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Man with a brain and a toolbox behind him

Embrace Your Maker Mindset

Helping K-12 teachers unleash the power of creativity through project-based learning & design thinking

Hi, I'm John.
This is my promise to you.

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.

How I Can Help

3 ways to reignite your passion for teaching & improve student outcomes

Take a self-paced course

My asynchronous courses were designed to give you practical ideas for the classroom — and work with your schedule. Start with a free option. Then take a deeper dive with premium content.

Crowd of people (sketch)

Join an open cohort

Collaborate with your peers! Join one of my virtual cohorts and I’ll lead you and a small group of like-minded educators through a hands-on training experience, unlike anything you’ve experienced.

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Bring me in for a visit

Have a large group? Consider bringing me in (online or in-person) for a full day of design-thinking and PBL. We’ll work through problems of practice and set your team up for success.

Students Learn Differently Now

Try my project-based approach and experience the difference creativity makes

“As we continue our journey to provided quality learning opportunities to our students, Johnʻs work will be an important resource. We highly encourage other schools to offer Johnʻs resources to their teachers.”

JoAnn Wong-Kam, Managing Director of Ho'olaukoa

Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, HI

“Dr. Spencer inspired my teachers to get back to creating classrooms full of “creativity and wonder”. I now hear conversations among teachers as to how to “launch” a PBL project in their class, how they are incorporating empathy into projects, and how service learning is changing their students mindsets. “

Lauren Crabtree, Principal

Douglas County Schools, Douglasville, GA

“John brought a great deal of energy and a fun sense of humor to his workshop that created a fun learning atmosphere for our faculty in a stressful time. I highly recommend John’s workshop and hope he can come back to CFS in the future!”

Eric Fulmer, Dean of Faculty

Church Farm School, Exton, PA

Let’s Learn Together

Working with me is easy. Start by filling out this short form.











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    Featuring 5 ways to engage students with project-based learning and design thinking

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    Keep Reading

    Check out the latest from my blog

    CreativityProject-Based Learning
    March 10, 2025

    Ten Traditional Teaching Practices that Still Belong in a PBL Unit

    While it's easy to reject traditional teaching practices as "less authentic" in PBL, we explore why these ten strategies actually belong in PBL unit plans. Why Do Some Students Hate Projects? It's about fifteen minutes before our Mock Trial practice and a student walks up…
    CreativityPodcastTeacher Life
    March 6, 2025

    Taking a Beta Approach to Teaching and Innovation

    This week, we explore the concept of "teaching in beta"—a mindset that embraces imperfection and experimentation in the classroom. Learn how veteran teachers are innovating with new strategies, taking creative risks, and continually iterating on their lessons to foster resilience and growth in both students…
    Jed Dearybury on the power of play for all agesCreativityPodcast
    March 2, 2025

    Jed Dearybury on the Power of a Playful Mindset (Interview)

    In my latest podcast episode, I interview Jed Dearybury. He's a deep thinker and a creative spirit. As the co-author of The Playful Classroom, Jed advocates for integrating play into every aspect of school; from curriculum and instruction to assessment to the classroom culture to…