It’s time, innovate and let go of fear

an #etmooc participant blog post published on
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Once you stop learning, you start dying – Albert Einstein

  • Why do we teach?
  • How do we learn?
  • What does a successful learner look like?
  • What does a successful teacher look like?
This kind of questions are fascinating to me. When I think I get to know the answer, I find myself questioning again and answering them in a different way as I move forward in the amazing process of becoming and being a whole teacher.

My gratitude to Alec Couros for ETMOOC, the beginning of a new Chapter in the way I approach PD. 

It seems that the Couros share a special gene, and after reading the story about their dad, I think you will agree with me.

It was then, in 2013, when I first met (well virtually! you got it, right?) Dave Cormier talking about Rhyzomatic Learning and asking questions like:

Why do we teach?
What does a successful learner look like?

I blogged about this here. 

WHY DO WE TEACH?  #InnovatorsMindset and #Rhysomatic
  • to prepare students for life
  • to train them to be good and responsible citizens
  • to help them solve problems
  • to be leaders
  • to learn on their own
  • to learn what they need
  • to wonder
  • to explore
  • to satisfy curiosity 

CHANGE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING AMAZING. #InnovatorsMindset

I have created a new space for learning, “Cultivate your Passions in English,” my students know that together we will explore whatever they want or need to learn. 

In order to launch this project I really had to get out of my comfort zone. I kept asking myself, why innovate if my students are happy with what we already have? What if they don’t feel comfortable with this new journey and decide to quit? What if …?

It’s time, innovate and let go of fear.


The truth is once we started, even when I was making mistakes, even when I might not have been ready for such a change, I realised that I couldn’t go back to what used to be enough. 


Why do you teach?

I teach to empower students to live a better life. Sounds a bit like a cliche, but that’s what I really feel. 

My daily motivation is to inspire my students to find “their way” to be more successful in their personal and professional lives.  I am by their side helping them cultivate curiosity and openness to learn. 

George Couros says 

I saw frustrated educators go above and beyond to create powerful learning opportunities for our students. (page 1207. Kindle Version. Getting paper books delivered to my country is hard! But we are working to improve it)

I feel that there are so many educators even repressing their creativity, which might be so malign, as they find no support from school systems. And I really feel sorry for the teachers and for our kids. 

My students also feel frustrated at work. 

There’s no space of innovation or creativity in my work.

 I wish I could implement a little of what I learn about presenting ideas in my class at work, but I would be seen as non-professional. They do not expect that of me


Sometimes, I just do not have an answer to their problems, but I always encourage them to keep moving in the way that they feel make them happier, to expand and to take risks, failing is OK, we are not in our class to pass an exam but to enjoy the power of creating through learning. Or learning by creating? 

I know that once we start looking at things from a different angle, in time we become unstoppable. 

Before I launched “Cultivate your Passions in English”, I took some time to explore areas of art, journalling, home decor, gardening and even cooking to see how it feels when I am doing things that do not come easy for me. And I kept recording myself to see how I look, because I felt so happy during those moments of painting with acrylics (first time in my life) or putting flowers in a base with a new intention, making it a moment of creativity. 

I tell my students,

The more I create, the more I create. 

The more I enjoy, the more I enjoy.

They laugh when they hear it for the first time, until one day they are the ones repeating these ideas, and not only repeating but really creating and having fun while they learn.

Maybe most of the work on developing the innovator’s mindset should focus on the people who have the power to take important decisions. 

But please please let’s all be part of the movement, so we are ready when the moment comes. In the meantime we, teachers, are experts in breaking some rules out of doing what is best for our beloved students. 

If you want to visit my blog in Spanish, please come and join us here. Charlas Compartidas started as a result of the time I spent exploring on creativity, letting go of fear, being authentic and moving from inspiration into action.
Image attribution. Creative Market