{"id":72189,"date":"2023-07-01T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-01T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=72189"},"modified":"2023-08-28T11:35:45","modified_gmt":"2023-08-28T15:35:45","slug":"try-something-new","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/magazine\/articles\/2023\/try-something-new\/","title":{"rendered":"Try Something New"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin magazine-block-editorial-leadin is-style-side-by-side has-media has-wider has-media-focus-center-middle has-quaternary-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2133\" height=\"2560\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-scaled.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Greg Benoit sitting and smiling infront of children play blocks\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-scaled.jpg 2133w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-500x600.jpg 500w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-1250x1500.jpg 1250w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-768x922.jpg 768w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-1280x1536.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-1706x2048.jpg 1706w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-688x826.jpg 688w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-287x344.jpg 287w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-441x529.jpg 441w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-568x682.jpg 568w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-860x1032.jpg 860w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-1100x1321.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-573x688.jpg 573w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-881x1058.jpg 881w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-1136x1364.jpg 1136w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-1376x1652.jpg 1376w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-1719x2064.jpg 1719w, https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/1-Greg-833x1000.jpg 833w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2133px) 100vw, 2133px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Photos by Michael D. Spencer<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTry Something New\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Greg Benoit of BU\u2019s Earl Center for Learning &amp; Innovation on how to take risks in your teaching<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar magazine-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">July 1, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/bu-author\/andrew-thurston\/\">Andrew Thurston<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s an escape the room-style challenge:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find the missing student, you have to make it through a series of puzzles. Solve one and you can open a lockbox that\u2019ll give you a clue to help figure out the next mystery. Crack them all and you\u2019ll find the student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need to stretch your math skills to succeed. Greg Benoit invented the lockbox game to teach his students how to apply systems of equations, those formulas packed with xs and ys. Students in a classroom are given a set of blocks marked with coordinate points, equations, clues to analyze, and a set of lockboxes holding more mysteries. It\u2019s one of many creative teaching innovations Benoit\u2019s come up with to keep his students engaged in learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Benoit helps lead BU Wheelock\u2019s Earl Center for Learning &amp; Innovation, which develops, pilots, and supports new approaches to teaching and the use of technology in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of my research interests is gamification in mathematics, and how we apply game-based learning principles in our mathematics classrooms,\u201d says Benoit, a lecturer in math education and former Boston Public Schools math teacher. \u201cThere\u2019s something interesting about playing games, right? That can be very useful in a math setting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2019\/11\/11-Casual-Greg-209x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46673\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>At the Earl Center, Benoit provides training and other opportunities for students, faculty, and alums to help them experiment and share ideas. Recent events for educators have included a STEM institute and an assistive technology training session. Current projects include a seed grant to support faculty research, including an augmented reality program that allows students to tackle real-world scenarios\u2014such as reacting to a racist comment in a classroom\u2014in a supervised lab setting. The center is also a resource for new classroom materials and technologies, covering kindergarten to college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs teachers, we have a habit of creating what we\u2019ve experienced; the Earl Center is a place where you can experience something different,\u201d says Benoit, who joined BU Wheelock in fall 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>BU Wheelock asked Benoit for his tips for educators ready to shake up their teaching practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1: Start Small<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to resource website busyteacher.org, American teachers spend eight hours a day teaching. Then another hour helping kids who need extra support. Then another three to five hours planning, grading, and talking with parents. When exactly are they supposed to experiment with a new activity or technology?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Benoit says innovation doesn\u2019t have to be a burden. For instance, he\u2019s started spending 10 minutes a week talking with his students about math, not just teaching them about it: What do they think of mathematics? What do they like or dislike? The conversation allows him to highlight gaps in their knowledge\u2014and their confidence\u2014then figure out ways to fill them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStarting small can help build momentum,\u201d says Benoit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He recommends the Innovators\u2019 Compass (innovatorscompass.org), a tool for those who\u2019d like to try something different, but aren\u2019t sure where to start. It has five topics wannabee innovators can work through to spark new ideas\u2014and find ways to put them into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy thoughts can be boiled down to a simple equation: new variables equals new problems equals new solutions,\u201d says Benoit. \u201cThe challenges facing educators today are significantly different than those educators have faced in the past: evolving technology, rapidly expanding research, and developing cultural awareness are all facets interacting with the field of education. With these new variables comes the need for new, innovative solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2: Technology \u2260 Innovation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kids love video games, and 3-D printers are fun, but groundbreaking education doesn\u2019t necessarily happen in the most tricked-out classroom. Even a piece of paper can be innovative, says Benoit, offering a demonstration. On his office shelf is a two-foot-tall cardboard tower with a platform on top. He places a small cardboard truck at the base of the tower and a ping-pong ball on the platform. Using only a thin strip of paper, you have to get the ball into the truck\u2014without touching the ball, tower, or vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He recently teamed up with EXPLO, an education innovation nonprofit, to lead this critical-thinking engineering problem with his colleagues at a faculty meeting. By the end, he says, the successful teams were jazzed: middle-aged professors whooping and high-fiving each other as the ball flowed down the ramps they\u2019d built using their strip of paper. As a teacher, he\u2019d created a memorable experience\u2014not just a lesson\u2014using a few rolls of paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy goal as an educator isn\u2019t to dump knowledge into you; you have a $1,000 phone, you can Google pretty much anything you want to know,\u201d he says. \u201cMy job is to turn you into a problem solver.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The careers of the future won\u2019t be dependent on memorizing the quadratic formula, he says, but thinking about how the equation can be used. In the case of the tower problem, says Benoit, \u201cunderstanding how the parent function can help you create the equation needed to build your system and how the domain\/range can help you understand the height of each section and the distance of each section.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, you can still build inspiring lessons with technology. Benoit once had his own students use geometry\u2014translation, dilation, and reflection\u2014to design and 3-D print prototype furniture for people with disabilities. But it\u2019s wrong to think technology is the only answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s incorrect to think innovation is primarily based on technologies, to think that innovation lies within the equipment,\u201d says Benoit. \u201cInnovation lies within the person; how do we utilize it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3: Take a Free Online Course<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those who get stuck in a routine or can only think of all the reasons an idea won\u2019t work, Benoit suggests taking a free online course in design thinking. It\u2019s a problem-solving approach commonly used by engineers. They think of who might use a solution and how they might benefit, rather than the problem they\u2019re solving or the impediments to success. This human-centered approach supposedly sparks more alternative ideas and encourages faster prototyping. Design thinking can inspire students, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDesign thinking is a tool that shows students thinking is not linear but iterative,\u201d says Benoit. \u201cThe job of an educator is to help students become active participants in the world, but their world is changing. The majority of jobs students of today are going to be competing for have not yet been created.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>BU is a member of the edX platform, which offers free online courses on design thinking. You can also access BU\u2019s courses on evidenced-based STEM teaching at edx.org\/school\/bux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4: Take Risks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Benoit was teaching ninth-grade math in Boston Public Schools, his principal invited a respected researcher to his school. The researcher suggested an initiative that would include changes to the math curriculum. Benoit thought the new guidelines were an insult to his students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was supposed to be remediation and algebra recovery; it assumed they didn\u2019t know how to add,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd I\u2019m like, \u2018No, we\u2019re going to show them that you can do better.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He threw out the new guidelines and came up with his own plan. To empower his students, he had them lead the class, while he sat with their peers, gently guiding and asking pointed questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI remember so much pressure being on me, because you can\u2019t make a bold move like that and not have the spotlight on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the researcher came back to inspect his class, \u201cthe students killed it, they were on point.\u201d Benoit, however, got a negative mark for not sticking to the new plan. But it inspired him to pursue a doctoral degree, so he could help lead change he believed in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPrincipals are judged on numbers,\u201d says Benoit. When they see his presentations on an alternative teaching method or technology in Boston, they often respond: \u201cThis is great, this is cool; how is this going to help my kids on their MCAS,\u201d the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He admits it\u2019s hard to test that impact. It\u2019s one reason the Earl Center is supporting faculty research and sharing proven solutions with educators. But teachers and administrators also need to remember that standards aren\u2019t the reason they got into the job, says Benoit. And they need to channel that into taking the occasional risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen you think about high school or college, do you remember the lessons\u2014or the experiences?\u201d he asks of those moments when learning became fun and engaging. \u201cThe longer lasting of the two are the experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5: Find a Champion\u2014and Be One<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One reason schools roll along doing the same thing every day, according to Benoit, is because innovation isn\u2019t anyone\u2019s sole job. But there are people who can champion new ideas and support their implementation. It\u2019s a role Benoit wants the Earl Center to take on, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like a central location for teachers to access innovation,\u201d he says. \u201cYou might not have a 3-D printer, for example, and you might be confused as to how a 3-D printer actually works or its connection to your classroom. So come take a workshop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the center develops more strategies and classroom activities, it will begin to open-source them, allowing teachers across the country to find proven innovations. Benoit says that\u2019s something all educators can do, too: if you hit on a winning idea, share it and champion other people implementing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He hopes such advances encourage educators to stay connected to their passion for teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think the system does a great job of beating it out of you,\u201d says Benoit. \u201cIt becomes more of a routine: teachers lose their inspiration for action. I want to inspire a more ambitious type of teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Get Involved. To partner with the Earl Center or take advantage of its resources, visit bu.edu\/wheelock\/the-earl-center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>EARL CENTER FOR LEARNING &amp; INNOVATION<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Earl Center was founded in 2013 with a gift from Sylvia (\u201954) and James Earl to provide faculty and students a place to learn new technologies and pedagogies that will improve student learning. The Earls also created the Sylvia Earl Technology Fund to support the center\u2019s ongoing activities, such as the recent STEM institute and assistive technology training session. This fall, under the direction of Professor Beth Warren and in collaboration with new research faculty members Marie Olivares and Eli Tucker-Raymond, the center is launching a series of research studies and programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s an escape the room-style challenge: To find the missing student, you have to make it through a series of puzzles. Solve one and you can open a lockbox that\u2019ll give you a clue to help figure out the next mystery. Crack them all and you\u2019ll find the student. You\u2019ll need to stretch your math [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9090,"featured_media":46671,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[],"bu-publication":[6613],"magazine-article-category":[],"magazine-topic":[],"news-article-category":[],"news-topic":[],"bu_edition":[6925],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/72189"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9090"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72189"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/72189\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":72192,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/72189\/revisions\/72192"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46671"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72189"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=72189"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazine-article-category?post=72189"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazine-topic?post=72189"},{"taxonomy":"news-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-article-category?post=72189"},{"taxonomy":"news-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-topic?post=72189"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=72189"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/id-kayla.cms-devl.bu.edu\/wheelock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=72189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}