The Creative Classroom with John Spencer 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.