It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be
I read this book today, it is short and written by the advertiser Paul Arden. It’s a book full of mini lessons and ideas that…
Category: Daily Blog
Creativity isn’t a garnish
Maker education is more than just making things or gaining skills for making. This is especially true as you get past the superficial, easy project…
Comfort to the uncomfortable
Maker classes have the ability to engage students who have checked out elsewhere. It is for students to have a place where they are comfortable…
Slow Moments
A year ago I started posting a question over my doorway and talking to every student as they entered my classroom. Then I would hand…
Prioritizing the smallest possible action
The very first focus of our 5th grade class (I call them ‘Mindset Topics’) is ‘How you do anything is how you do everything.’ We…
So many possibilities, potential stories
The potential for awesome experiences in school is infinite. Some of them are even happening today. We can start to tell these stories and to…
Grades and portfolios
A hypothetical student saying “I have an A in all my classes” would be trying to say a lot about how much they know, their…
Bursts of progress
Popsicle stick engineering has been in the back of my mind for years. I knew that there was an massive amount of untapped creativity that…
A better understanding of the world and how it works
The first skill we learn is how to design in 3D using TinkerCAD. After some practice, complex objects start to seem simple. Soon, impressive designs…
A challenge for all levels
When I was a science teacher, ‘teaching to the middle’ was a necessary evil. Most students kept up, some needed a challenge, and others needed…
Remember being a first-year teacher in that charter school?
My first three years of teaching were at a tiny charter school in Minneapolis. This was a no-excuses, very strict type of school. DEEP. END.…
What I learned from 100+ programs in libraries
In 2015, I started a hands-on STEM library program. Libraries hired me to present as a part of their summer reading programs. In all the…
Who, What, Why for Innovative Arts
Who? Just me for now. Maybe more someday. What? Helping students reengage in their own education. Showing how mindsets, practice, growth, and basic creation skills…
The same amount of time & effort as a doctorate
Two years ago I investigated an Ed.D or PhD in education. I even applied and was accepted to a program. After a few weeks of…
Maker Education (unknown)
Maker education stands outside of the traditional, dominant education landscape. Administrators treat maker classes as less important than the big core classes. The public seemingly…
Understanding follows invention
I’ve been thinking about how following ‘research based best practices’ can only look backwards. It takes years for an idea to spread, be implemented, measured,…
Five years of failing, laying the groundwork for succeeding, but largely failing
My first attempt at bringing a class into the Fab Lab was an embarrassing failure. I thought that CNC machines, vinyl cutters, and 3D printer…
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…