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May 21 2017

School Should Be Impractical (The Practical Benefits of Being Impractical)

By John Spencer Creativity, Creativity Deconstructed, Innovation No Comments
Schools are designed to be practical but this has a hidden drawback. Innovation is often impractical because it's unpredictable. So, what if the push toward "practical skills" in school is actually making learning impractical? And what if impractical ideas and skills we ignore are actually…
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May 04 2017

Was Yoda a Good Teacher? (Happy Star Wars Day)

By John Spencer Podcast, Teacher Life 4 Comments
Happy Star Wars Day! Here's a reflection about Yoda, teaching, and the deeply human element of being a teacher. Why Yoda Was a Bad Teacher A Fixed Mindset: Yoda took one look at Anakin Skywalker and determined that he had no future. He believed that…
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Apr 27 2017

Over 60,000 students from 12 countries are ready for the Global Day of Design #GDD17

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking 2 Comments

Last year over 40,000 students and 450 schools from 5 continents participated in the very first Global Day of Design. The hashtag went viral as students and teachers shared and launched their creative projects all day long around the globe. This year, we are doing…

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Apr 24 2017

Be Wildly and Unabashedly Different (My Hope for My Cohort as They Graduate)

By John Spencer Podcast, Teacher Life 2 Comments
My cohort graduates today. I feel so honored to be a part of their journey. So, here is my hope for them. My Cohort Is Graduating Last Wednesday, I sat at a table surrounded by members of my cohort. I listened to them share stories…
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Apr 03 2017

Getting Past the Attention-Span Myth (Thoughts on Creative Focus)

By John Spencer Creativity Deconstructed 8 Comments
There's a common cultural assumption that "kids these days" can't focus due to screen time. They simply lack the attention span needed to engage in deep work. But what if that's not entirely true? What if this generation is capable of reaching a state of…
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Mar 30 2017

How I Create Sketch Animation Videos

By John Spencer Creativity Deconstructed 20 Comments

Last night, my son asked if we could make a sketch animation video together. He sat down for 20 minutes and knocked out a script (the one part of the video where I gave no direction). Then he began sketching out various parts of the video….

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Mar 27 2017

Seven Ways to Help Students Develop a Growth Mindset

By John Spencer Mindsets 10 Comments

When students have a growth mindset, they are able to persevere and continue in creative work. So here are seven ways to cultivate a growth mindset. About six weeks ago, my son asked if he could start a cubing club for anyone interested in solving…

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Mar 14 2017

Six Strategies for Thriving as an Introverted Teacher

By John Spencer Teacher Life 3 Comments

I’m a hard introvert to spot. I can be loud and social and nobody sees how tired I feel as a result. I’m not shy. I’m often quick to engage in deep conversations. And yet, I am introvert to my core. Every minute I’m at…

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Mar 07 2017

You Don’t Have to Wait to Innovate

By John Spencer Innovation, Podcast 3 Comments

When I was a first-year teacher, my team leader Nancy gave me this heaping box of classroom supplies. On the top, she placed a notecard with the words New Teacher Card. On the back of the notecard, she wrote a note explaining that I could play this…

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Mar 01 2017

Want to Be More Creative? Try More Rest

By John Spencer Creativity Deconstructed 5 Comments
At first I thought it was a teacher thing. I would ask how someone was doing and they would say, “I’m really busy.” This was often followed by a description of how little sleep they had gotten and how much grading they had done. Teachers…
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Dr. John Spencer

I’m a professor and a maker. Sometimes I make things. Sometimes I make a difference. On a good day, I get to do both.

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    Dr. John Spencer

    As a former middle school teacher and current full-time professor and best-selling author, I’m a big believer in empowering students (and teachers) through the power of creativity. Whether you sign up for one of my online courses, enroll in one of my cohorts or invite me to spend time with your staff, I promise you’ll walk away with a fresh perspective and new ideas to transform your classroom.

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