051 - Teacher Engagement and Divergent Thinking

Mandy Froehlich is an educator former instructional coach and Director of Innovation and Technology who passionately encourages educators to create innovative change in their classrooms. Her interest lies in reinvigorating and re-engaging teachers back into their profession as well as what's needed to support teachers in their pursuit of innovative and divergent thinking and teaching. Mandy consults internationally with school districts and post-secondary institutions in the effective use of technology to support teaching mental health for educators and how to create organizational change. Froehlich's work as a graduate instructor allows her to positively impact the next generation of instructional leaders. Her books on mental health awareness and educational engagement can be found on her website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Edumatch publishing.

Key Takeaways:

• Happiness is a human right.
• Build engagement through trust, support, and understanding what teachers need.
• Conversations containing emotion must always be done in person.
• Leaders must be explicit in determining how best to support teachers.
• Use the thinking protocol 1, 2, 4, and All.
• Organic conversations often yield the best results. Make sure you use different strategies outside of the norm to have conversations.
• The busier we are, the less time we have to be creative and innovative.
• Innovation is a teacher driven system that needs a positive culture and climate that takes teacher’s needs into consideration.
• We need to get out of the deficit thinking trap.
• Schools should be about the feeling or emotion you get when you walk into the building.
• Successful education requires the leveling out of the inhumane practices (testing, data, etc.) with the relationship building and human aspects.
• People have to feel as if you know them as a human if there is to be trust.

Contact:

Website: https://www.mandyfroehlich.com/

Books

• The Fire Within: Lessons from defeat that have inspired a passion for learning
• Divergent EDU: Challenging assumptions and limitations to create a culture of innovation
• The Educator's Matchbook: A weekly guide to reigniting your love of teaching, building resilience, and fighting burnout and disengagement
• Reignite the Flames: Finding our passion and purpose for learning among the embers

Twitter: @froehlichm

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