I readily admit I’m not a big hip hop fan—probably because I’m of the generation that watched in awe as the Beatles sang on our black and white TVs. Yes, older than dirt. And yet I can’t get enough of the score of Hamilton. The lyrics are brilliant, the beat enticing, and the characters of … Continue reading
These are stressful times. At least around me, teachers report students levels of anxiety and conflict that seem to mirror those of adults they see on the news. Perhaps that is happening in your area as well. So, what do we do? One thought I had this week was that when things around me feel … Continue reading
Every significant creative project comes with struggles—at least mine certainly do. I’m in the midst of a large mosaic project, or, to be more accurate, I’m stalled. I only have one evening a week in the mosaic studio, and those have been rare lately. Other life circumstances have made even one day a week difficult … 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’ve found the last week pretty hard. In this climate of anger and fear, it is hard to imagine when things will feel calm and safe again. I wish I knew. I do know that I feel surprisingly happy to think that there is a holiday all about love just a few weeks away. I’ve … Continue reading
Sometimes common phrases can lead us astray. This can be due to misunderstanding, for example, the friend who heard the server ask if she wanted “soup or salad” and thought she was being asked if she wanted a super salad! (Super salad sounds pretty good, don’t you think?) Grammatical misunderstandings are so common they end … Continue reading
It’s a new year and a new time for thinking creatively about our world. And just in time to get us started, the Imagination Foundation has teamed with AT&T Aspire to sponsor the 2017 Inventor’s Challenge. This is not a long term project, but a good way to get the new year off to a … Continue reading
Now, when I hope many of us are stepping away from professional thoughts for a bit, here is a bit of Christmas loveliness. I wish all of you joy in the many holidays you celebrate, but since for me Christmas is more a celebration of gratitude than of Santa, I offer a bit of what … Continue reading
Why, in the midst of end-of-term grading, holiday preparations, and even (I can’t believe it) preparing for new courses that start January 4, why take the time to write about creativity? And since your lives are probably just as crazy, why take time to read about it? I thought about that today, as I dashed … Continue reading
When I think of things that are rich, I’m more likely to think of hot chocolate or creamy cheese sauce than mathematics, but clearly I’ve been missing out. One of my students sent me the website for NRICH—the home of rich mathematics and I was hooked. NRICH is associated with the University of Cambridge and … Continue reading
