The year 2020 will be known for many things, but one of them certainly will be innovation. All of us have had to flex in ways we never expected. Individuals, businesses, and organizations of all sorts have had to find new ways of operating. It should not be surprising that The Henry Ford Museum, home … 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
It is hard to do experiments in schools, particularly large scale experiments. A true experiment requires randomly assigning participants to an experimental group (which gets some kind of treatment) and a control group (which doesn’t). Imagine trying to randomly assign students to two different math or reading programs, especially in the same school. You can … Continue reading
Sometimes even the most interesting creative project can start to feel like a burden. Experiments don’t work and have to be redesigned. Poetry needs editing. Interviews have to be transcribed and paintings need work. Those moments, when the initial inspiration and excitement have to give way to persistence and hard work, can be particularly discouraging … Continue reading
When I think about creativity and problem solving, military service is not the first thing I envision. For many good reasons, following orders efficiently is an essential part of military training. And yet, there are also few places where good problem solving is more important. So today, as we think about veterans, I’m thinking about … Continue reading
I love it when I hear stories of students whose creative contributions astound me and bring me hope. That’s how I felt when I read about the students in the Creative Musical Arts and Sciences program at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, AZ. These students, in high school, are earning music credits while essentially operating … Continue reading
Today I’m wearing my “Nevertheless She Persisted” tee shirt, tribute to Senator Elizabeth Warren’s political persistence, and the persistence of so many women who have needed determination to accomplish their goals. I did not know it would be so appropriate to today’s creativity news. This week the Creativity Post blog featured a summary of new … Continue reading
All creativity involves some risk. We know that. Any time we try something new, there is risk of failure, of ridicule, or getting ourselves in over our heads. And yet, if we want to make creative choices, we persist. How do we decide when to risk? One factor is our creative self-efficacy, that is, how … Continue reading
I don’t typically address politics here, but in recent days it seems that is all there is. Like a lot of people in the U.S., I’ve been pretty despondent all week. So many years after I was a high school student marching for equality the streets of Schenectady New York (of all places), we have … Continue reading
If you were a parent whose child asked to wear jeans to school on “Jeans Day,” what would you say? No problem, right? What if that child had a disability that meant he could not put jeans on independently or use the bathroom while wearing jeans? What then? How do you tell a child he … Continue reading
