Sometimes our biggest creative failures reveal what we actually believe about creativity. In my second article in my series I'm calling Routine Creativity, I tell the story of a disastrous California Mission project and how one teacher transformed this epic fail into something that was far more authentic and meaningful for me at the time. This revised project forced me to rethink what it means to be a creative thinker. Years later, I can see how many of my assumptions were actually common...
28 days ago • 2 min read
We often picture creativity as something big and bold. It’s the ambitious project that draws in the entire community. It’s the big project that kids remember years later. But creativity doesn’t have to be an event. In fact, some of the most powerful creative thinking happens in small, ordinary moments woven into the learning process. In my latest article, I explore the idea of routine creativity and why small, consistent opportunities to create, experiment, solve problems, and think...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
For years, I held a very teacher-centered view of assessment. I would grade student work and use that to modify lessons and pull small groups. Students would receive a grade, which would then motivate them to work harder. Later, I started realizing that my feedback could help students determine what they knew, what they didn’t know, and what they needed to do next. Here, assessment shifted from a teacher task to a conversation between the teacher and the student. However, it remained...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
We often assume that confidence comes with competence. But sometimes we are overconfident in what we know and, at other times, we underestimate what we can actually do. In a world of rapid change and increasingly sycophantic AI, students will need to recognize the limits of their own knowledge while remaining confident in their ability to learn. This is the power of confident humility, and it might be one of the most important mindsets for navigating an uncertain future. In my latest article,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
If you’ve read my blog before, you know that I love to share sharing practical ways that we can empower our students to own the learning from day one. This is the core idea that AJ Juliani and I wrote about in our book Empower. It’s a journey I began in my second year of teaching middle school and continued for a decade. Each year, I experimented with new strategies, new ideas, and new protocols. For the last eleven years, I’ve continued this journey as a professor with my students and...
2 months ago • 1 min read
For years, the conversation around educational technology centered on one question: How can we get more technology into classrooms? Today, we’re facing a different challenge related to excessive screen time. But in my latest article, I argue that it’s time to move beyond debates about screen time and start thinking more intentionally about when technology leads to deeper learning and when it simply leads to greater screen dependence. I’m a Reluctant Techie I was never supposed to be a techie....
3 months ago • 7 min read
We want students to be makers and designers. But there’s a surprising source of inspiration for design: the natural world. As we think about moving toward a low-tech approach, we need something better than desks in rows with students doing worksheets. A Moment I’ll Never Forget We gather outside on a worn-out blanket strewn over the hot cul-de-sac pavement. No handouts. No close reading exercises. Just a bunch of families in the neighborhood breaking bread, eating bacon, and talking about...
3 months ago • 5 min read
Before we get started, I just wanted to mention that the Vintage Innovation Master Coruse is only $29.99 (the retail price is $110.00). If you want to take advantage of this discount, it will be available until Sunday night. You can also find the book here. The Power of Low-Tech Games When people hear the term game-based learning, they often picture students staring at computer screens while navigating elaborate virtual worlds. Or perhaps a lone student staring into a VR headset in isolation....
3 months ago • 3 min read
Throughout this summer, I've been doing a series called Low Tech Learning. The title might seem odd for someone who loves technology and teaches educational technology classes. I study technology in-depth as a researcher and an educator. I'm in classrooms all the time, and I'm constantly talking to teachers. I see technology as a powerful tool. I love how we can use AI as a study tool for deeper learning and retention. I love how we can use technology to create blogs, podcasts, and...
3 months ago • 1 min read