I still chuckle at the memory of a mother of teens who said in only-partly joking despair, “I taught my kids to be independent, and now they ARE!” But she was onto something. It is easy to stereotype teenager years. Many of us have vivid memories the angst-filled days and peer drama that can be … Continue reading
I thought I was finished with blogging. Creativiteach had a good run–seven years at the point I paused—and as I looked toward phased retirement, it seemed a good time to wind things down. Last spring, I thought I’d take the summer off—then summer turned to fall and here I am, a year later, finding … Continue reading
One of the most important things we can do to help students prepare to be creative scientists is to help them understand how science works. We need to share science that looks like science—unpredictable and full of questions—rather than simple exercises in direction-following. We need students to understand the struggles and dilemmas of scientists along … Continue reading
What makes a safe space feel safe? What could you do to make your students feel safer to be creative? The question of how safe spaces become safe is one asked by an international team of researchers* who wanted to know how relationships in a work environment might influence employees’ creativity. If a supervisor listened … Continue reading
Recently I spent some time with a friend who has 16-month old triplets. Like most 16-month olds, they are in perpetual motion—over, under, around, and occasionally through nearby adults, furniture, and toys. Watching the three of them explore the world is a perpetual motion delight. This week I watched one child play with a Fisher … Continue reading
I did a lot of traveling this summer, some for work, some for play. More than once I experienced things that nearly took my breath away—a gothic cathedral, the pounding of the ocean, a visit to one of the driest deserts on earth. Each one made me feel part of something bigger; they inspired awe. … Continue reading
When I was a little girl, visits to the doctor that included injections were followed by our favorite prescription—an official form entitling us to a one-scoop cone at the local pharmacy’s soda fountain. What a treat! In these days, when childhood obesity is such a threat, I can’t imagine a doctor offering such prescriptions, but … Continue reading
It is a big mistake to think picture books are for young children. Certainly that is the case with Samantha Berger’s What If. . . . Illustrated in glorious variety by Mike Curato, What If… is a celebration of imagination that can inspire young and old. The story is a simple one, told by a … Continue reading
As the educational pendulum has swung back and forth, we occasionally hear calls for “back to the basics.” Usually this has translated into pages of math computation, grammar drills, and history as a series of battles and dates. As schools around me gear up for the upcoming school year, it made me think about the … Continue reading
What happens to a little girl who wants to build things if her initial efforts are met with laughter? If the girl is Rosie, in Andrea Beaty’s delightful Rosie Revere Engineer, she sits quietly in school, never saying a word, then late a night, where no one can see, she sets to work. Alone in … Continue reading
creativiteach 