The Creative Classroom with John Spencer

In my latest podcast episode, I interviewed Scott Witthoft, who shared an expanded view of what it means to prototype. I’ve written extensively about design thinking but his latest book This is a Prototype? challenged my thinking while also providing several new strategies I plan... The post Scott Witthoft on the Curious Craft of Prototyping appeared first on John Spencer.

If we want to empower students to own the assessment process, we need to incorporate meaningful self-assessment and peer assessment into our lessons. However, students still need guidance from their teachers. This is why I love five-minute conferences. Unlike a deep dive tutoring session or... The post The Power of Student Conferencing appeared first on John Spencer.

Socratic seminars are a democratic, student-centered, approach to class discussions. They can be used at any grade level with any subject area. In a Socratic Seminar, members meet in a circle (or more likely an oval, because, let’s be real, circles are really hard to... The post Designing Socratic Seminars to Ensure That All Students Can Participate appeared first on John Spencer.

Over the last month, I have been sharing practical ways that we can empower our students to own the learning from day one. This is the core idea that AJ Juliani and I wrote about in our book Empower. It’s a journey I began in... The post Taking a Gradual Release (GRR) Approach to Student Choice appeared first on John Spencer.

I stare at the blinking cursor — an apt term for the blank page rhythmically lulling me into a curse of nothingness, slowly gaining inertia with every passing second. It’s a silent metronome counting down the time I haven’t written. It’s a quiet loop on... The post Creative Habits Versus Creative Momentum appeared first on John Spencer.

In my latest episode, I interviewed Elena Aguilar about coaching, equity, and transforming teacher practice. She asked me a question that had me thinking about my own answer for days — and question what that means for my teaching practice. Elena is a true expert... The post Elena Aguilar on Coaching for Equity appeared first on John Spencer.

This would be the year. I would be a fully project-based social studies teacher. After reading every PBL book I could read and attending PBL sessions at a few summer conferences, I had a vision for a new way of teaching my subject. My third... The post Sprints, Mini-Projects, and Project-Based Learning appeared first on John Spencer.

Mike Kaechele and Dr. Matinga Ragatz are the co-authors of a newly released book, Pulse of PBL: Cultivating Equity Through Social Emotional Learning. Full Disclosure: I am a co-owner of Blend Education, the publisher of their book. It has been an incredible opportunity to witness... The post Mike Kaechele and Dr. Matinga Ragatz on the Pulse of PBL appeared first on John Spencer.

In this week’s podcast, I interviewed Jerry Kolber, a Showrunner and podcast creator. We talked about creativity, curiosity, and what it would mean to re-imagine learning in schools. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on... The post Showrunner Jerry Kolber on the Power of Creativity and Curiosity to Deepen Learning appeared first on John Spencer.

Years ago, as I shifted toward empowering students, I ask myself the question, “What am I doing for students that they could be doing for themselves?” One of the most glaring answers was assessment. So, I began to incorporate peer assessment and self-assessment. However, my... The post Seven Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Peer Feedback in the Classroom appeared first on John Spencer.

For years, I held a very teacher-centered view of assessment. I would grade student work and use that to modify lessons and pull small groups. Students would receive a grade, which would then motivate them to work harder. Later, I started realizing that my feedback... The post Five Reasons Students Should Own the Assessment Process appeared first on John Spencer.

When I was a new teacher, I railed against boxed curriculum. I felt like a chef being forced to use Hamburger Helper or an artist forced to paint by number. It felt like they had taken the creativity out of the profession and I was... The post The Seven Types of Creative Teachers appeared first on John Spencer.

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to interview Dr. Susie Wise on the big idea of designing for belonging. Dr. Wise is a true design thinking expert who asks hard questions about the intersection of design and equity. I have followed her work... The post Dr. Susie Wise on the Power of Designing for Belonging appeared first on John Spencer.

Project-based learning and design thinking have both become buzzwords in the educational landscape. But beyond the buzz, both PBL and design thinking have rich histories that span decades. Both approaches also offer practical frameworks for teachers who are crafting authentic projects for their students. So,... The post PBL by Design – Exploring the Overlap of Project-Based Learning and Design Thinking appeared first on John Spencer.

In this week’s podcast, I interview social studies expert Dan Lewer on the power of student choice and authenticity in history classes. Check out the interview below. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on the... The post Daniel Lewer on the Importance of Student-Centered Social Studies appeared first on John Spencer.