Fueling Creativity in Education
Episodes
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
How can creativity help students learn a new language? In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood welcome Tanya Knudsen, an educator, world traveler, polyglot, and PhD candidate for creative leadership. Tanya’s currently teaching a TIM-based curriculum, Creativity Through English, via zoom to students at Wings of Change, a vocational hospitality school and hotel social enterprise in Madagascar. She teaches for creativity with an expanded and self-designed curriculum squarely rooted in the Torrance Incubation Model (TIM) for Teaching and Learning to combine Creative Thinking Skills with subjects.
Listen in to learn Tanya’s art-based framework for integrating creative thinking skills into her ESL classroom, simple strategies for keeping students engaged while teaching remotely, and how English teachers can use kinesthetic teaching to bring more creativity into the classroom.
“The thing with language is it has to be a subconscious skill, ultimately, so how can I pass the concepts into the subconscious most quickly? And I believe that to be through physical because that’s how it will resonate.” – Tanya Knudsen
Plus, Tanya describes “the language of creativity” and speaks on the immense value that creativity can bring to ESL students.
“That’s really what we want to pull out in the creative thinking skills is what is your process for developing your understanding or ability to think through the information that you’re learning so that you can evaluate, sift, and formulate your own original thought.” – Tanya Knudsen
Tanya’s Tips for Teachers and Parents:
Try! Just do it. Whatever you want to try, go for it, because everything leads to something else.
Ask questions. That’s how you learn, figure out where they are, and how to teach them more effectively.
Have fun! Kids are bored at school and humans seek play at every age, so it’s important to have fun throughout learning.
Recommended Resources:
Wings of Change – Madagascar
GoNoodle
Listen to The Idea Gym Podcast
Weaving Creativity into Every Strand of Your Curriculum by Dr. Cyndi Burnett (contributions by Tanya Knudsen)
20 Lessons to Weave Creative Thinking into Your Curriculum by Dr. Cyndi Burnett (contributions by Tanya Knudsen)
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
Eager to bring more creativity into your home or classroom?
Access various creativity resources and tools & listen to more episodes of The Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast by visiting www.CreativityandEducation.com.
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 learn how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom.
Have a question? Email Dr. Burnett and Dr. Worwood at questions@fuelingcreativitypodcast.com!
You can also find The Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, and PodBean! Make sure to rate, review, and share the podcast if you enjoy it!
About Tanya Knudsen:
Tanya is an educator, polyglot, world traveler and PhD candidate for creative leadership. Tanya teaches for creativity with an expanded and self-designed curriculum squarely rooted in the Torrance Incubation Model for Teaching and Learning to combine Creative Thinking Skills with subjects. Tanya’s first creative curriculum, Creativity Through Arts, received scholarly recognition in 2021. Tanya now teaches her second TIM-based curriculum, Creativity Through English, via zoom, to students at Wings of Change, a vocational hospitality school and hotel social enterprise in Nosy Be, Madagascar. Tanya is headed to Nosy Be in the new year to conduct research for her dissertation. For Tanya, creativity is new new lingua franca and she’s on a quest to expand creativity to the far reaches of the planet.
Visit Tanya’s website
Connect with her on LinkedIn
Listen to The Idea Gym Podcast
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
Tuesday Mar 01, 2022
Fueling Creativity S3 Ep 6 with Bea Leiderman
What are the benefits of being a novice learner? How does having a personal passion or interest benefit your work as an educator?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity podcast, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood speak with Bea Leiderman, an educational technology coach based in Virginia with over 20 years of experience in education.
In 2012, macrophotography became Bea’s gateway to learning about science, biology, and the natural environment. As a novice learner, Bea had the opportunity to consider learning from a new perspective, later changing her approach to teaching.
Bea sheds light on the power of being a novice as an educator by sharing her first interaction with macrophotography and how it has since influenced her teaching methods. They talk about the importance of finding joy in learning for yourself, exploring non-educational blogs and resources, and the connection that can be built between educators and students when you’re both learning something new.
Can you maintain a level of control while students explore their creativity? How do you raise curious children? Is it important to limit the technology and screen time your kids are exposed to? Listen in to hear Bea’s answers!
“Creativity is at the most creative when it’s cross-disciplinary, it’s outward-focused rather than inward-focused.” - Bea Leiderman
View Bea’s Macro Photography on Instagram
Bea’s Tips for Teachers and Parents:
Expose your kids to lots of things, even things that may not be traditionally meant for kids. Different types of music, old movies, museums, festivals, factories, etc.
Be interested in what your kids are interested in and don’t make fun of what they like.
Be open to social media and not “the hype”. Find the interesting, passionate, quirky people on social media. There’s something to learn from everything and everyone.
Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to do something simple or be a novice.
Look for things that bring you joy and fun.
“You end up learning all sorts of things by following people who are interested in things that are completely different from what you’re doing.” - Bea Leiderman
Resources Mentioned:
Listen to the episode with Ron BeghettoListen to the episode with Dr. James Kaufman
Listen to the episode with Dr. Caroline BrookfieldListen to the episode with Wendy Ross
Listen to the episode with Dr. Sally ReisCreativity blog series by Punya Mishra
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
Eager to bring more creativity into your home or classroom?
Access various creativity resources and tools & listen to more episodes of The Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast by visiting www.CreativityandEducation.com.
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 learn how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom.
You can also find The Fueling Creativity Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, and PodBean! Make sure to RATE, REVIEW, and SHARE the podcast if you enjoy it!
About Bea Leiderman:
Bea is an educational technology coach in Prince Edward County, Virginia, and has over twenty years of experience in education. Her focus has always been on giving students experiences that lead to learning. In 2012, Bea bought a macro lens attachment for her iPhone camera. Macrophotography became a gateway to learning about science, biology, and the natural environment in ways she didn’t initially anticipate. Being a novice learner gave Bea the opportunity to consider learning from a new perspective that has changed how she approaches teaching. Bea has written several books about insects showcasing her photography and inviting readers to explore and learn.
Follow her on Instagram
Follow her on Twitter
Friday Dec 10, 2021
Friday Dec 10, 2021
How is creativity connected to engagement in an educational environment? In this episode of Fueling Creativity, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood speak with Dr. Heather Lyon, author of Engagement is not a Unicorn (It’s a Narwhal) and The BIG Book of Engagement Strategies.
Listen in to learn Heather’s unique formula for engagement, the differences between student engagement and adult engagement, and engagement impacts our ability to be successful learners. She details her 4 Levels of Engagement and what causes someone to shift from one level to another, as well as the manifestations of each of these engagement levels.
“Compliance is not engagement”- Heather Lyon
Heather’s Tips for Teachers and Parents:
Teachers are models for students. Students do what they see, so teachers who are engaged and creative have students that are also engaged and creative. Be willing to celebrate both the progress and the struggle.
Compliance is not engagement. Stop being okay with students who are simply doing what they’re told.
Creativity is the fuel for engagement. The more a person has choice, voice, input, and control over what they are doing, the more likely they are to be at least interested, if not absorbed, in the learning.
About Heather Lyon:
Heather Lyon is author of Engagement is not a Unicorn (It’s a Narwhal) and The BIG Book of Engagement Strategies. Heather is a former English teacher and has a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and an Ed.M. in Reading from the University at Buffalo. She is an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology for Lewiston-Porter Central School District in Western New York. Heather has been a staff developer and held various administrative titles, but the professional title she likes best is learner. She is also a proud wife and mother who struggles with but values the importance of boundaries and balance—which are so critical for all of us. Heather lives with her husband and three children, who make her smile and teach her the importance of kindness, respect, and patience.
Visit Heather’s website
Follow her on Twitter
Connect with her on LinkedIn
Resources Mentioned:
Listen to the episodes with Ron Beghetto
Listen to the episode with Dr. James Kaufman
Listen to the episode with Sally Reis
Eager to bring more creativity into your home or classroom?
Access various creativity resources and tools & listen to more episodes of The Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast by visiting www.CreativityandEducation.com.
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 learn how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
You can also find The Fueling Creativity Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, and PodBean! Make sure to rate, review, and share the podcast if you enjoy it!
Saturday Oct 16, 2021
Saturday Oct 16, 2021
In this episode of Fueling Creativity, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood interview AP Computer Science educator, Leon Tynes, about how flipped classrooms have given him time and space to facilitate more meaningful experiences in the classroom. Plus, he speaks on how he prioritizes his own personal growth and development as an educator.
Leon details his approach to navigating changes in technology throughout the school year, as well as his approach to flipped classrooms, offering tips for teachers on having a successful flipped classroom experience.
He also sheds light on the power of being vulnerable and putting yourself in the midst of your classroom’s chaos, collaborating with your fellow teachers and administrators, and believing in your students.
“The goal is not retirement. The goal is elevating students to be those next professionals or those game changers that basically deal with these issues on the planet that we have going on right now, issues in society. That’s what I want to see.” - Leon Tynes
Leon’s Tips for Teachers:
Assess where you are. If you’re not comfortable, get comfortable, and figure out what you need to do to get there. What type of educator do you want to be or are you done being one?
Decide what steps you need to take regarding your personal development (PD). Every bit helps propel you forward.
Find balance in work and personal life so you can open yourself up to opportunities. Everything has a season, there may be times where your schedule is loaded due to PD, so prepare yourself and your family for those times.
Resources Mentioned:
Weaving Creativity into Every Strand of Your Curriculum by Dr. Cyndi Burnett: https://amzn.to/3AyeSe9
Unity: www.unity.com/learn/educators
About Leon Tynes:
Leon Tynes is the AP Computer Science educator at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona. For the past twelve years, Tynes has used a flipped classroom approach to maximize learning in the realms of 3D modeling, digital media, mobile app development, and computer science courses. Dedicated to immersing his students in all aspects of technology, he has successfully integrated science and engineering concepts, which has led to numerous student awards. He has a passion for habitat and climate issues and wishes to develop authentic projects to broaden students’ global awareness in STEM.
“My focus has always been in urban education and equity in computer science and technology,” Tynes says. “I have a significant amount of experience with students creating nonfiction media dealing with contemporary social issues. Imploring students to research contemporary issues that directly affect their communities and their potential to explore college and substantive careers is a priority of my pedagogy.”
Connect with Leon:
Follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.com/leontynesjr
Connect with him on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/leontynesjr
Follow him on Instagram: www.instagram.com/leontynesjr
Eager to bring more creativity into your home or classroom?
Access various creativity resources and tools & listen to more episodes of The Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast by visiting www.CreativityandEducation.com.
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 learn how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
You can also find The Fueling Creativity Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, and PodBean! Make sure to rate, review, and share the podcast if you enjoy it!
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Friday Oct 08, 2021
In this episode of Fueling Creativity, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood interview arts and creativity educator, Donna Luther, about how she nurtures a culture of creativity and problem solving as Head of Inly School, an all-gender PreK-8 Montessori day school in Massachusetts.
Donna highlights how her students are inspired to act on their ideas, why it’s so impactful to think about a school as a start-up, and how she encourages teachers and students to take risks and be okay with experiencing failure.
She also speaks on the characteristics she looks for in teachers that she hires and what really makes a creative educator, including openness and willingness to evolve and innovate. Plus, Donna tells the incredible story of why she started Summer Stars Camp for the Performing Arts (spoiler: it was inspired by Britney Spears!).
“It’s our responsibility, not only to stay current, but actually to stay future focused. Not only what do we need for today, but what do we need for the unknown of tomorrow for our students.” - Donna Luther
Donna’s Tips for Teachers – Montessori Philosophies That Can Be Applied to Any School:
Go beyond the four walls of the classroom. What can you do in your hallways, playground, and your community to explore and help your students discover something new or discover a passion?
Practice saying YES to ideas. Remember, be open!
Always ask yourself: How might we prepare our students for a world that we can’t predict? Learn how to question, problem solve, and to take two very disconnected ideas and find ways they can connect.
Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about Inly School: www.inlyschool.org
About Donna Luther:
An arts and creativity educator, Donna Luther is currently Head of Inly School, an all-gender independent, Montessori based day school in Massachusetts for students ages 2 – 14. She is a member of the Leadership Development faculty for the Creative Education Foundation, where she teaches Creativity in the 21st Century Classroom, Advanced Strategies for Educators, Facilitation through the Arts, and Integrating Creativity and Leadership to educators and business professionals worldwide. As an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University, she has taught in the national and international M.Ed. program for Creative Arts in Learning. She has presented at conferences throughout the United States and in Brazil, China, South Africa and Israel. Donna is founding director of Summer Stars Camp for the Performing Arts.
Eager to bring more creativity into your home or classroom?
Access various creativity resources and tools & listen to more episodes of The Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast by visiting www.CreativityandEducation.com.
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 learn how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
You can also find The Fueling Creativity Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, and PodBean!
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Friday Apr 16, 2021
How do you go from teaching to designing? In this episode of the Fueling Creativity podcast, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood speak with creator, educator, and designer, KC Lathrop. As a former teacher turned designer, KC works to empower people to go against societal norms, change careers, start over, start again, learn anything they want, and follow all creative desires.
Tune in to learn about her transition from educator to full-time designer at IBM, the similarities between teaching and design professions, and how her administrative role allows her to be creative in new ways. She also describes the fascinating 100 of Making practice and how it nurtures her creativity, design, innovation, and even mental health.
“I kind of think about creativity in support your mental health. I think it’s almost the same idea as going to the gym every day for your physical health. To me, maintaining a creative practice is one of the ways that I maintain my mental health.” - KC Lathrop
KC’s Tips for Teachers and Parents:
Take every lesson you teach as a new opportunity to learn something for yourself. Not every class is going to be the best class you’ve ever taught.
A part of learning is being vulnerable. If you want your students to be vulnerable, you also need to be vulnerable with them.
Meet people where they are. No matter how much experience you have, there’s always space for learning and growing.
About KC Lathrop:
KC Lathrop is a designer, creator, and educator. She currently works in strategy and operations for IBM’s IT department. KC started at IBM as a User Experience Designer 5 years ago while getting her master’s degree from New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP). During her time at NYU, KC enrolled in the class 100 days of making, which she ended up teaching the following year. As a former teacher turned designer, she works to empower people to go against societal norms, change careers, start over, start again, learn anything you want and follow all creative desires. KC currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her adorable dog, Waffles.
Visit KC’s website
Connect with her on LinkedIn
Follow her on Instagram
Eager to bring more creativity into your home or classroom?
Access various creativity resources and tools & listen to more episodes of The Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast by visiting www.CreativityandEducation.com.
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 learn how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
Follow Cyndi and Matt on Linkedin!
You can also find The Fueling Creativity Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, and PodBean! Make sure to rate, review, and share the podcast if you enjoy it!