When school and district leaders read about innovation—defined as improvements for students and teachers that result in real progress, not anything that’s simply “new or different”—the changes can seem daunting. How do they build innovation as a habit into their DNA of their organization at a practical level? What are the real pitfalls?

I spoke recently to the leadership team at a network of schools. Afterward, they offered some reflections, which they shared with me. That in turn sparked a few reflections of my own, which I’m sharing in the hopes that it makes innovation in more schools more possible.