Safe feels easy, but the real growth happens when we wade deeper. I’ll admit it—I am a wimp when it comes to cold water. I’m the person who tiptoes into the ocean, gasping at every icy wave and muttering under my breath about how freezing it feels. Meanwhile, my husband barrels straight in like it’s […]
A Beacon on the Shore We’re drowning in information and starving for wisdom. Headlines shout. Feeds refresh. Opinions clash. And in the chaos, too many of us skim the surface. We are reacting instead of reflecting, scrolling instead of thinking. Surface-level thinking might keep us afloat, but it won’t keep us safe. In fact, it […]
There’s something comforting about a first idea. It arrives fast. It feels clever. It’s the first answer that pops into your head, so surely, it must be right. Many students (and, let’s be honest, many teachers) treat that first idea like it’s the golden ticket. They scribble it down, turn it in, and mentally check […]
At first, it sounds like a recipe for chaos: giving students a say in their own due dates? Really? Won’t they just push everything to the last possible moment? Or worse, never turn anything in at all? It’s the opposite. Giving students a voice in due dates can be a classroom game-changer. It doesn’t mean […]
Are people either creative or analytical? Logical or emotional? Right-brained or left-brained? Can we be both? Do you only see yourself as creative, emotional, and right-brained? You may see yourself as left-brained, analytical, and rational. In that case, we will tend only to see problems and solutions from one angle. Putting ourselves, our identity, into […]
Why are Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, and Resilience Important for Students? Imagine a classroom where students enthusiastically approach every challenge, with the ability to think of multiple solutions creatively, the critical thinking skills to evaluate their options, and the resilience to persist through setbacks. In today’s rapidly evolving world, these skills are not just advantageous […]
Turning your classroom into a vibrant hub for creative and critical thinking can be an exciting journey for you and your students! Imagine a space where curiosity thrives, ideas flourish, and learning feels like an engaging adventure. Combining these ten strategies creates a classroom buzzing with energy and potential, ready to inspire the next generation […]
A recent Atlantic article, The Anti-Social Century, got me thinking about something we don’t talk about enough: our connection crisis and its impact on how kids think and create. It’s easy to point fingers at COVID-19 for the breakdown in social interaction, but let’s be real—it started way before that. Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation traces the problem […]
Let’s be real—gifted education is about more than just teaching bright students. It’s about igniting their potential, challenging their boundaries, and giving them the tools to think and solve in ways that change the world. At the heart of this mission? Creative and critical thinking with a lot of connection sprinkled throughout. But these aren’t […]
What Makes a Great Leader? Have you ever worked with a leader who seemed to have a sixth sense for navigating challenges? Someone who could turn a looming crisis into an opportunity or inspire a team to achieve what seemed impossible? Maybe it was the manager who brought fresh, exciting ideas to the table or […]
We need a thinking revolution in our education system Have you ever felt like our classrooms could use a little more fun, a bit more creativity, and a whole lot more critical and independent thinking? Well, you’re not alone! Whenever I talk to teachers, they always mention that kids simply aren’t thinking for themselves anymore. […]
Are you creative enough for the future? Think about what life was like in the 1970s and 1980s. Remember using a payphone when you had to have a roll of dimes in case you ran out of talking time? What about an actual map where you had to figure out what direction you were going […]
I remember teaching a lesson about the units of measurement to a group of fifth graders who had little interest in the subject. Even I found the lesson boring when prepping for it until I discovered a rap to go with it. My students, all inner-city Milwaukee residents, could rap with the best of them. […]
Get Rid of Your Creative Block for Cheap! Where do you even begin when it comes to long-term traveling? How do you afford it? How do you know where to go? How long should I stay? How do I make the most out of it? HELP! These might be some of the questions you’ve been […]
In our last blog, Traveling to Inspire Creativity we talked about how the wonders of traveling long-term, specifically spending more time in and embracing the new cultures around you, can change the way your brain makes connections. These new connections help you boost your sense of creativity and get you out of that frustrating creative […]
Getting Out of Your Creative Block Part 2 – The Culture In part one of our blog series (click here to read it), we talked about how traveling abroad for extended periods can make you more creative. The more time someone spent living or traveling abroad, the more creative they were! Remember, we’re not saying […]
When you find yourself in a creative rut, how do you usually get past it? You might read a book, play a game, work out, talk to a friend, or grab a coffee at a local cafe. These are great ways to step away from your problems and hectic schedule to let your brain have […]
If Curiosity and Creativity were in a relationship, what would their “ship name” be? Curi-ivity? Cre-osity? The fact of the matter is that the two do have a relationship. Each skill feeds off the other to create a world of inventions, art, literature, music. Think of curiosity like a super power, one that has been […]
Think about your place of work. Would you say that your work environment mimics the sitcom “The Office” or resembles the musical comedy show “Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist”? What are three words or phrases you would use to describe your workplace? For example, What are the words or phrases to describe your co-workers? How about, What […]
To Create or Not to Create… How many of you have a refrigerator covered with drawings from your children or grandchildren? Remember the sense of pride you felt when you saw your finger-painted masterpiece hanging for all to see? Or maybe your teacher displayed your essay on the bulletin board as a model product. Have […]
Do you remember when you were young? For some of us, it might be a while since we thought about our childhood. Being a parent or a grandparent often allows us to revisit our childlike side: we can play with dolls and action figures, dress up as kings and queens, wrestle the “bad guys” on […]
In our last blog, we reviewed the 4P’s of creativity: Creative Person, Creative Process, Creative Project, Creative Environment (press). Today, we want to focus on the Creative Person. How did they do that? That person is so creative…I could never do that. Where did they get that idea from? If only I could be that […]
Over the past few blogs, we discussed the definition of creativity and the benefits of being creative. Together, we discovered that everyone is creative. But, the lingering question remains – how do we instill creativity in our everyday lives? Reflect on this for a moment – What is your daily routine or process? When your […]
When you see the word creativity, what do you think of? An art museum? Van Gogh? Mozart? Maybe you think it’s a waste of time or that you’re not creative? While these statements are common, they aren’t correct. Yes, creativity is often associated with art but that doesn’t mean that creativity is all about being […]
What is creativity? Is it something we are born with or is it something taught over time? Does everyone possess the ability to be creative or is it just a right-brain skill? Understanding creativity can be a challenge. Many of us believe that being creative means painting a masterpiece, writing a top-ten hit, or composing […]
Turn Your Fear of Failure Into A Joy For Trying You failed. Those two words can cause embarrassment, anxiety, and even depression. Yet, these two words can also cause us to become more creative and confident. Do you remember the first time you tried to ride a bike? Did someone run beside you as you […]
