In our world, we have these rules that creative types are supposed to follow. However, Austin Kleon, a self-described, “writer who draws,” takes those rules and tears them to shreds. Or maybe not. Maybe he turns them upside down or folds them into a paper... The post Austin Kleon on the Surprising Truths About Creativity appeared first on John Spencer.

When I was a kid, I loved watching reality TV. Okay, it wasn’t really reality TV. It was PBS. However, I would watch an entire season of This Old House, as Bob Vila walked viewers step-by-step through a cumbersome restoration process. This never included a... The post Students Should Share Their Process, Not Just Their Product appeared first on John Spencer.

In my latest podcast episode, I interview Jed Dearybury. He’s a deep thinker and a creative spirit. As the co-author of The Playful Classroom, Jed advocates for integrating play into every aspect of school; from curriculum and instruction to assessment to the classroom culture to... The post Jed Dearybury on the Power of Play for All Ages (Interview) appeared first on John Spencer.

It’s supposed to snow this week, which reminds me of a moment four years ago when it snowed. We were from Phoenix, which meant our children had spent their lives  experiencing the two seasons of blazingly hot and nice. The only thing that changed color... The post Want Students to Be More Creative? Try Adding More Play. appeared first on John Spencer.

Last year, I began creating stickers, sweatshirts, and t-shirts with my own sketches on them. I figured it would be fun to give some t-shirts and stickers away when I do keynotes or workshops. But honestly, it wasn’t really about professional development. It was about... The post Treat Each Genius Hour Project as an Experiment appeared first on John Spencer.

It’s easy for a virtual class session to slip into a talking head approach. You turn on the camera and students see your face. At times, you might toggle back and forth between a slideshow and your camera but it can easily slip into something... The post The Power of Visible Thinking in Virtual Learning appeared first on John Spencer.

I still remember my first winter break in my first year of teaching. I scratched out Christmas Eve and Christmas as true “days off,” but then I worked the rest of the time. I read two books on teaching. I took home a giant box... The post Finding Renewal on Your Winter Break appeared first on John Spencer.

Let’s just put it out there. December is exhausting for teachers. The days are shorter. The weather grows colder and (at least here in Oregon) wetter. Students are anxious — whether it’s a buzzing excitement for vacation or a sense of dread that some kids... The post End the Semester on a Creative Note appeared first on John Spencer.

At the start of this semester, I made a goal of meeting with each student one-on-one. I believe in the power of check-ins and I wanted to make sure my students felt known. I could tell you all about Anderson and Garrison’s research showing the... The post You’ve Done Enough This Semester appeared first on John Spencer.

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time to visit my 9-year old self and say, “Dude, you got this. Right now, it’s hard but someday you’ll be using your voice to make art. Trust me, it gets better. Way better.” I was in... The post 7 Ways to Build Creative Confidence in Students appeared first on John Spencer.