Using Chess to Teach Perseverance with Principal El

How do you champion students through failure, success, and the creative process? In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood welcome Dr. Salome Thomas-EL, aka Principal EL, an award-winning principal, teacher, speaker, and author. Tune in to learn how to motivate children who find success early […]

X Amount Of Ways To Embrace Mistakes!

*Note: Any typos or mistakes are on purpose, due to the nature of this blog. 😉 Have fun reading! Introduction We’ve all heard about how: Steve Jobs had 123 versions of the iPhone before it worked. Michael Jordan was cut from his college team. Oprah was told she was “unfit” for television.  Even though we […]

Silenzio, Bruno! Building Fearless Environments to Promote Creativity in Schools

It’s August. With the start of school approaching, some teachers have started thinking about how they will organize their classrooms. Others are already going back to school. Somehow, they are all thinking about how to create a great learning environment. If they asked for my advice, I would suggest including a “Silenzio, Bruno” poster in […]

Fail + Learn = Flearn:
8 Ways to Embrace a Creative Mindset

As a parent of teens and an elementary school educator, I can say that this year has been a stressful one for students. Connecting has been more challenging than ever. It is also more essential than ever. It takes a lot of time and effort to create a classroom culture that nurtures a creative mindset.  […]

If You Want Creative, Independent Thinkers,
Focus on Emotional Literacy

I strongly believe that students need to feel safe at school and require a climate that enables them to be emotionally ready to learn in the classroom. This environment can only be established if we develop strong relationships built upon mutual respect and trust. Our students need to feel that teachers and key adults care […]

Go Big or Go Home:
Encouraging Risk-Taking in the Classroom

Why go big? Go big or go home is a phrase we frequently use to encourage someone to take a risk. Why is going big so important? Because the “big” is where great things happen. There are many similar sayings out there, such as “no one ever achieved greatness by playing it safe” or “great […]