Don Wettrick, CEO and co-founder of StartEdUp Innovation program, and a current high school teach, talks about the cultivating innovation and creativity in the classroom, harnessing a learner’s internal motivation, and giving students opportunities to solve problems they’re passionate about.
What you’ll hear from Don Wettrick:
- Why and how did Don create an Innovation course at his school, and ultimately the StartEdUp Innovation program?
- What was challenging about getting his students involved during the early stages, when it was just extra time during his class?
- When do students lose their curiosity or learning?
- How much does a reward really motivate students?
- What would the process look like to develop and nurture internally motivated learners through elementary school?
- What’s the difference between creativity and imagination?
- How can a parent help their child be more innovative outside of school?
- What does Don recommend as a good consumption v. production ratio?
- How does changing consumption habits – how much, and what – impact the way Don’s students and own children think?
- How does building community within a cohort of “creators” impact a student’s relationship?
- Does participation in Don’s high school class impact his students other grades?
- How do mastery, autonomy and purpose mix together best?
- What does it look like to be in Don’s Innovation Class?
- 6-7 weeks of class
- Basics of innovation
- How to think creatively
- Building a professional social media presence
- Remainder of class is “open source learning”
- Volunteer with struggling non-profits, to see problems close up
- Statewide student “Pitch” competition
- Helping struggling local businesses
- 6-7 weeks of class
- What sort of projects have his students build?
- What story do you tell yourself, about yourself?
- Is there a difference between improvement and new opportunity?
- How would Don hope to integrate innovation development into schools in his 10-year dream?
- Contact: @DonWettrick on Twitter
- What did Don’s father mean when he told him to “Pay himself first”?
- Why does Don think it’s important to fail?
Listen to Brad and Jonathan’s thoughts about this episode here.
Links:
- “Daniel Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation”
- Freakonomics
- You Will Lose Your Job to a Robot—and Sooner Than You Think
