Questions. We ask them when we need directions. We ask them when we don’t understand. Sometimes we ask questions in outrage, other times we ask them in curiosity and wonder. Sometimes questions are rhetorical, other times they are urgent. If we want to help students be questioners, we need to help them understand the types … Continue reading
Teaching students to “think like a scientist” is a tricky thing. Many of us have experienced science classes that required memorizing seemingly irrelevant from ancient textbooks. On the other hand, other activities include spectacular demonstrations or hands-on activities, but do not lead students to scientific understanding, operating more than a magic show than a lesson. … Continue reading
Questions are in the air, it seems. One of the most talked-about books this year is Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question. September’s issue of Educational Leadership focuses on questioning for learning. It seems a good time to think about the role questions play in creativity—and learning. Questions, it almost goes without saying, lie at … Continue reading
This is the time of year for celebrations of creativity that may not show up on traditional calendars: Dot Day and the Global Cardboard Challenge. I’ve written about both before (Dot Day, Cardboard Challenge), but if you haven’t had a chance to celebrate yet it doesn’t hurt to have a reminder. I’m grateful for the … Continue reading
Time speeds up in the summer. I’m sure of it. It seems I just finished teaching my early summer classes and declared my short sabbatical from blogging and “Whoosh,” school is beginning again. I’ve lived virtually my entire life on the academic calendar, where each September brings the chance for a new start. And each … Continue reading
How did those of you in the U.S. celebrate the 4th of July? I spent the afternoon going down a 600-foot slip ‘n slide, courtesy of Slide the City Ann Arbor. Despite the long lines, it was glorious fun. It also gave me plenty of time to contemplate the creativity involved in building such a … Continue reading
Recently I saw a notice of National Hummus Day, which made me smile. I mean, I like hummus, but how did it come to have a national day? Then I discovered hummus appears to have two celebrations: National (U.S.) Hummus Day on the third Thursday in May and International Hummus Day on May 13. I … Continue reading
One of the best ways to help students experience the power of creative thinking is to involve them in solving real world problems. Sometimes problems appropriate for young problem-solvers are local to a school or neighborhood, but sometimes young people can have an impact on problems of global scale. One such problem is the die … Continue reading
For me, it started with popcorn. I discovered The New York Times ScienceTake video explaining the physics behind the glorious dance of the popcorn kernel, and I was entranced. Sadly, I can’t manage to get the video to embed, so you are going to have to Click here to see it. I know, it’s annoying. … Continue reading
A few years ago I first learned about the small country of Bhutan’s unique contribution to the process of measuring progress—Gross National Happiness (GNH). Gross National Happiness suggests that there are things that make a country great, beyond the amount of money it generates. Gross National Happiness, as defined by Bhutan’s survey, includes nine dimensions, … Continue reading
creativiteach 