Growing Creative Thinkers with Jason Blair

In this episode we are joined by Jason Blair. He has been an art educator at the primary level for over 20 years. He is the teacher leader in residence at the Columbus Museum of Art and he is working with Project Zero out of Harvard.

In this episode we discuss:
1. It’s important that we take a step back and think how do we apply learning. How do we make connections between disciplines instead of just focusing on one discipline.
2. Students come to us creative it’s important that we help sustain it and develop it further.
3. Set expectations that you want your students to be creative and imaginative in your space.
4. There is a hundred languages that every child speaks.
5. Create a space where all the voices and languages can be heard.
6. Inconvenient creativity - we want creativity when it is convenient for us. The problem is. kids are creativity 24/7/365. 
7. How we respond to inconvenient creativity is extremely important. Do we see the mess or do we have see the potential.
8. As adults we often see creativity first as the mess first before what the potential is. 9. Slow down and notice the world.
10. Take a noticing walk - have a theme for what you are noticing. There are things that we pass everyday that we don’t notice.
11. When you are slowing down to notice things you’ll notice body language of another student, a passing comment, a smile about something, and other nuances.
12. When we notice the humans to the left and right of us before the content it would be a different education field.
13. Help students become not just problem solvers, but problem finders.
14. Are we creating an environment where questions are welcomed and questions are expected. Questions are fuel where learning is going to go.
15. The Question Focus Technique.
16. Design challenges that help students become curious, develop empathy, notice the world.
17. Students need to practice working in teams.
18. Create activities and challenges that give you real life talking points to teach the students.
19. As an educator have a research question that guides your practice.
20. Ask yourself how can we get students to learn with, thru, and for other kids.
21. How can we step back so that the students can step up.
22. There’s power in having different age groups working together.
23. How do we create conversations and environments that foster creativity.
24. Find ways to showcase the intellectual capacity of students to parents.
25. As educators we should be trying to lift one another up.
26. Book Recommendations: The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, Big Potential by Shawn Anchor
27. Podcast Recommendations: Experience Matters by Steve Shapiro
28.  We need to help students become curious about themselves, others, and the world.

Website: https://www.growcreativethinkers.com

Connect:
Twitter: @_JasonBlair

Bio: Jason Blair believes the creativity of our children will change the world. As a 20 year veteran arts educator, everyday he is fortunate to learn from the creative geniuses that step into his art studio. He believes that we can empower students to tap into their creative potential, if we as educators nurture our own growth as creative change agents. To empower creativity in his students, Jason believes the educator must be the classroom creativity whisperer, building a community in which creativity is valued and thinking different is not just safe, but celebrated. Jason has established himself as a creativity specialist, capable of cultivating the creative dispositions that will illuminate imaginative ideas and help inspire innovative practice. He received his MA in art education from The Ohio State University. Currently, he teaches elementary art in Dublin, Ohio.