Research: Why Do Teachers Innovate?
Fremont Street invested in the Clayton Christensen Institute to design and execute a study to deeply understand why teachers in various contexts and at varying points in their careers make the decision to implement new instructional strategies in their schools and classrooms. The study leverages “Jobs to be Done" theory outlined in Clayton Christensen’s book, “Competing Against Luck”. The paper, "Teachers' Quest for Progress" identifies four primary "jobs" that lead teachers to adopt new instructional strategies and outlines the forces that influence their decisions. It also provides direction to education leaders on engaging teachers for more successful change and innovation.
Objectives:
Elevate the conversation around the need for educators and other local stakeholders to have an active voice and role in leading change in their schools
Produce actionable insights, through a new lens, that can inform the design and implementation of new initiatives in schools, as well as communication and change management strategies
Regional Educator-Led Innovation Initiatives
Fremont Street invested in Tegy, a school design software and professional services organization, to support up to 50 schools in suburban and rural school districts in three states to begin the process of reimagining their schools. Tegy will lead a series of design institutes and provide ongoing consulting to participating schools as they enter the design process. The Institutes provide school teams the space and support to design better daily experiences for their students, teachers, and staff. A cohort of schools in each state will come together to examine assumptions and expand their thinking around resource allocation, and visualize new ways to organize their day -- supporting the vision and mission of their school while acknowledging the real world within which they are operating.
Institutes in Colorado and New Jersey launched in Fall 2018 in collaboration with regional partners, the Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) and Rutgers University Graduate School of Education.