Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner is an engaging book that compares the common characteristics of young innovators and those who have supported and guided them throughout their education. Wagner begins by defining his vision what innovation means; “... a major innovation is one that is so successful that soon after its introduction few people can even remember what life was like before the innovation was introduced.” (Wagner, 2012, p. 8) As the author introduces each of the young innovators he studied the reader also meets their parents, teachers, and mentors. The book directs the reader to 1 to 2 minute videos of the individuals being interviewed. I enjoyed these breakaway videos that were inserted into various points in the text. The personal interview snippets were not long enough to distract from the reading but they did provided a more personal connection to the subjects of the story. I found that it to be a very effective strategy to keep the reader engaged.
In searching for the common characteristics of innovators, Wagner identifies that his subjects have all had similar experiences in how their learning was nurtured. Specifically, parents and mentors who encouraged them to explore in a less structured and more self inspired manner cultivating intrinsic motivations. Wagner refers to these intrinsic motivations as play, passion and purpose. They would play at many things until they found their passion. Then they followed their passions giving purpose to their lives. These young innovators of today are not motivated by the carrot and stick strategies of the past. They seem to be motivated, in general, by more altruistic ideologies.
Wagner then turns his discussion to innovating learning. “The essential point is that education for innovation must be constructed consciously and needs to cultivate the capabilities for collaboration, multidisciplinary inquiry, trial and error, and the creation of new ideas, products, and services. It must also incorporate the intrinsic motivations of play, passion, and purpose in learning.” (Wagner, 2012, p. 201) Wagner uses the experiences of the young innovators he is studying to provide examples of these strategies and how they impacted the students. The example that most intrigued me was the MIT prank that Wagner presented as and an example of how learning can occur through play. Students had to sneak all the parts of a car to the roof of a building and then assemble it on top of the dome. This stood out to me as something that required a significant amount of planning, ingenuity, and collaboration.
I am definitely a fan of the concepts presented by the author but I was left with some questions. As a secondary mathematics teacher, bound to implementing state standards and a curriculum designated by the school district, what specifically can I do to guide my students to pursue their passions? Who is the target audience that needs to be convinced of the need for education reform to create innovators? Is it the public at large, school districts, businesses, colleges and universities, politicians, parents? Does everyone need to be an innovator? Isn’t there still a place for individuals who were highly specialized in their respective fields? Won’t they need to be provided the educational rigor to develop the necessary level of content knowledge?
Over all I enjoyed the book. If you are looking for a book to put you in the mindset of how to create young innovators this is an inspiring option for you. The explicits of what, we as teachers, can do is left to the teachers to determine within the context of your content area and the confines of your school site.
Sources:
Wagner, T. (2012). Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. New York: Scribner.
In searching for the common characteristics of innovators, Wagner identifies that his subjects have all had similar experiences in how their learning was nurtured. Specifically, parents and mentors who encouraged them to explore in a less structured and more self inspired manner cultivating intrinsic motivations. Wagner refers to these intrinsic motivations as play, passion and purpose. They would play at many things until they found their passion. Then they followed their passions giving purpose to their lives. These young innovators of today are not motivated by the carrot and stick strategies of the past. They seem to be motivated, in general, by more altruistic ideologies.
Wagner then turns his discussion to innovating learning. “The essential point is that education for innovation must be constructed consciously and needs to cultivate the capabilities for collaboration, multidisciplinary inquiry, trial and error, and the creation of new ideas, products, and services. It must also incorporate the intrinsic motivations of play, passion, and purpose in learning.” (Wagner, 2012, p. 201) Wagner uses the experiences of the young innovators he is studying to provide examples of these strategies and how they impacted the students. The example that most intrigued me was the MIT prank that Wagner presented as and an example of how learning can occur through play. Students had to sneak all the parts of a car to the roof of a building and then assemble it on top of the dome. This stood out to me as something that required a significant amount of planning, ingenuity, and collaboration.
I am definitely a fan of the concepts presented by the author but I was left with some questions. As a secondary mathematics teacher, bound to implementing state standards and a curriculum designated by the school district, what specifically can I do to guide my students to pursue their passions? Who is the target audience that needs to be convinced of the need for education reform to create innovators? Is it the public at large, school districts, businesses, colleges and universities, politicians, parents? Does everyone need to be an innovator? Isn’t there still a place for individuals who were highly specialized in their respective fields? Won’t they need to be provided the educational rigor to develop the necessary level of content knowledge?
Over all I enjoyed the book. If you are looking for a book to put you in the mindset of how to create young innovators this is an inspiring option for you. The explicits of what, we as teachers, can do is left to the teachers to determine within the context of your content area and the confines of your school site.
Sources:
Wagner, T. (2012). Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. New York: Scribner.