Podcast Archives - Page 20 of 27

Jul 02 2019

Four Things P.E. Teachers Can Teach Us About Innovative Teaching

By John Spencer Innovation, Podcast 4 Comments

Six years ago, I led my first PBL workshop for a group of high school teachers. It was the summer after my tenth year in the classroom and I felt fairly confident that I could facilitate a whole day of professional development. I knew, for…

Jun 10 2019

Sometimes a Quieter Classroom Is Actually the Answer

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast 3 Comments

A few years ago, my parents purchased the ultimate HGTV-style home, replete with vaulted ceilings, granite countertops, and an open floorplan. This was the dream space for entertaining. People could seamlessly move from the kitchen to the dining room to the family room – which…

Jun 04 2019

It’s Okay to Do That Same Epic Project Next Year

By John Spencer Podcast, Project-Based Learning 2 Comments

It was twelve years ago when I sat down with a journal and began debriefing my first full year of going project-based. I had a list of what went well, what went poorly, and what things I wanted to try out the next year. As…

May 20 2019

Growth Mindset is Great But Children Need Affirmation

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast 2 Comments

A little over a decade ago, I read Mindset by Carol Dweck and it had a profound influence on my life. It affirmed something I knew as a teacher. Students show up to school with fixed and growth mindsets. As a teacher, I can do…

May 13 2019

What Happens When Students Don’t Finish Projects? (Hint: It’s Not As Bad As It Seems)

By John Spencer Creativity, Podcast 3 Comments

About a decade ago, I had a group of students who had a great concept. They would make a paper mural. It would be shaped like the U.S.-Mexico border and it would have a picture of the Statue of Liberty in the middle with a…

May 07 2019

Eight Ways to Appreciate Teachers

By John Spencer Podcast, Teacher Life One Comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3V_MX3PM90&t=13s Subscribe to YouTube Channel A few years ago, my daughter entered kindergarten. She came in knowing letters but that was about it. By the end of the year, she could put together entire words. She viewed language as a playground and reading as a…

Apr 28 2019

The Power of a Launch (Why Students Should Share Their Work)

By John Spencer Design Thinking, Podcast One Comment

This article is part of a larger series on design thinking. Students begin with Look, Listen, and Learn, which is all about awareness and empathy. They move into Ask Tons of Questions, an inquiry phase. This leads to research in the Understanding the Process or…

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…

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…