Iterate

Innovate and implement new, effective ways of teaching in your school

In Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools, veteran educator, MIT professor, and incorrigible innovator Justin Reich delivers an insightful bridge between contemporary educational research and classroom teaching, showing you how to leverage the cycle of experiment and experience to create a compelling and engaging learning environment. In the book, you'll learn how to employ a process of continuous improvement and tinkering to develop exciting new programs, activities, processes, and designs.

The author draws on over two decades of experience with educators, education researchers, and school leaders to explain how to apply the latest advances in the academic literature to your school, classroom, or online/hybrid course. You'll also find:

• Complimentary access to two popular courses archived at the MIT Open Learning Library: Launching Innovation in Schools and Design Thinking for Leading and Learning
• Insights grounded in extensive scholarly experience in design and innovation from Prof. Reich and the MIT Teaching Systems Lab
• Strategies for combining the most effective evidence-based teaching methods with the flexibility and creativity displayed by schools during the COVID-19 pandemic

An invaluable strategic playbook for innovative teaching, Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools is perfect for PK-12 school and district leaders, teacher leaders, and educators.

Introduction: The Secret to School Improvement 7

My Best Teaching Ever: Wilderness Medicine 7

Creating Time and Space for Iteration 9

Iterative Improvement at MIT 10

Three Cycles for Iterative Improvement 11

The Cycle of Experiment and Peer Learning 13

Design Thinking for Leading and Learning 15

Collaborative Innovation Cycle 17

Three Principles for Iteration 18

Think In Cycles and Spirals 19

Act in Short Design Cycles 19

Improve in Community 19

Chapter 1: What is the Cycle of Experiment and Peer Learning? 21

Changing the Complex, Fine-Grained Work of Teaching 24

Teachers Primarily Change Their Pedagogy in Response to Other Teachers 26

Three Phases to the Cycle of Experiment and Peer Learning 27

Experiment 28

Experience 29

Plan 32

What’s missing from the Cycle of Experiment and Peer Learning 33

Evaluation and Measurement 34

Loss 35

Power, Difference, and Design Justice 37

Leadership and the Cycle of Experiment and Peer Learning 40

Chapter 2: Spinning the Cycle of Experiment and Peer Learning 44

Creating More Opportunities for Experimentation 46

Pointing a Light: Targets of Difficulty 47

Making Time: Summer Innovation Funding 47

Finding the Resources All Around You: Students as Designers 49

Innovation Staffing: Department Heads, Coaches, and Teachers on Special Assignment 50

Using the Bully Pulpit 51

Making Team Learning Richer: Looking at Student Work and Instructional Rounds 53

The Proof of the Pudding: Looking at Student Work 53

Getting into Classrooms: Instructional Rounds 54

Institutional Learning: Ramping up Planning through Peer-to-Peer Learning 56

Meeting Times are Instructional Sharing Times 58

Teacher Led Peer-to-Peer Learning 59

Seeing Outside Expertise as the Catalyst Teacher to Peer-to-Peer Learning 61

Rowing in the Same Direction: Creating Common Instructional Language and a Shared Vision 62

Preparing to Communicate Together: Creating a Common Instructional Language 62

Developing a Shared Vision: Right-Sized Goals 64

Iterating Forward with The Cycle of Experiment and Peer Learning 66

Chapter 3: What is Design Thinking? 68

From Waterfalls to Sprints: A Brief History of Design 71

From Dewey to Design Thinking 74

The Design Justice Critiques of Design Thinking 76

Getting Started with Design Thinking for Leading and Learning 78

Key Principles to Design Thinking for Leading and Learning 81

Six Phases for Design Thinking for Leading and Learning 84

Discover 84

Focus 88

Imagine 91

Prototype 93

Try 97

Reflect & Share 99

Reflection and Inclusion 101

Conclusion 102

Chapter 4: Getting Started with Design 104

Discover 104

Research to Discover: Surveys, Interviews, and Observations 104

Iterating on Discovery 106

Combining Local Knowledge with Education Research 108

Focus 109

Going from Observable Data to Underlying Challenges 109

Finalizing a Focus Area 112

Imagine 113

User Personas (or Community Personas) 114

Imagine by Analogy 115

Imagining from Flare to Focus 117

Prototype 118

Sketching and Storyboarding 119

Paper Prototyping and Wireframing 121

Physical Prototyping and Rehearsals 123

Try 124

When to Try Out Your Prototypes 125

How to Try Out Your Prototypes 126

Who Should Try Out Your Prototypes 130

Reflect & Share 132

Design Crits 132

Conclusion 134

Chapter 5: The Collaborative Innovation Cycle 136

Four Phases of the Collaborative Innovation Cycle 139

Developing the Collaborative Innovation Cycle with Peter Senge 142

Looking Inwards and Outwards, Setting the Frame for the Collaborative Innovation Cycle 143

Systems Thinking in Schools 143

Who Leads? Distributed Leadership in Schools 145

Key Principles for the Collaborative Innovation Cycle 146

Bringing People Together Around Ideas They Care About 147

Four Questions for Innovation 150

Refining a Vision and Getting to Work 154

Building from Personal Visions to Shared Vision 155

Managing Difference in a Shared Vision 159

The Someday-Monday Dilemma 161

Getting to Work: The Cycle of Experiment and Peer Learning, and Design Thinking for Leading and Learning 164

Working Together Through Ups and Downs 165

Four Fields of Listening 171

Tools for Better Listening: The Ladder of Inference 176

Addressing Disagreement Through a Bias to Action 180

Measuring Progress and Adjusting 183

Key Principles for Measuring Progress and Adjusting 184

Distinguishing Assessment from Evaluation 186

Gathering Evidence from Artifacts of Learning 188

Gathering Evidence from People 193

Using Assessment to Revitalize Initiatives and to Get Unstuck 198

Conclusion 199

Chapter 6: Tools and Strategies for the Collaborative Innovation Cycle 201

Activities for Bringing People Together Around Ideas They Care About 201

Visions for a Powerful Learning Environment 202

Four Questions for Innovation 204

Asset Mapping 208

Activities for Refining a Vision and Getting to Work 211

Exploring Possible Visions: Rightboro Scenarios 211

Refining a Vision: The Someday/Monday Starter Kit 218

Part 1 - Someday: What Does Awesome Look Like? 218

Part 2 - Monday: Concrete Steps 220

Activities for Working Together Through Ups and Downs 221

Activity: Left-Hand Column Case 222

Activities for Measuring Progress and Adjusting 225

Assessment Planning Scenarios 225

Assessment Plan 230

From Launching Innovation in Schools to Sustaining Innovation in Schools 232

Conclusion: Cycles, Endings, and Beginnings 234

Balancing Coherence and Innovation 234

When Cycles End 235

Final Thoughts: Inclusion and Joy 237

Appendix 1: Design Thinking Starter Project Walkthrough: Helping a Friend with a Routine or Event 239

Step 1: Discover: Prepare for & Conduct an Initial Interview 239

Prepare & Conduct Interview Template 241

Example Interview 243

Step 2: Focus: Identify a Specific Design Problem 246

Key Takeaways Template 247

Key Takeaways Example 248

Step 3a: Imagine new Solutions 250

Brainstorm Template 251

Brainstorm Template 253

Step 3b: Choosing a Solution for Prototyping 254

Step 4: Prototype Your Solution 255

Step 5: Try out your Prototype, Get User Feedback, and Iterate 258

Design Hypothesis Tryout Template 259

Feedback Template 261

Feedback Example 263

Step 7: Reflect and Share 266

Appendix 2: Design Thinking for Leading and Learning in Practice Walkthrough 268

Discover 269

Discover 1a: Find Your Team 269

Discover 1b: Review The School Change Status Quo 269

Discover 1c: Identify a Problem of Practice 270

Discover 1d: Identify Stakeholders 272

Discover 1e: Gather Stakeholder Perspectives on Your Problem of Practice through Interviews, Observations, Student Work, or Surveys 272

Discover 1f: Research and Comparison schools 275

Focus 276

Focus 2a: Thinking About Needs (Focus) 276

Step 3: Brainstorm Solutions (Imagine) 278

Step 3b: Evaluate Ideas (Imagine) 279

Step 4: Plan Initial Steps (Prototype) 280

Step 5: Take a Step and Iterate (Try) 284

Step 7: Reflect & Share 286

Justin Reich started his career as a high school history teacher and is now an associate professor at MIT and the director of the Teaching Systems Lab. He is the author of Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can’t Transform Education. He earned his doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

A flexible, creative, research-backed approach to making a lasting difference in education

Teaching and learning can happen better and faster when we follow a cyclical process of launching, evaluating, and improving what we do. Instead of waiting until the beginning of a new semester or new unit to try new things, we can embrace a mindset and a practice of testing out small changes all the time. The result of making iteration central to education is greater gains and improved learning outcomes. In this book, leading educational innovator Justin Reich shows you the way. Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools bridges research and practice, offering a concrete framework and hands-on guidance for educators and education leaders who want to bring the spirit of experimentation to their work.

“Justin Reich stands out as one of the most brilliant minds in education reform. In his latest book Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools, he masterfully combines his extensive academic research and vast experience as an educator to create an immensely useful resource for guiding change in schools. This book offers an invaluable blend of concepts, strategies, and tools that empower school leaders and individuals to understand and effectively design innovation within educational communities.”
—Tom Daccord, Co-Founder of EdTechTeacher

Praise for Iterate

“There are lots of books out there talking about "change" in education. However, Justin has written one of the few, if not the only, one that talks honestly about the negatives of ‘top down’ change being done ‘to’ teachers and students, and points the way to ‘bottom up’ change done ‘with’ teachers, students and their families.”

- Larry Ferlazzo, High School educator, author, and Education Week teacher advice columnist

"I wish I had a red telephone in my office that I could pick up any time I wanted to talk with Justin Reich about the beautiful, sticky, and crucial work of helping schools evolve. This book will now sit on my desk and play the role of that phone. Iterate is packed with thoughtful perspectives, real stories, and actionable approaches for how we can create the conditions for positive change in schools. And it's all shared in a crisp conversational tone with vibrant illustrations. I never have to call Justin again!"

- Sam Seidel, co-author of Hip Hop Genius 2.0 and Creative Hustle; and K12 Lab Director of Strategy + Research at the Stanford School

“Perhaps the greatest praise I can give a new book is this: I want to give this to all my educator friends and colleagues. There is so much in this book that ‘works’! I found myself repeatedly saying, ‘Yes! Yes! I agree with that! Yes, that makes so much sense!’ Here’s one: ‘If we want students to try new ideas; teachers must do so, too.’ Or this one, ‘Design as flare and focus,’ or even more powerful the idea of having more adults in schools who still teach part-time. And the best, ‘only teachers can change teaching and learning.’ There are so many invaluable nuggets of wisdom and truth in this book. And the best, most of it is available for free through creative commons. Reich has given the field an important and exciting new resource.”

- Linda Nathan, lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and founding Head of Boston Arts Academy

“Justin Reich stands out as one of the most brilliant minds in education reform. In his latest book Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools, he masterfully combines his extensive academic research and vast experience as an educator to create an immensely useful resource for guiding change in schools. This book offers an invaluable blend of concepts, strategies, and tools that empower school leaders and individuals to understand and effectively design innovation within educational communities.”

- Tom Daccord, co-founder of EdTechteacher

“In Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools, Reich masterfully synthesizes decades of research and practice into a powerful set of strategies that help spark change in education. Acknowledging that schools are complex systems that operate on many levels, the three practical and ready-to-implement approaches shared in this book demonstrate how to engage all stakeholders in collaborative experimentation that works!”

- Tom Driscoll, CEO of EdTechTeacher

“In The Magic School Bus, Ms. Frizzle gives her students some great advice: ‘Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.’ In his timely new book Iterate, Justin Reich gives similar advice for classroom teachers and school leaders, providing useful examples and practical tips on how to innovate at all levels of the school ecosystem by continually experimenting with new approaches and making changes based on the results, over and over again.”

- Mitch Resnick, Professor at MIT, Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, and Developer of the Scratch creative computing community

“Iterate is more than a guide—it's an irresistible call to action for educators, leading toward innovation and systemic transformation. Reich, with his impressive wisdom drawn from profound involvement in educational reform, weaves compelling narratives that make this book a captivating journey. Rich in research-based practices, this work is not merely about reading cover to cover, but learning, applying, and iterating upon the myriad lessons and practical strategies it imparts. An essential compass in the pursuit of educational metamorphosis, Iterate masterfully turns insights into action.”

- Eric Klopfer, Professor at MIT and Director of the Scheller Teacher Education Program

“Reich by no means underestimates the challenges and complexity of promoting innovation in schools and what it can require of teachers and school leaders. But this is a hope-inspiring, energizing book that will be immensely helpful for all educators who are trying to roll up their sleeves and get on with exploring, prototyping, trying, reflecting—and iterating on—the kinds of locally-responsive improvements to teaching and learning that all students need and deserve. Reich deftly and coherently steers the reader through a plethora of ideas—some well-known and some his own—that can be tried out on Monday within a single classroom or used to inform large-scale, systemic change.”

- Liz Dawes Duraisingh, Co-Director and Principal Investigator at Project Zero, Lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and author of Inquiry-Driven Innovation: A Practical Guide to Supporting School-Based Change

"Justin Reich has written a gem of a book. Iterate is a how-to manual for climbing out of that rut and rediscovering the creative processes that reside in all of us. It should be on every educator's bookshelf."

- Sam Wineburg, Margaret Jacks Professor of Education, Emeritus, Stanford University, Founder of the Stanford History Education Group

“This is a book for every educator, community member, family member, and policymaker interested in learning more about the work they do to improve it. Drawing from his rich and robust experiences as well as transdisciplinary perspectives on designing and improving teaching, Reich has produced a powerful book that innovates as it educates.”

- H. Richard Milner IV, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair of Education, Immediate-Past President, American Educational Research Association, and author of The Race Card

“Intuitively we know that teachers are the driving force of change and administrators need to create the conditions for this to happen but rarely is that articulated, much less given a road map.”

- Melanie Ching, Director of Community & Engagement at What School Could Be