Creativity Archives - Page 22 of 25

May 07 2016

Ten Things That Happen When Kids Embrace Design Thinking

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking 5 Comments

I still remember the day. I was in my first year of teaching and I sat there holding my printed lesson plan. This was supposed to be my greatest lesson of the school year. I had planned it for hours, revising various aspects of it…

May 02 2016

Are we making space in our classrooms for imagination?

By John Spencer Creativity 3 Comments

When I go home, I'm no longer a dad. I transform into a sidekick to the world's coolest superhero. I become a nurse to a stuffed animal surgeon. I get to help an architect and a builder in forts made from couch cushions. I become…

Apr 25 2016

You Don’t Need a Makerspace to Have a Space for Makers

By John Spencer Creativity, Creativity Deconstructed, Design Thinking 4 Comments

When I was a kid, my brother and I built a "roller coaster" in the backyard with a wagon, some scraps of wood, and tons of pipes. Was it safe? Probably not. Did it ever work properly? Not really. But it didn't matter. We were…

Apr 07 2016

Kids Aren’t Tired of Learning. They’re Tired of School.

By John Spencer Creativity 6 Comments

Toward the end of the year, I remember feeling absolutely exhausted as a teacher. Once the testing is over and the pressure is gone, there's this sense of relief. However, this was nothing compared to what my eighth graders experienced. You could see it in…

Mar 07 2016

We Need a Bigger Definition of Creativity

By John Spencer Creativity 3 Comments

Subscribe to YouTube Channel When you the word “creative,” you might think of a painter or a playwright or an author or a photographer or a filmmaker or a chef. In other words, you might think of people who make things. I think it’s…

Mar 03 2016

I Want Students to be Better Consumers

By John Spencer Creativity 4 Comments

“We need kids to be creators, not consumers.” I’ve heard this statement so many times at conference and in Twitter chats and in blog posts. I get it. We want students to be creative. But is consumption actually a bad thing? See, every person I…

Feb 15 2016

Curious About Design Thinking? Here’s a Framework You Can Use in Any Classroom with Any Age Group

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking 6 Comments

The term "design thinking" is often attached to maker spaces and STEM labs. However, design thinking is bigger than STEM. It begins with the premise of tapping into student curiosity and allowing them to create, test and re-create until they eventually ship what they…

Feb 01 2016

Why Vintage Tools Totally Belong in a 21st Century Classroom

By John Spencer Creativity, Innovation 6 Comments

With the click of a button, I can send my work to the entire world. It can feel empowering. I tap a screen and suddenly my ideas can reach a larger audience. But what if that’s not always ideal? True, audience matters. But so does…

Jan 28 2016

What Two Cooking Shows Taught Me About Design Thinking

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking No Comments

I love geeking out on the creative process. I love seeing the connections I experience in teaching, in writing, in developing web platforms, and in making sketchy videos. However, I also enjoy thinking through creativity in a context that's foreign to me. See, I'm not…

Jan 25 2016

Ten Free Video Writing Prompts to Spark the Love of Writing in Your Students

By John Spencer Creativity 8 Comments

I believe that writing should be fun. It's not merely a functional activity we have to get through in life. I believe that persuasive, informational, and functional writing should be as fun as writing a story. I believe that all writing is inherently creative and…

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.

Creativity

Ten Things That Happen When Kids Embrace Design Thinking

Are we making space in our classrooms for imagination?

You Don’t Need a Makerspace to Have a Space for Makers

Kids Aren’t Tired of Learning. They’re Tired of School.

We Need a Bigger Definition of Creativity

I Want Students to be Better Consumers

Curious About Design Thinking? Here’s a Framework You Can Use in Any Classroom with Any Age Group

Why Vintage Tools Totally Belong in a 21st Century Classroom

What Two Cooking Shows Taught Me About Design Thinking

Ten Free Video Writing Prompts to Spark the Love of Writing in Your Students

Dr. John Spencer

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