A while ago I shared one of my favorite books for supporting students in risk taking, Beautiful Oops. While the book focuses on the beauty that can follow artistic “oops” experiences, it also can spur discussions of successes that can follow all manner of not-so-successful efforts. Now, the publishers of Beautiful Oops are sponsoring a … Continue reading
If I want fireworks in my brain, I’d better get back to practicing. That’s the message of a TedEd video by Anita Collins and Sharon Colman Graham, recently featured on National Public Radio. Take a look. I’ve said repeatedly that creativity ≠ the arts, because too many people assume that if they can’t draw realistically … Continue reading
What do you do on Thanksgiving after the pies are eaten and the dishes done? If you are surrounded by adventurous children and have a new (free) app to explore, you make movies! Lego Movie Maker isn’t really a new app, but it was new to me, as was my small collection of tiny LEGO … Continue reading
For me, one of the silly joys of the Christmas season is finding a new version of Clement Moore’s A Visit From St. Nicholas—or, to be more accurate, one of the many parodies of the famous poem. And now I get to share my joys, and some pre-holiday lesson options, with you. Last year I … Continue reading
“Eat your vegetables!’ ‘Drink your milk!” “Don’t jump on the bed!” “But why?” David Wisniewskil had the answers and in The Secret Knowledge of Grown-Ups, he let us in on the secrets. This imaginative gem reminds us why his 2002 death was such a loss—and how he can continue to inspire. The book spoofs all … Continue reading
At a recent conference, I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Newbery Award-winning author Laura Amy Schlitz talk about her writing. She is a story-teller at heart, so just listening to her was a delight, but my favorite moment came during her account of how she came to write Good Masters, Sweet Ladies, the book … Continue reading
In the United States, it is almost time for Thanksgiving, our national celebration of gratitude and food. Last year at this time our household was recovering from a fire–nothing huge, but enough to fill the house with smoke and our lives with chaos for weeks. It reminded us of the many things we take for … Continue reading
I know nothing about computer programming. When I copy the “embed” codes to include videos in this blog, they look like alien script. So when I heard about the global movement to have teachers and students engage in an Hour of Code, I’ll admit I was dubious. It sounded important, but was it for me? … Continue reading
While working on my “Ideas are Scary” post, I came across one more irresistible item from General Electric—a 6-second science fair. For a week last August, General Electric challenged young people to create 6-second videos using the Vine app and post them on Twitter under #6SecondScience. Talk about a social media bonanza! While the fair … Continue reading
Photographs have the power to communicate in ways words do not. A few days ago I hung some photos from last summer’s trip to Tibet in my office. When I look at them, the sights, sounds, and smells of that place come flooding back. And mine are ordinary cell-phone photos. Ruth Thomson takes the power … Continue reading
creativiteach 