Learning to ask the right questions
Often the hardest thing about being creative and making art on any level is getting started. You’re unable to start because you’re asking the wrong question. Perhaps your question is too broad, allowing for too many solutions. Your question might not be something that you’re actually excited about working on, or it might be guiding […]
Proper Procedures for A Snow Day
While most lose their childlike imagination with age, it’s becoming to look like my brothers’s is only getting stronger, which makes sense. As we get better at the things that we practice, and as you will soon see, he practices a lot. Mr. Sollenberger is the elementary phys. ed. teacher every parent should want their […]
Push your work to the extremes.
It’s easy to get stuck in you comfort zone, which isn’t great for your artwork. Today’s video is about asking the right questions to push your work to the extremes. Watch the video below. creative video 1 edited from louise kane on Vimeo. Leave a comment sharing how you’re going to push your work to […]
The solution to all of your problems.
Need a new idea, but feel like you’re stuck? When it comes to artists and creatives, sometimes it can be hard to step away from your work and develop new ideas and new connections because you’re so close to the work. An idea generation chart is a fun, fast, and easy way to get the […]
what creativity is and what it isn’t
Recently Dave Conrey and I had a conversation about the state of creativity and education. And during the conversation I shared that one key piece to the puzzle is you… parents…. adults.. as a parent you have great influence over what happens at your child’s school, but also what happens at home. in order to […]
How to workout while wearing boots
Ashely Sollenberger is a an elementary physical education teacher, who prides himself in teaching students the joys of fitness through movement and games with a touch of magic. He’s also my brother, and will be writing to share his observations and thoughts on teaching. At the first hint of cold or snow, boots […]
The Creative Process of Elaine Brady Smith
Elaine Brady Smith expresses her creativity through collage, mixed media and encaustic art. To see more of work, and to find out about her workshops, visit her website. I get the best creative ideas when I’m…. When I least expect them!!! They usually come to me when I am […]
Please don’t rewrite the question
At the end of class we’re to ask our students a closure question to check for understanding. Often, I feel that these questions are pointless. As by observing what the students created during class, it’s pretty clear if they get what’s going on. So, instead I use the closure question to get to know my […]
Overcoming Fear with Focus
At the end of each semester of teaching I do a lot of reflecting. What went well, what didn’t, what do I want to change, and what do I want my focus to be. Yesterday as I sat at my desk with papers sprawled around me, it was feeling a bit overwhelming, so many classes, […]
Warning: The truth behind inservice
Inservice… one of those days at work that all teachers dream of… well not really… After receiving a 9 page article that was to be an overview of the day’s topic ( I didn’t read it) I spent several days bracing myself for the knowledge that was about to come my way. While there were […]