The Creative Classroom with John Spencer

I love to come up with project ideas. The brainstorming process feels a bit like going to a candy store, where I get to peruse past experiences, seek out new interests, find materials, and feel inspired by whatever pops up. Or better yet, it’s more... The post How do you come up with great project ideas? (3 Starting Places) appeared first on John Spencer.

In this podcast, Dominique Foster shares practical strategies for designing a creative classroom for early childhood students. She talks about instructional design and physical space design. She also shares ways we can partner with stakeholders to help them see the vision for a creative classroom... The post Dominique Foster On Designing a Creative Classroom for Early Learners appeared first on John Spencer.

When I was a first-year teacher, my mentor teacher observed me teaching a lesson. Afterward, we met up during my prep period and she said, “John, your lesson was outstanding but I want to talk to you about how you’re treating someone in your class.”... The post What Happens When Teachers Take Creative Risks? appeared first on John Spencer.

When I was a new teacher, I had a goal of differentiating instruction for every student. I would provide additional directions, project sheets, tutorials, and small group instruction for any student who needed help. My main focus was on providing the necessary accommodations on IEPs... The post Empowering Students to Self-Select the Scaffolds appeared first on John Spencer.

I had the honor of interviewing PBL expert Trevor Muir on what it means to get started with PBL. Check out the podcast below. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on the go, just click... The post Trevor Muir Answers Key Questions About PBL appeared first on John Spencer.

All three of my kids have missed a significant number days because of the need to quarantine. The Omicron variant is sweeping through our neighborhoods and our local school district recently created a no-contact day this last Friday. Many caregivers and community members are concerned... The post Why I’m Not Too Worried About Learning Loss appeared first on John Spencer.

Back in college, I started making New Year’s Resolutions. I would turn these resolutions into goals. Typically, I would start something entirely new and often I would finish my goal halfway through the year. Unfortunately, I didn’t always develop the habits needed for long-term change.... The post Using the SLIME Method for Setting New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on John Spencer.

On Monday, I wrote a silly tweet: I then started to think about how that tradition would have started and immediately began typing out a story. Initially, I thought I would share it privately with the early elementary teachers in my cohort and then I... The post Miss B. Saves Christmas (A Story) appeared first on John Spencer.

I wrote this post fifteen years ago as a 400 word reminder to myself to choose renewal and rest rather than work during winter break. I realize that it goes beyond the personal level. Often, the systems and structures fail to support teachers’ ability to... The post Finding Renewal on Your Winter Break appeared first on John Spencer.

I had the honor of interviewing celebrated author Antonio Sacre on the power of storytelling in education. Check out the podcast below. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on the go, just click on the... The post Antonio Sacre on the Power of Storytelling in Education appeared first on John Spencer.

December is exhausting for teachers. The days are shorter. The weather grows colder and (at least here in Oregon) wetter. Students are anxious — whether it’s a buzzing excitement for vacation or a sense of dread that some kids feel in homes that are unsafe... The post Ending the Semester with a Student Blogging Project appeared first on John Spencer.

I want to make something clear before we dive into this topic. I made huge mistakes in classroom management as a teacher. I let certain disruptive behaviors go unchecked because I was tired and I didn’t want to put out another fire. I had moments... The post How to Be Proactive About Classroom Management in PBL appeared first on John Spencer.

Last week, I had the honor of interviewing Dwayne Reed (aka Mr. Reed) about the importance of STEM education. In this interview, he shared big ideas about the purpose of STEM – including 3M Science at Home – but also specific practical strategies and first... The post Dwayne Reed on the Power of STEM Education appeared first on John Spencer.

Roy Kent gets it. There’s a scene in the last episode of this season’s Ted Lasso where the team’s game plan doesn’t seem to be working. The coaches huddle together in Ted’s office and debate whether they should stick with the plan or try something... The post Ask the Teachers appeared first on John Spencer.

When we think of choice-based reading, we often imagine silent reading with novels. However, we can take a student-centered, choice-based approach to non-fiction as well. In this article, we explore nine different areas of student empowerment within informational text reading. Listen to the Podcast If... The post 9 Teacher-Tested Ways to Build Student Ownership into Informational Reading appeared first on John Spencer.