, but practice-oriented information that is useful for pedagogy, course design, and leadership, as well as for further research on this topic.

Download Report

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International Report: Neuromyths and Evidence-Based Practices in Higher Education - OLC

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Neuromyths are false beliefs, often associated with teaching and learning, that stem from misconceptions or misunderstandings about brain function. While belief in neuromyths has been established as prevalent among the general public and K-12 teachers, literature about neuromyth belief Read More >

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Explorations of Creativity: a Review for Educators and Policy Making

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Explorations of Creativity: a Review for Educators and Policy Making

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Dr. Helen Abadzi and her team's report examines how creativity works and why it matters. It provides research-based insights for teachers and policymakers. The report questions common ideas about creativity and emphasizes its essential role in human development and learning at every age.

The review combines cognitive psychology and neuroscience findings and suggests ways to improve teaching methods and educational policies. Educators and policymakers can use this resource to create better learning environments and encourage creativity as a powerful tool.

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Jarred Andrews is a graduate student at Drexel University, specializing in creative diplomacy through the lens of creativity and innovation. With over 18 years of experience across nonprofit, education, and public health sectors, he has successfully managed various technical projects, from telehealth programs to statewide initiatives.

As a communications strategist and technologist, Jarred leverages creativity, innovation, and technology to design scalable frameworks that help to address systemic challenges. This toolkit reflects his commitment to empowering educators and fostering impactful reform through structured, actionable strategies.

Please reach out for questions, ideas, or collaboration opportunities. Jarred welcomes connections that inspire meaningful change and dialogue.

Personal Email: jarredjandrews@gmail.com (general inquiries, partnerships)

School Email: jarred.j.andrews@drexel.edu (academic opportunities, networking)

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jarredandrews

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This Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Welcoming Schools guide creatively offers actionable steps for educators to support LGBTQIA2S+ students post-election. It includes strategies for fostering inclusive classrooms, addressing biased-based bullying, and building trust with students and families. This resource also provides links to vital mental health and LGBTQ+ support networks, helping educators create affirming, safe spaces for all.

Cognitive processes used:

Metacognition: Prompts educators to reflect on their classroom practices and roles in fostering inclusion.

Convergent Thinking: Provides actionable steps and strategies for creating a supportive and inclusive environment.