Creativity Archives - Page 24 of 25

Oct 13 2015

The 20-Minute Peer Feedback System

By John Spencer Creativity 4 Comments

I believe that peer feedback is critical for students. Part of this is the nature of peer interactions. Peers are often able to share their thoughts in a more relatable way than teachers. Another part is simply the time limits that teachers have. Even with…

Oct 10 2015

Why Creative Types Hate Selling (And Why This Matters for Teachers)

By John Spencer Creativity, Design Thinking No Comments

Initially, I cringed at the term marketing. I viewed myself as an artist who thought that my work would be discovered. I viewed marketing as trickery. However, over time, I realized that if the initial goal of the design thinking cycle involved solving a problem…

Aug 27 2015

Creative Work Is Slow at First

By John Spencer Creativity, Creativity Deconstructed No Comments

Over the last few weeks, I've enjoyed experimenting with illustrated videos. Here are three of my examples: One of the questions people ask is, "How did you make these?" This is often followed up by a second question, "How long did it take?" That…

Aug 14 2015

Seven Ways to Break the Consumer Mindset in Schools

By John Spencer Creativity No Comments

For the last eleven years, I asked my students to fill out a survey about how they use technology. Although I am now teaching university students, I think I'm going to do a similar survey. The questions are both about technology use (have you ever…

Jul 24 2015

Ten Alternative Assessment Strategies

By John Spencer Creativity One Comment

It's easy to bust on standardized tests. They suck. They're boring. They're virtually meaningless. They kill instructional time. But what's the alternative? If we're not using multiple choice tests, what are we using? If we want a more creative classroom, what types of assessments exist…

Jun 13 2015

My Favorite Fifty Books on Creativity and Design Thinking #createchat

By John Spencer Creativity, Creativity Deconstructed No Comments

My Recommended Reading List on Creativity and Design Thinking I'm a big a fan of reading -- especially in the summertime. Later in the day, when it's blazingly hot, I usually have a quiet time. We all sprawl out on different chairs or couches and…

Jun 01 2015

Sometimes Less Technology Means More Creativity

By John Spencer Creativity, Creativity Deconstructed One Comment

I'm a fan of digital writing. After all, I'm sitting at my computer typing right now. And yet, when it comes to my deepest writing, I nearly always scribble it out by hand. When I'm stuck, I doodle. When I plan, I sketch out webs.…

May 16 2015

I Missed This Maker Space . . . Until a Student Helped Me See It

By John Spencer Creativity No Comments

Why, yes, I am talking about AT&T Ballpark I'm passionate about seeing kids make stuff. This why I'm offering a free, short course this June called A Beginner's Guide to Design Thinking. Spaces are limited, so sign up now if you're interested. Last week, I spoke at a TEDx…

Mar 01 2015

Seven Surprising Things About Creativity

By John Spencer Creativity 2 Comments

It's no secret that I like to make stuff. My wife and I co-wrote Wendell the World's Worst Wizard and I have been blown away when classrooms choose it as a read aloud. I worked with two other people on creating Write About, a digital publishing…

Feb 05 2015

What If Middle Schools Started Adding Recess?

By John Spencer Creativity 6 Comments

I'm writing this post during recess. It's not really recess. It's lunchtime. However, for this half an hour, students have a break. They can move. They can play. They can socialize. They can be free. I contrast this to my daughter's class. She's in pre-school,…

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

The 20-Minute Peer Feedback System

Why Creative Types Hate Selling (And Why This Matters for Teachers)

Creative Work Is Slow at First

Seven Ways to Break the Consumer Mindset in Schools

Ten Alternative Assessment Strategies

My Favorite Fifty Books on Creativity and Design Thinking #createchat

Sometimes Less Technology Means More Creativity

I Missed This Maker Space . . . Until a Student Helped Me See It

Seven Surprising Things About Creativity

What If Middle Schools Started Adding Recess?

Dr. John Spencer

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Dr. John Spencer

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