Teachers discuss ideas at All Saints Episcopal School in Tyler, Texas, on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018. Author, thought leader and educator Grant Lichtman spoke to students and staff about innovation and encouraging thought. (Chelsea Purgahn/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Most guest speakers tell their story, but author Grant Lichtman did something different during his recent trip to All Saints Episcopal School – he helped students, staff and visiting teachers learn how to write their story.

Lichtman’s work focuses on finding new ways to transform education across the country. Lichtman spent more than a year visiting schools while writing his last book, “Moving the Rock: Seven Lessons We Can Press to Transform Education.”

What he found was that schools are now in an era where radical transformation can be done in just a few years, as opposed to a decade or more.

During his visit to All Saints, Lichtman and Headmaster Mike Cobb decided to try something new.

Lichtman met with the people who had the most at stake in changes to their school, the youngest student. More than 300 lower school students participated in breakout sessions with Lichtman, doing exercises in rapid prototyping in order to discern what they felt could benefit their campus.

“We found they had great questions and diverse ideas,” he said.  “We realized our kids have the same concerns that we do.”

The students took the activity seriously and came up with ideas such as exploring internships in more fields and bringing in the technology they may be using when they’re older. Lichtman said changes in technology can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

“How do I keep up with the technology my child has?” he asked. “One answer is work with your child, don’t just try to teach them.”

Lichtman and Cobb were left with a lot of great ideas and enthusiasm, all before the adults even walked into the room.

More than 100 educators, board members and stakeholders were on hand for his afternoon discussion with the teachers. Lichtman said All Saints has done a great job figuring out the “Why” of why change matters, so he wanted to spend his time with them focusing on the “How.”

“Why should we change our schools? Because our mission is radically different than it was 20 years ago,” he said.

Lichtman told the educators that they have to look beyond what is cutting edge right now and figure out what they want their school to look like further down the line, but it is the culture not the assets that will truly change their school.

“To guess what a kindergartener will have as their high school experience isn’t reasonable,” he said. “What does this word innovation mean? Most people think it’s about technology. Technology is an enabler. Ideas that enhance the value of an organization is true innovation.”

Lichtman said the most important thing anyone in the audience should remember, whether they are a teacher or a student, is that they can lead from wherever they are.

Twitter: @TMT_Cory