I found a cricket in my bathroom this morning. He (or maybe she, who knows?) seemed perfectly content to watch me brush my teeth, but I knew that he wasn’t going to find what he needed in that environment. As far as I could tell, there was nothing for crickets to eat nearby, and moreover, … Continue reading
In our family, road trips mean exploring bookstores. So, naturally, our holiday travels meant time to discover new resources for children of all ages. I know many of the books I share with you are appropriate for elementary-age readers, but I long-ago learned that picture books are not just for children. In fact, I often … Continue reading
It isn’t often I recommend that classes (or families) watch a commercial, but for this one I’ll make an exception. Take a look. General Electric (which is barely mentioned) lives up to its slogan “Imagination at Work.” What a great way to start a conversation about innovation, risk taking, and the kind of atmosphere we … Continue reading
One of the challenges and delights of creativity is that things often don’t turn out the way we plan. A year (or was it two?) ago, I made gingerbread houses with some of my favorite children. The houses were pretty impressive, given the ages of the architects, surrounded by green jellied-leaf trees. One child used … Continue reading
Last week I asked you to think about the things you do to help your students prepare for, and survive, the times their creative risks don’t play out the ways they’d hoped. Having things fail or getting things wrong is part of human nature–part of life– part of creativity. It was facinating to learn that … Continue reading
I’ve recently started a new adventure in mosaic art. To say this was an unexpected turn would be a significant understatement. Through the grace and gifts of a talented community education teacher, I’ve been reversing 50+ years of believing I could not possibly do anything worthwhile in the visual arts. It has been more than … Continue reading
creativiteach 