Fueling Creativity in Education

The Creativity Edge in Education: Funding, Priorities, and Training with Susan Riley

What helps educators move creativity from the margins to the center of teaching and learning? And what systems might be quietly shaping what’s possible in our classrooms?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett speak with Susan Riley, founder of the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM and author of Creativity’s Edge: Unleashing Humanity’s Greatest Advantage in the Age of AI.
Together, they explore why creativity, despite being widely valued, often remains underprioritized in schools—and how factors like funding, time, teacher preparation, and leadership all play a role in shaping what actually happens in classrooms.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why creativity in education is fundamentally an equity issue tied to funding and access
How “money buys time” and why time is one of the biggest barriers to creative teaching
The tension between stated values (creativity matters) and actual priorities (testing, curriculum pacing, college admissions)
Why even well-funded schools may overlook creativity due to competing goals and systemic pressures
How teacher preparation programs often miss foundational skills like lesson design and creative integration
The role of leadership and school culture in fostering or constraining creativity
Simple, practical ways to embed creativity into everyday classroom routines without overhauling curriculum
The importance of habits and small shifts, such as questioning routines and curiosity-driven practices
The connection between creativity and curiosity as mutually reinforcing forces in learning
The “212-degree” metaphor for creativity as a transformational force that is often invisible but deeply impactful
The challenges and possibilities of assessing creativity across skills, thinking, application, and expression
Why creativity is both a communal experience and an individual act that extends beyond the classroom
About Our Guest
Susan Riley is an internationally recognized educator, author, and founder of the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM, the largest online professional development provider focused on arts-integrated approaches. She has presented at the U.S. Department of Education, National Public Radio, and Americans for the Arts, and her work has been featured in publications worldwide. Her latest book, Creativity’s Edge, explores how creativity can serve as a critical advantage in the age of AI.
This episode invites educators and leaders to take a deeper look at the systems, priorities, and daily practices that shape creativity in schools—and to consider how small, intentional shifts can lead to meaningful change over time.
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No Revolution Required: Creativity Is Already Here

What if the problem in education is not a lack of creativity, but how we prioritize it?
In this reflective debrief episode, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett revisit three powerful conversations from Season 12, exploring creativity through the lenses of AI, constructive dialogue, and educational research. Rather than calling for a complete overhaul of the system, they challenge a common narrative and suggest something more nuanced: creativity is already present in our classrooms, but it may not always be given the space or attention it deserves.
The discussion dives into the difference between productivity and creativity in the age of AI, and how educators can use emerging tools to reclaim time without sacrificing deep thinking. The hosts also unpack the role of constructive dialogue as a foundation for creative problem solving, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, relationships, and shared understanding in the classroom.
Finally, they reflect on research around whether schools truly hinder creativity, offering a more balanced perspective. Instead of revolution, they propose evolution, supported by mindset shifts, better use of tools, and a renewed commitment to student creative agency.
If you have ever wondered how to navigate creativity, AI, and meaningful learning without burning everything down, this episode offers a thoughtful and practical perspective.
 
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Growing Creative Agency: What Helps, What Hinders, and What AI Changes with Dr. Maciej Karwowski

What helps students believe they can shape the world with their ideas? And what might quietly discourage them from trying?
 
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett speak with creativity researcher Dr. Maciej Karwowski, Professor of Psychology at the University of Warsaw and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Creative Behavior.
Together, they explore creative agency and why students need more than creative ability to turn ideas into action.
In this episode, we discuss:
What a creative agency is and why it matters for student creativity
The four key elements of creative agency: confidence, creative identity, risk-taking, and self-regulation
Why many teachers and students underestimate their own creativity
How beliefs about creativity influence whether students act on their ideas
Whether schools actually suppress creativity or help it develop
The role of knowledge in supporting creative thinking and learning
How students’ creative confidence can shift as they gain expertise
The opportunities and concerns surrounding AI and creativity in education
How AI might support creativity through feedback rather than idea generation
 
About Our Guest
Dr. Maciej Karwowski is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Warsaw and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Creative Behavior. His research focuses on the educational psychology of creativity, particularly creative agency and how classroom environments influence students’ creative development.
This episode invites educators to reconsider how creativity develops in schools and how teachers can nurture the confidence, identity, and motivation students need to act on their ideas.
 
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Emotion, Polarization, and the Skills of Constructive Dialogue with Caroline Mehl

In a time marked by strong emotion and deep polarization, how do we help students stay in conversation rather than shut down or attack?
In this episode, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett welcome Caroline Mehl, co founder and executive director of the Constructive Dialogue Institute.
Caroline explains that constructive dialogue is not about changing minds or abandoning beliefs. It is about fostering mutual understanding across differences. She shares how mindset and skillset work together, highlighting the importance of curiosity, open mindedness, and intellectual humility.
Together, they discuss:
– The difference between debate and dialogue– How emotions influence polarized conversations– Why classroom trust and shared norms must come first– Practical strategies such as storytelling, role play, and structured turn taking– How the “illusion of explanatory depth” reveals gaps in our own understanding
This episode offers practical guidance for educators who want to create classrooms where difficult conversations are handled with care, clarity, and courage.
About the Guest
Caroline Mehl is the co founder and executive director of the Constructive Dialogue Institute, a nonpartisan nonprofit that partners with colleges and universities to build cultures of inquiry and dialogue. Since 2017, CDI has worked with more than 150 campuses across the United States.
Caroline’s writing has appeared in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, Time, and Harvard Business Review. She serves on advisory boards focused on strengthening civic culture and helping communities disagree better.
 
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AI on the Front Lines: Creativity, Industry, and the Classroom with James Taylor

How is AI changing creative work right now? And what does that mean for the way we teach and assess students?
In this episode, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett talk with James Taylor about what he is seeing on the front lines of business and innovation.
James shares his idea of “super creativity,” which is simply the idea that humans and machines can work together to create better ideas than either could alone. He offers real examples from industry and then helps us think through what those changes mean for schools.
Together, they discuss:
– The difference between using AI to automate work and using it to support thinking– Whether students should use AI in the early stages of idea development– What original work means when AI tools are widely available– Why critical thinking may matter more than ever– The role of persuasion and communication in bringing ideas to life– The ethical questions educators cannot ignore
The conversation also explores an important tension. In business, the focus is often on the final product. In education, the focus must remain on the learning process. As AI becomes more common, teachers may need to rethink what they assess and how they assess it.
If you are trying to make sense of AI without swinging to either extreme, this episode offers a thoughtful and balanced perspective.
About the Guest
James Taylor is an award-winning keynote speaker and internationally recognized expert on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence. He has interviewed more than 750 leading creative thinkers on his Super Creativity Podcast and works with global organizations to help them unlock innovation through human and machine collaboration.
His latest book, Super Creativity: Accelerating Innovation in the Age of AI, explores how individuals and organizations can thrive in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
 
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Creativity and the Lessons Hidden in Sports and Handwriting

What happens when we lose handwriting as a form of creative expression? What do we miss when we limit creativity to the sports field? And what would change if schools clearly identified their non-negotiables and truly lived by them?
 
In this first debrief of Season 12, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett reflect on insights from recent conversations with Carlos Moreno of Big Picture Learning, handwriting specialist Holly Britton, and sports researcher Dr. Daniel Memmert.
Together, they explore:
– Why schools should be designed around students, not systems– The importance of identifying a few clear non-negotiables that reflect core values– What may be lost as handwriting disappears from classrooms– How tactical creativity, defined as unexpected and appropriate action, applies beyond sports– Why language matters, especially when we replace “you must” with more open phrasing
This reflective episode invites educators to consider what might be unintentionally fading from practice and how we can better protect the conditions that support creativity.
Dr. Matthew and Dr. Cyndi also invite listeners to share ideas as the podcast approaches its five-year anniversary and begins planning future professional learning opportunities.
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Coaching for Creativity: What Sport Teaches Us About Thinking with Dr. Memmert

Is creativity only about coming up with lots of ideas? Or does it also involve choosing the right idea in the right moment? What can sport teach us about thinking under pressure?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett welcome sports psychologist Dr. Daniel Memmert to explore how creativity shows up on the field.
Listen in as the conversation explores tactical creativity, which combines generating many possible plays with selecting the most effective one. Daniel explains why creativity in sport is not about being flashy, but about making decisions that are both unexpected and appropriate.
In this thoughtful conversation, they explore:
– The difference between generating options and choosing the best one– Why young athletes need freedom to experiment– How fear of mistakes can shut down creativity– Why coaches should be mindful of when and how they give feedback– How early training should focus more on exploration than rigid systems
Daniel also shares research showing that at elite levels, physical skills often level out. What makes the difference is how players think, notice patterns, and respond in the moment.
If you are a coach, educator, or parent involved in youth sports, this episode offers practical insights on nurturing creative thinking while still supporting strong performance.
 
About the Guest
Dr. Daniel Memmert is a professor at the German Sport University Cologne. He has published more than 300 research articles and over 40 books on creativity, attention, and performance in sport. He also holds coaching licenses in several sports, bringing both research and real world experience to his work.
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Why Handwriting Still Matters for Creative Thinking

Is handwriting still relevant in a world of screens, tablets, and AI? What role does writing by hand play in creativity, learning, and thinking?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cindy Burnett welcome handwriting instruction specialist Holly Britton, M.Ed to explore why handwriting still matters — especially for developing minds.
Holly brings over 26 years of experience in education, from classroom teacher to curriculum director, kindergarten coach, and founder of Squiggle Squad Handwriting. Her work focuses on helping children, teachers, and parents understand handwriting not as “pretty penmanship,” but as a meaningful tool for learning and self-expression.
Listen in as the conversation explores how handwriting supports thinking, language development, and creativity — particularly in young learners. Holly shares why writing by hand helps children make sense of letters, sounds, and ideas, and what can happen when students are expected to write without ever being properly taught how.
Together, the trio discusses:
How handwriting has slowly faded from classrooms
Why writing by hand supports learning in ways typing cannot fully replace
The connection between movement, memory, and understanding
Why handwriting should be seen as a tool, not just a finished product
How teachers can support handwriting without adding pressure or stress
Holly also offers practical insights for educators who feel overwhelmed by packed curriculums but still want to honor handwriting as part of meaningful learning.
If you’ve ever wondered whether handwriting still has a place in today’s digital classrooms — or worried about what students might be losing as screens take over — this episode will give you plenty to think about.
 
About the Guest
Holly Britton, M.Ed is a handwriting instruction specialist with more than 26 years of experience in education. She has worked as a classroom teacher, curriculum director, and kindergarten coach, and is the founder of Squiggle Squad Handwriting, a unique approach to teaching letter and number formation for early writers.
Holly works with diverse learners who experience a wide range of learning challenges and speaks nationally about handwriting as a kinesthetic connection to language — one that supports creativity, learning, and self-expression.
 
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