Honoring Student Diversity through Choice
Many kids equate school with prison. I know, it’s harsh. Their dread conjures images of rectangular torture chambers filled with rows of desks, complete with a ball and chain to hold each of them in their assigned seats. Movies like “Matilda” bring this idea to life, with the imposing, larger-than-life dictator, Mrs. Trunchbull threatening to […]
How to Create Your Own Makerspace in Any Classroom
Creating a culture in your classroom where students can feel free to tap into their creativity can be tricky. Sometimes you need to take a big first step. One of the easiest ways to do this is to create a Makerspace in your classroom. What is a Makerspace? Makerspaces came about during the STEM era, […]
20 Lessons to Weave Creative Thinking
into Your Curriculum
Ever since Sir Ken Robinson presented his highly regarded TED talk, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” I have had countless teachers approach me inspired by the “why” we need creativity in the classroom but not knowing how to make it happen. Fortunately, the “how” is the central focus of my professional work and is anchored on […]
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 […]
Using the Creative Operating System (COS) for Classroom Creativity Integration
“Creativity does not have to be sacrificed to meet educational standards.” ~Frazier/ Walker The importance of helping students discover their creativity and providing them with the skills to become creative problem solvers is evident in the Future of Jobs Report presented by the World Economic Forum. The report states that in 2020, the top three […]
Bravely Engaging Black History Month
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 […]
Student Voices
Listen to this podcast where our young intrepid reporter Elizabeth Kloek interviews three of her friends to discover what it is like to be a student during the pandemic. Elizabeth Klocek Guest Bio Elizabeth Klocek is a seventh-grader at The Seven Hills School in Ohio. She enjoys painting, drawing, playing with her puppy, […]
My Career Roadmap: Creative Approaches to Career Education
It’s challenging to find the balance between getting students engaged in thinking about their future and providing impartial yet meaningful advice on making the decisions that will set them up for future success.