Frequently Asked Questions Page

The following are some of the most frequent questions people ask me. Q: Where should I get started with design thinking? How do I fit it into my curriculum?  A: If you’re interested in getting started on design thinking, I would recommend the Design Thinking…

6 Student-Centered Projects for the First Week of School Blog Post

Don’t Wait to Innovate! Teachers often begin the school year with team-building activities or a review of the rules and procedures. But what if we began with student-centered projects? The following is an exploration of six student-centered projects you can launch in your first month…

Seven Ways to Help Students Embrace an Entrepreneurial Mindset Blog Post

This post is loosely based on a chapter from my latest book Empower. Thank you to everyone who has helped make it a number one best-seller on Amazon! Thank you to anyone who has left a review on Amazon and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,…

7 Things That Happen When Students Own Their Learning Blog Post

A few years ago, I co-wrote the book Empower with the driving question, “What happens when students own their learning?” As a middle school teacher, I had seen how the biggest challenges I faced with student engagement were actually challenges with student self-direction and self-management….

Fidget Spinners Aren’t the Issue (The Real Issue Is Student Ownership) Blog Post

The debate about fidget spinners often misses the bigger issue of student ownership. When we focus on student distractions and student engagement, we miss out on student empowerment and student ownership.  Listen to the Podcast Just click on the audio below to listen to this…

10 Things That Happen When Students Engage in Design Thinking Blog Post

In a recent post, I wrote about why I want to see students become innovators: Subscribe to YouTube Channel Unfortunately, the system isn’t designed for innovation. For years, schools have been stuck in a one-size-fits-all factory model, where students passively consume content. Some people will point…

Helping Students Leverage the Connective Power of Research Blog Post

  I still remember the moment I went to the computer lab to check out the World Wide Web. This was somewhere around 1993. The librarian called it a Field trip to the Information Superhighway and for awhile I thought she was like Ms. Frizzle….

Helping Students Develop an Entrepreneurial Mindset Blog Post

About three years ago, a student approached me before class. “Mr. Spencer, I heard that you wrote a children’s book.” I nodded. “I co-wrote it with my wife and then we self-published it.” “Can you teach me how to publish my own novel?” I launched…

What happens when kids struggle with student choice? Blog Post

When I first transitioned from using writing prompts to doing thematic blogs, I attempted a middle ground. I offered a list of three writing ideas and a fourth described as “free choice.” To my surprise, only a few students chose the free choice option. Students seemed…