everyday heroes: innovation

MacGyver.

Yes, that MacGyver.

Public schools, for those who are unfamiliar, tend to have fewer resources than would be ideal. Special education tends to be even more impacted because students who require special education services need access to alternatives based on their different needs. I am fortunate that I work in a district with more resources than most, but there are still times where we find ourselves flying by the seats of our pants daily. In the past, I have worked in districts with fewer resources, and the flying pant thing was more of a minute-by-minute occurrence. I'm trying to think if I have ever used actual pants as a resource. Pretty sure I have when doing lessons on clothing ...

In my creative life (can't call it professional because I haven't been paid yet), the same need to try new things and to reuse tools and strategies in new ways exists. It's not the education of a child, but it is a means of personal fulfillment. Being stuck creatively requires a creative solution.

Which brings us back to Angus MacGyver, patron saint of making it work. All he needed was his trusty Swiss Army knife, whatever else was laying around, and a seemingly unsolvable problem. We don't always have everything we think we need. It's there that innovation comes in. Make it yourself, like MacGyver. Reuse what you have in new ways, like MacGyver. Try new things ---well, that's not like MacGyver, since he somehow seemed to know how to do everything, but you get the point. He knew how to apply his knowledge. Do that like MacGyver, or go learn it and then apply what you learn like MacGyver. He always managed to make it out alive. And so will we, if we're willing to be flexible and creative.