Needed a model of a successful project completion cycle
The end goal is to help kids to become creators of their own type. These mindset ideas are critical to getting there. These ideas need…
Category: Daily Blog
Restart Champions
Most students will need to restart a project at some point. The problem is that most kids do not realize it. There are many reasons…
Building a ‘Creative Class Culture’
Here are the raw materials that I’ll be honing down into the discussions and routines that are set in the classroom: 5th grade Creative Class…
Mr. Johnson’s Goal for Us
I stumbled into an idea – many students can’t/won’t make strong goals for themselves, but they will let themselves consider my goals for them. We…
Ideas for Student Leadership in the classroom
I have been thinking about ‘Line Leaders’ and the importance young kids put on that routine. They really feel proud of their leadership in those…
Dwindling desire to improve yourself… reversed
Through my program, I have watched students go from enthusiastic and determined to tackle the tough challenges set before them in fifth grade; to a…
Students Becoming Self Advocate
Here is an old bit of teacher advice. Instead of asking “Do you have any questions?” we should ask “What are your questions?” The idea…
Failure leads to success
Everyone notices the most successful people in any field. They stand out, soak up all of the attention, and make it look so easy. Every…
It is about the process – Maker Teaching
A good maker teacher is also a maker. Pick a skill that you are interested in and dive in! Your work will not be world-class…
Ending a quarter routines starting to take form
9 weeks ago, I was so overwhelmed with everything I had learned about starting a quarter. I could not even think through how to properly…
Reflecting as I respond to an email
(I got this email today from fellow maker educator today. The blog post for today is his question and my reply) Hi Peter, I was…
Big thought for today:
Once upon a time, there was a teacher who believed in the power of growth mindset and long term thinking. They wanted to impart these…
Student narratives
The idea that has my attention today is our narratives and how these influence… everything. I’ve been trying to help students create positive narratives for…
There is no way to know where an attempt will go
The other example that I use is the rock band ‘OK GO’. They made a music video for the song “Here I go again” that…
The ideal end-of-term letter to a student
What if it was possible to write the ideal letter to a student at the end of a term? Here are some possible sections for…
Creativity levels one through a quadrillion
Class creativity levels one through a quadrillion? That seems arbitrary and totally nonsensical… so pretty normal for me. I made a sign outside of my…
Letters to students, four years running
I have been considering having each of my students receive a letter and accompanying award at the end of every quarter (I see them one…
The Benefits of Awarding Middle School Students for Creativity and Autonomy
Part 1: Why give awards? It’s no secret that middle school can be a difficult time for kids. They’re trying to figure out who they…
Letting students know that we the best for them
I typed ‘how do you let students know that I want the best for them?’ into the AI chatbot that everyone has been talking about.…
The difference between 5th and 8th grade students
Those four years, I am convinced, are the most important in a person’s development. It happens to be the same period of time I see…