How to Cultivate Curiosity in the Classroom
Curiosity is one of the most valuable traits a student can possess. When we cultivate curiosity in the classroom, we open up a world of…
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First Year Teacher Resource, Guidance, & Advice
I’ve been working on this for some time but don’t think I should finish it. It is turning into a book. I’ll publish it as…
Keeping a Rowdy Classroom Positive and Productive
Keeping a rowdy classroom on track can be a challenging task, but years of experience have taught me some valuable lessons that I can share.…
Developing Student Ownership of Learning – 5 Key Points
Hello! I am writing this article as a part of my own learning – as I develop Innovative Arts class, student ownership in their learning…
All about having a makerspace in schools – 9+ Resources and Advice
Makerspaces are popping up in schools everywhere. But what exactly is a makerspace? A makerspace is a physical space where people can come together to…
Self-Directed Learning in the Classroom? Yes please 100x!
One thing that is largely missing from education is self-directed learning in the classroom. This is a form of education that encourages students to take…
Concepts and Adventures in Student Independence
Student independence is very much emphasized in my classroom. I want to help students to learn about their thinking, how to use their hands, how…
The Essentials of the Maker Movement in Education
What is the maker movement in education? The maker movement is centered around the idea of learning through hands-on experiences. It encourages students to create…
3D Printing in the Classroom – Overview, 15 Resources & Advice
If you are thinking of diving into 3D printing in the classroom, there are plenty of things to consider. It took me years to learn…
3D Printing Education – 15 Basic Ideas & Resources
My 3D printing education? I started my students learning how to 3D design long before we ever had a 3D printer, and that is probably…
STEM Lesson Essentials and potential projects
Crafting engaging STEM lessons are a passion of mine. Lessons that I learned while creating awesome STEM lesson plans taught me much of what I…
45+ Engineering Science Fair Projects (and advice!)
Before I started Innovative Arts class, I was a science teacher. The science and engineering fairs were ultra engaging and everyone learned so much! I…
Going fast but alone
I started Puzzle Shift Create and Innovative Arts class about 5 years ago. It is pretty amazing how far it has come, even though the…
“When do we get to start doing projects?”
There is a bit of feedback that I constantly hear – “Give us more work time!” I’ve tried to do this for years. Often, work…
Resonating with students who aren’t present in class
I’ve gotten much better at crafting a story of Innovative Arts class. We are together, working toward the big goal, and enjoying the opportunity. The…
Play this while your students brainstorm!
I made this to help my students brainstorm. The random words, settings and project ideas that are on this video really the ideas start to flow.
Plea…
Advice for First Year Teachers – 12 heartfelt videos
Hello! I made these videos over a year ago as a part of a course that I made for this website. I put a lot…
‘How you do anything is how you do everything’
On the first day of school, making nametags is just another starting activity. This year, I thought it would be interesting to connect the idea that '…
Innovative Arts: Making the class that I want for my own kids
Innovative arts was born from my frustration as a science teacher. I was frustrated because the amount of content I had to teach each year…
The basics of using a UScutter Vinyl Cutter software
Intro to this resource – Using UScutter vinyl utter software A UScutter vinyl cutter is a great tool that you can use for anything vinyl!…