February 4, 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Rosa Parks, often called the First Lady of the Civil Rights movement in the United States. A petite woman, Mrs. Parks stood tall when she refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. In honor of this event, the … Continue reading
My original plan for today was to post the last link in the Creativity in the Classroom model, linking Creativity and Intrinsic Motivation. But I decided I’d had enough theoretical posting for right now, so instead I linked all the information on the model to a new “Creativity in the Classroom: Why and How” tab … Continue reading
Today, guest blogger Melanie returns with a post for those of you who teach English, love Jane Austen, are interested in video blogs or just want to see an amazingly creative riff on classic literature. Here’s Melanie. Even if you don’t teach Pride and Prejudice in class, this web series presents a special opportunity for … Continue reading
Few things concern teachers more than student motivation. The degree to which students are invested and engaged in classroom activities is basic to their success. We may sometimes talk of “unmotivated students,” but the truth is, every student is motivated. Every student attends to and puts effort into something—it just isn’t always the things we … Continue reading
Math in the News is exactly what it sounds like—a website, with related weekly newsletter—that uses math to explore issues in the news. Produced by Media4Math, Math in the News activities range from probability maps predicting landfall for Hurricane Sandy to an exploration of pumpkin costs per hundredweight or the statistics of the presidential election. … Continue reading
CREATIVITY: A Celtic Knot I’m coming near the end of my first year of creativiteach.me, and like most anniversaries, this one has prompted some reflection. In the past year I’ve been honored by thousands of visits from 114 countries. Creativity, it seems, is on people’s minds. But, in the face of all the challenges of … Continue reading
I really miss the cartoon Calvin and Hobbes. I loved opening the paper each morning (yes, that dates me) and catching a magical glimpse into the mind of a creative—if occasionally gruesome—child. I think I miss him most in the winter, when I recall Calvin’s memorable snow creatures. In case you don’t remember, here are … Continue reading
I can see my Michigan friends shaking their heads already. Beach sand? January? But January is the perfect time to think about beaches. First, it gives me a chance to salute my Australian readers, who occasionally (and very kindly) remind me that not everyone operates on Michigan’s calendar. They are beginning warm summer days, and … Continue reading
One of the great gifts of a career that runs on a school calendar is that we can claim at least two “New Years” each year. We start the school year (whenever it begins) with resolutions to be our best teaching selves, and then, in January, we have another chance for a fresh start. So … Continue reading
One of the most tender responses to the horror in Newton, CT came from newcaster Ann Curry, who first proposed that in honor of the 20 children killed, individuals commit to doing 20 acts of kindness in their honor. This idea has, as they say, “gone viral,” with the number of acts raised to 26 … Continue reading
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