Creativity Archives - Page 14 of 23

Apr 17 2019

Moving from Recipes to Projects

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking 3 Comments

This article is part of a longer series on design thinking, a flexible framework for empathy-driven creative work. You might want to check out other articles in the series first. Students begin with a state of awareness in the Look, Listen, and Learn phase. Next, they move…

Apr 12 2019

Research Is Critical for Student Design Projects

By John Spencer Creativity, Project-Based Learning One Comment

This article is part of a longer series on design thinking, a flexible framework for empathy-driven creative work. You might want to check out other articles in the series first. The Importance of Research in Design Thinking The LAUNCH process starts with awareness, where students…

Apr 11 2019

Spark Curiosity and Help Students Ask Better Questions

By John Spencer Creativity One Comment

In the previous article, we explored the Look, Listen, and Learn phase of the LAUNCH process for design thinking. In this article, we explore the second phase, Ask Tons of Questions. When students are able to ask their own questions, they can chase their curiosity…

Apr 08 2019

Great Design Can Begin Anywhere (6 Starting Places for Design Thinking)

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking 2 Comments

A few years ago, our yard was canvased by a thick sheet of snow -- well, thick for a southwestern guy who has just moved to the northwest. I'm pretty sure my friends in Michigan would have called it a "dusting." However, my kids spent…

Feb 25 2019

The Surprising Truth Behind Creating and Consuming

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast 4 Comments

It's easy to pit creativity and consumption against each other. However, critical consuming is vital for creative work. When you engage in critical consuming, you become more inspired and ultimately, you will create better content. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but…

Feb 12 2019

7 Ways to Inspire Divergent Thinking in the Classroom

By John Spencer Creativity, Creativity Deconstructed 14 Comments

The world is unpredictable. The corporate ladder is now a maze, which means our students will need to think divergently. In this article, we explore how to integrate divergent thinking into our everyday classroom practices. This is an updated version of an article that was…

Feb 04 2019

Six Strategies for Tackling Perfectionism

By John Spencer Creativity, Teacher Life One Comment

The following is a variation on a post I created for the New Teacher Academy. Each year, I ask my pre-service teachers to describe what teaching will be like when they move from surviving to thriving. Common themes emerge. "Every student will listen each time…

Jan 28 2019

Podcasting Can Work in Any Subject

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast 2 Comments

Last week, I shared why student podcasting is a great idea. Podcasting is a powerful way for students to share their voice with the world. Along the way, they learn to communicate, engage in critical thinking, and go through the design process as they ultimately…

Jan 21 2019

5 Reasons to Pilot Student Podcasting Projects

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast 2 Comments

I just learned that New York City doesn't actually have alleys. Okay, they have a few private alleys. However, after listening to the latest 99% Invisible podcast, I learned that the idea of alleys throughout NYC is a bit of a myth. Does this matter? Probably…

Jan 14 2019

Seven Strategies for Building Empathy in Students

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking, Podcast 2 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB-M4dvAgWs&t=64s Subscribe to YouTube Channel A few days ago, my son said something that surprised me. He said, "Dad, we have the best cafeteria lady at our school." And I said, "Wait, what?" But then he went on to describe how this woman chose to…