Creativity

We often encourage students to be creative, think outside the box, and find their own voice. But what if one of the best ways to cultivate originality is to begin with imitation? Creativity rarely happens in a vacuum. It grows as we encounter new ideas,…

We often assume that improving the quality of student work means slowing down and spending more time on a single project. But sometimes the opposite is true. Creating more can actually help students create better. In my latest article and podcast episode, I explore how…

We often assume that creativity requires freedom. Remove the rules, open up the possibilities, and let students run with their ideas. But sometimes the opposite is true. The right constraints can give us a starting point, push us beyond the obvious, and lead to possibilities…

Sometimes our biggest creative failures reveal what we actually believe about creativity. In fifth grade, a disastrous California Mission project forced me to rethink what it meant to be “creative.” Years later, I can see how many of my assumptions were actually common cultural myths:…

We often picture creativity as something big and bold. It’s the ambitious project that draws in the entire community. It's the big project that kids remember years later. But creativity doesn’t have to be an event. In fact, some of the most powerful creative thinking…