Prototype Toward the Vision

As I sit at my kitchen table playing with the new Hummingbird Kits I purchased for my 6th grade Makerspace unit redesign, I am reminded of a phrase Susie Wise mentioned during a recent Zoom about her book Design for Belonging, "Prototype toward the vision."

I am exploring the new kit just as I organized the unit for students to see if it will make sense and provide enough support. I expect they will encounter difficulties, but have worked to ensure my classroom has a climate that sees each challenge as an opportunity to learn. I can't help but think:

Do we do this as teachers?

Is our school climate a safe place to work toward our vision with the understanding that not everything will work out perfectly, even if well planned?

Are we willing to make mistakes and get messy like the teacher from The Magic School Bus series encouraged her students?

We expect our students to be vulnerable, take academic risks, and learn from failure, but are we brave enough to do the same with our instruction? Do we give ourselves grace and credit for stepping outside our comfort zone and trying something new? I am excited to start my redesigned unit on Monday, and I am giving myself a silent pep talk as I prototype toward my vision.