This weekend, while making small inroads into the clutter in our basement, I ran across something I’d thought was lost. It is a piece of acrylic, curved on one end and straight on the other, perhaps ten inches long. What is it? I believe it may be one of the earliest acrylic ice scrapers—at least … Continue reading
This fall, the faculty at the university from which I recently retired went on strike, largely over proposed changes in health care. The strike was settled quickly, but during that time, some former students came to me with a dilemma. They were responsible for writing the doctoral student newsletter. Typically, the newsletter contains a “Dear … Continue reading
A recent headline in a Detroit paper read, “Change your outlook with the 100 Days Project.” Given how hard it can be to maintain a positive outlook while deluged with information from the news, social media, etc., I had to read on. The 100 Day Project, I learned, is a global art project that takes … Continue reading
Like so many other people, I‘ve needed to get out of the house throughout the pandemic. And, again, like so many others, I’ve been walking. I walk around my neighborhood, with occasional excursions to local parks to meet friends or have a change of scenery. But mostly, I walk the same routes, and I need … Continue reading
![The Museum of [Creative] Failure](https://creativiteach.me/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/museum-of-failure.jpg?w=160&h=120&crop=1 "The Museum of [Creative] Failure")
All of us fail. A lot. Failures come in all shapes and sizes, some serious, some not-so-much. Most recently, I’ve been failing repeatedly at trying to get a determined mother mouse to relocate her nest in the lovely brush behind our fence rather than on our deck (or in our grill!). I’ve failed at inventing … Continue reading
Ever since I was young, I have loved inventing new worlds. I have quite vivid memories of sailing into space in a rocket constructed among the clothes in my closet, visiting planets unlike those anyone else had seen. As I grew older and learned to write stories, I wrote about characters with magical powers (always … Continue reading
At its best, creativity allows individuals to pursue new ideas, express themselves, and explore problems that are important to them. This month I read about a group of middle school students who did exactly that. AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Youth Rising describes itself as follows. AAPI Youth Rising is an organization started by … Continue reading
“Creativity comes from the right side of the brain.” “Children are more creativity than adults.” “Creativity happens primarily in art.” “Only a few rare geniuses are really creative.” Not true. None of it. Creativity myths are found across the globe. In fact, Benedek et al. (2021) examined beliefs about creativity across six countries: the United … Continue reading
I’ve always loved picture books, and I read them to anyone from visiting preschoolers to graduate students. I also love folk music and, in particular, the Midwest’s own Carrie Newcomer. This week I had the chance to enjoy both, in Sandy Eisenberg Sasso’s The Story of AND: The Little Word That Changed the World, with … Continue reading
David Zinn is an Ann Arbor treasure. I’ve written before about the seeming magic of his chalk art, in which fantastical creatures briefly appear in the nooks and crannies of the city, only to disappear with the summer rains or (as currently) winter snows. Now Zinn has shared his techniques with young people in The … Continue reading
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