Fueling Creativity in Education

Thinking Like a Lawyer: Colin Seale on Creative and Critical Thinking in Schools

How might we infuse critical thinking into the classroom?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, hosts Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood welcome Colin Seale, a seasoned educator, attorney, and the founder of Think Law. Colin delves into how educators can ignite creative thinking in their classrooms through open-ended questions, fostering student creativity, and navigating existing educational systems while pushing for change. He emphasizes the need to maintain and nurture the innate curiosity each student possesses, challenging the conventional educational structures that often stifle imagination and innovative thinking. With captivating examples from his book "Thinking Like a Lawyer," Colin illustrates how everyday scenarios, such as questioning the value of traditions or analyzing courtroom cases, can develop critical and creative thinking skills in students of all backgrounds.
The discussion further explores the profound connection between creativity, educational equity, and the necessary visionary goals to tackle systemic issues like redlining and underinvestment in education. Seale underscores the importance of empowering students to visualize and work toward what "ought to be," fostering a sense of agency and problem-solving. From an inspiring classroom activity in Louisville to a teacher in Dayton ingeniously utilizing storytelling to teach historical events, Colin's insights provide a practical and transformative framework for educators. Colin also tackles the significance of mistake analysis and how understanding students' reasoning can enhance creative thinking.
About Colin Seale:
Colin Seale was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, where struggles in his upbringing gave birth to his passion for educational equity. Tracked early into gifted and talented programs, Colin was afforded opportunities his neighborhood peers were not. Using lessons from his experience as a math teacher, later as an attorney, and now as a keynote speaker, contributor to Forbes, The 74, Edutopia and Education Post and author of Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students (Prufrock Press, 2020) and Tangible Equity: A Guide for Leveraging Student Identity, Culture, and Power to Unlock Excellence In and Beyond the Classroom (Routledge, 2022), Colin founded thinkLaw, a multi-award-winning organization to help educators leverage inquiry-based instructional strategies to close the critical thinking gap and ensure they teach and reach all students, regardless of race, zip code or what side of the poverty line they are born into.
Eager to bring more creativity into your school district?Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and CreativeThinkingNetwork.comWhat to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!

Revising a Creative Mindset and Participatory Creativity

In this latest episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast, hosts Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood reflect on their journey through Season 9.  They discuss the rapid pace of the semester and how balancing responsibilities can be a challenge without deliberate efforts to slow down. The hosts kick off their debrief by revisiting recent episodes, including conversations with Corey Gray on culturally responsive teaching, Dr. Edward Clapp on participatory creativity in education, and Dorta Nielsen from the Center for Creative Thinking in Denmark. They delve into key insights from these episodes, reflecting on the importance of recognizing diverse student backgrounds and contributions in the learning environment, as well as the instructional strategies that can foster a creative mindset.
Matthew and Cyndi acknowledge the value of seeing every student and encourage the adoption of a participatory creativity framework to celebrate individual contributions while fostering a collective creative process. This episode underscores the powerful impact of a creative mindset, sharing personal anecdotes and practical applications. Furthermore, the hosts tease upcoming episodes, including the much-anticipated conversations with creativity expert Dr. Robert Sternberg and a special Thanksgiving episode, promising an exciting conclusion to Season 9. For more in-depth discussions and to access over 100 interviews archived to date, visit the podcast's comprehensive website at fuelingcreativitypodcast.com.
Eager to bring more creativity into your school district?Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.orgWhat to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
 
 

Nurturing Creative Mindsets in Schools with Dorte Nielsen

How might we cultivate a creative mindset in our classrooms?In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, join hosts Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood as they delve into transforming educational settings to foster creativity with special guest, Dorte Nielsen. Dorte is the founder of Creative Thinker and the Center for Creative Thinking in Copenhagen, with an impressive background in advertising and education. She has authored 10 books and has been a driving force behind integrating creative thinking into primary school curricula. Through her work, Dorte has introduced innovative programs that encourage creative thinking across all subjects and age groups.Throughout this insightful conversation, Dorte shares her observations of how traditional educational environments often lack the support needed for creative minds to thrive. She highlights the successes of her initiatives—such as improved student engagement, reduced absenteeism, and enhanced classroom dynamics. Dorte discusses the importance of fostering an open-ended, growth-oriented mindset and provides actionable tips for educators, emphasizing the need to celebrate diverse thinking styles. This episode brings to light the transformative power of creativity in education, offering valuable takeaways for teachers, administrators, and anyone passionate about nurturing creativity in the classroom.The Secret of the Highly Creative ThinkerLittle Creative Thinker’s Exercise BookAbout Dorte Nielsen:Dorte is the founder of Creative Thinker and the Center for Creative Thinking in Copenhagen. She has dedicated her life to helping others become better creative thinkers. After her advertising career in London, she has been teaching and researching creativity. She founded a bachelor degree program for conceptual thinkers and made it one of the most award-winning creative bachelors programs in the world. After her success in training creativity at the university level, Dorte took her uniquely effective creativity curriculum to primary schools. Dorte Nielsen is the author of 10 books, 3 games and thinking tools. Her books are published in 11 languages and are sold in 65 countries. Check out our website at FuelingCreativityPodcast.comEager to bring more creativity into your school district?Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and CreativeThinkingNetwork.comWhat to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
Our Sound Engineer for this episode was David Dragozov

Shifting Focus: Collaboration and Creativity in K-12 Schools with Dr. Edward Clapp

What happens when we start viewing creativity through the lens of participatory contributions rather than individual brilliance?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast, hosts Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett welcome back to the show Dr. Edward Clapp, principal investigator at Project Zero and a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, to delve into the concept of participatory creativity. Clapp challenges the traditional view of creativity as an individual trait and advocates for a more inclusive and networked approach. He introduces the idea of "profiles of participation," which recognizes the unique ways individuals contribute to group projects The episode provides valuable insights for educators on how to shift focus from individual genius to collaborative idea development, reducing the emotional impact of failure and fostering a growth mindset.
Additionally, the conversation touches upon the dynamic roles individuals can play in participatory creativity, drawing analogies to team sports like soccer. The discussion also explores the role of AI in the creative process, broadening the understanding of how technology can contribute to group projects. Practical tools such as the Participation Tracker and Stakeholder Mapping are highlighted, offering educators tangible methods to integrate participatory creativity into their classrooms. Clapp's new book serves as a comprehensive guide for educators, presenting strategies and real-world examples to cultivate a more democratic and collaborative approach to creativity. This episode underscores the importance of emphasizing ideas over individuals, encouraging students to see themselves as part of a larger creative network.
Order the Participatory Creativity Guide for Educators here!
About Edward Clapp:
Edward P. Clapp, Ed.D. is a Principal Investigator at Project Zero interested in exploring creativity and innovation, design and maker-centered learning, contemporary approaches to arts teaching and learning, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in education. In addition to his work as a researcher, Edward is also a Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Edward’s most recent books include Participatory Creativity: Introducing Access and Equity to the Creative Classroom (Routledge, 2016) and Maker-Centered Learning: Empowering Young People to Shape their Worlds (with Jessica Ross, Jennifer Oxman Ryan, and Shari Tishman, Jossey-Bass, 2016). @edwardpclapp
Eager to bring more creativity into your school district?Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org What to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? 
Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. 
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Exploring Cultural Creativity with Emerging Scholar Corey Gray

How can educators teach for creativity through a culturally responsive lens?
In this week's episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast, hosts Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett introduce Corey Gray, a PhD candidate at the University of Georgia specializing in educational psychology and gifted education. The insightful conversation delves into key factors that shape creative schooling, such as instructional design, teacher engagement, and collaborative learning environments. Corey provides a comprehensive look at culturally responsive teaching, an approach that honors students' cultural identities while enhancing their creativity and academic skills. The discussion highlights the systemic underrepresentation of Black and Brown students in gifted programs, largely due to implicit biases in existing policies and practices, and explores creative methods to address these disparities.
Corey shares his vision for creative schools and his belief in the transformative power of culturally responsive creativity. He outlines practical strategies for educators, such as utilizing non-traditional classroom setups, project-based learning, and developing custom curriculums tailored to students' needs. 
About Corey Gray:
Corey Gray is a third-year Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Georgia, studying Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Gifted and Creative Education. Corey is a graduate of Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education. As a resident of Atlanta, Corey has taught in a variety of educational roles, such as elementary educator, cooperating teacher, gifted education mentor teacher, middle school math teacher, special education teacher, department head, and adjunct instructor. He has also taught in traditional neighborhood public schools, charter schools, and independent schools. Corey currently serves as the Communication Chair for the Creativity Network in the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) and the Vice President of the UGA chapter of Graduate Researchers in Educational Psychology. His research interests include teaching for creativity, culturally responsive pedagogy, abolitionist teaching, excellence gaps in culturally diverse communities, and creative schools.
Eager to bring more creativity into your school district?Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org 
Check out our Podcast Website to dive deeper into Creativity in Education!What to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
 

DEBRIEF 9.2: Revisting Schooling v Learning

Are schools designed for learning? Or are schools designed for schooling?
In our latest episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, hosts Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett dive into these questions as they debrief three compelling conversations from Season 9.
Here's what you can expect:
Will Richardson: They explore his thought-provoking ideas on whether our current education model needs an evolution or a revolution. Are schools designed for schooling rather than genuine learning? The hosts debate and reflect on what it means to truly engage students.
Raya Bidshahri: They discuss the inspiring story of building a community-centered, project-based online high school. Raya shares her entrepreneurial journey and emphasizes the importance of tailoring education to individual passions and real-world issues.
Dr. Marci Klein: They examine how a pediatrician-turned-entrepreneur integrates hands-on, creative learning through her company, 3DuxDesign. Dr. Klein challenges the hosts to reconsider the balance between traditional hands-on learning and the increasing reliance on technology in the classroom.
Join Matt and Cyndi as they navigate these diverse yet interconnected perspectives! And let's continue the conversation about how we can best fuel creativity and learning in our schools on Linkedin!
 
Eager to bring more creativity into your school district?Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org What to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!

Talking about the past and future of schooling with Will Richardson

What are "irresistible futures" in education, and why are they important for motivating systemic change?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast, hosts Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Warwood engage in a thought-provoking discussion with Will Richardson. They delve into how the transition from the third to the fourth industrial revolution is shaping education, emphasizing the need to anticipate and adapt to disruptive technologies like AI. Will reflects on the historical patterns of technological advancements leading to unintended consequences and critiques the current profit-driven focus of AI development. He underscores the significant gap in long-term strategic thinking in education compared to indigenous cultures that consider impacts on future generations. This conversation invites educators to reimagine education, highlighting the critical moment of transformation we are in and the potential to create "irresistible futures" by envisioning positive, aspirational changes.
Additionally, they tackle various pressing issues like misinformation, disinformation, and the imperatives of engaging students in conversations about their educational experiences. They discuss the emergence of alternative educational models, such as micro-schools, that blend inquiry-based learning with real-world applications, contrasting them with traditional methods overly focused on test scores. Will advocates for a revolutionary change in education, shifting the focus from mere schooling to genuine learning. 
About Will Richardson:
A former public school educator of 22 years, Will has spent the last 18 years developing an international reputation as a leading thinker and writer about the intersection of social online learning networks, education, and systemic change. Most recently, Will is a co-founder of The Big Questions Institute which was created to help educators use "fearless inquiry" to make sense of this complex moment and an uncertain future.
Eager to bring more creativity into your school district?Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and CreativeThinkingNetwork.comWhat to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!

A New Approach to Schooling with Education Entrepreneur Raya Bidshahri

What would a personalized high school curriculum centered around global challenges look like?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, hosts Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett sit down with Raya Bidshahri, an accomplished entrepreneur and educator who is the founder and CEO of the School of Humanity. Raya sheds light on her frustration with traditional education systems and shares her innovative approach to personalized, project-based learning, which forms the backbone of her school. Unlike conventional methods reliant on standardized tests, the School of Humanity emphasizes low-stakes knowledge checks and project-based assessments, encouraging students to engage in interdisciplinary challenges such as food security and the future of the internet. Raya's passion for education reform, grounded in her own positive experiences with project-based learning and entrepreneurship, fuels her vision to create a more effective, curiosity-driven educational system.
The episode dives deep into the implementation of challenge-based learning and how AI can play a constructive role in education, with Raya differentiating between its ethical uses and potential for misuse. A techno-optimist at heart, she discusses a structured AI policy that encourages AI for tasks like brainstorming while banning it from generating entire essays to avoid academic dishonesty. The conversation is enriched with insights on flexible learning environments, the importance of scaffolded assessments, and the Human Literacies Framework that integrates traditional and innovative skills. With around 60 students and plans to double enrollment, Raya's School of Humanity is a testament to her effective educational approach. 
 
About Raya Bidshahri:
Raya Bidshahri is a serial entrepreneur and award-winning educator. Raya is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the School of Humanity, an award-winning online high school with an innovative learning model and interdisciplinary curriculum. At School of Humanity, learners from over 10 countries across 5 continents develop their skills, mindsets, and behaviors by tackling real-world challenges. Raya has been featured by the BBC as one of the 100 most influential and inspiring women globally. She was the main award winner for the Next Generation Foresight Practioner’s Award, organized by the School of International Futures and supported by the Omidyar network. The awards recognize those whose leadership efforts shape the future and improve lives.
Eager to bring more creativity into your school district?Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and CreativeThinkingNetwork.comWhat to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!