It would not come as any surprise to any teacher I know, that the United States’ current obsession with high stakes testing may not be the best thing for student learning—to say nothing of student creativity. Test scores appear to have become our ultimate goal, as if we believe that raising scores, particularly on international … Continue reading
I am fortunate enough to live just a quick-trip-down-I94 from one of the country’s most interesting museums, The Henry Ford. While there as part of a one-day vacation recently, I discovered a treasure trove of resources for teaching students about innovation and creativity. Home base for the materials is a site called On Innovation. There … Continue reading
Having a more creative school year not about cute bulletin boards or expensive materials—it is about becoming a classroom in which students are encouraged to be their most creative selves, while engaged in your interesting learning activities. Here are a few places to start. First, think about your classroom. 1. Consider the physical atmosphere in … Continue reading
Can it really be time for back-to-school? Teaching all summer has confused my inner calendar! Still, one of the great benefits of the academic calendar is that it gives us two “New Years” each year, two opportunities to resolve to do things just a little better this time. For those of you whose September resolutions … Continue reading
A few weeks ago I had the interesting opportunity to be interviewed for BAM Radio, an internet radio station that addresses all manner of important issues in education. I was part of a conversation with writer/researcher Dr. Yong Zhao and Justin Snider, who teaches creative writing. We talked about the dilemmas posed by “One Right … Continue reading
It seems impossible that we are in the waning days of summer, but so it is. So, this will be the last weekly “Family Fun” collection for now, as I go back to a focus on creativity in school settings. But Family Fun, has been way too much fun—really—to give up entirely, so for the … Continue reading
Whether you are looking for a rainy-or-too-hot summer day activity, or a beginning of school project, book spine poetry may be just the thing. Book spine poetry is not difficult to construct, but with it you can create poems ranging from the silly to the profound. The concept is simple. Take a book with a … Continue reading
What is summer without popsicles and other icy treats? This week’s family fun activities center around popsicles and ice cubes—just the thing for hot August days. 1. There are lots of ways to paint with ice. You can buy Popsicles and different flavored Kool-aid powder. Sprinkle the powder on paper and then use the popsicles … Continue reading
Summer is the time for road trips. And kids. As any parent knows, the two do not always happily coexist. But if you have an iphone or an ipod touch, do I have an app for you! I recently learned of an app called Creative Genius on the Go, designed to support creative thinking through … Continue reading
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