Top Tips for Igniting Creativity Mojo

It takes a huge amount of creative energy to be an amazing teacher.  Sometimes the creative stream seems to have dried up and become a harsh desert.  Here are some of my best ideas for bringing back that creativity mojo.

5.  Unplug for as long as you possibly can--a day, a week, a month.  All that access to the world and crazy cat videos does not fuel our creativity.  Quite the opposite.  Turn everything off and take a little break.  I used to do this one day every week.  You will be amazed what your brain will do when it's not constantly thinking about facebook.

4.  Take a little artsy/craftsy class or workshop {Did I mention I'm teaching 2 later this month.}  It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive.  And the less it is something you "usually do" the better.  Find a Wine and Canvas event, and drag a friend with you.

3.  Take a nap.  Sometimes I actually go to sleep thinking about creative problem solving, and it's crazy what I come up with the next day.  Sleep is essential to creativity.

2.  Grab some old art or craft supplies and see what you create.  Let it flow.  It doesn't have to be anything you ever show to anyone.  I LOVE to grab a few old magazines, scissors, glue, and a big piece of paper.  I'm amazed by what becomes clear when I glue all those little phrases down.

1.  This is my number one best tip:  Go for a walk in nature.  If possible do this alone.  If possible make this a regular part of your life.  It will change the way you see the world, your problems, your body, and so much more.  Let yourself just relax--especially your mind.  I can't tell you how many times I've been driving home from a couple mile walk in the woods and an idea will just pop into my head.  It's amazing.

I want to point out that most of these ideas are FREE.  That does NOT make them easy.  It's all about stepping outside of your regular routine.  That is always a little tricky so BEST WISHES!

Another Friday Challenge

If you life this poster you can get inspiration delivered to you in box daily.
{Click Summer of Inspiration in the sidebar}

If you want to join the Friday Challenge, head on over to my website:  www.BraveTeachers.com

The challenges are deceptively simple, but they can really change your life!

Two Cool Workshops for Teachers and Other Humans

I'm guiding two great workshops this month at ACoT.  They are perfect for teachers!  You can use what you learn with students of for your own creative expression.  They are open to EVERYONE--so bring your sister, neighbor, kids, best friends!


July 28, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., PAPERMAKING

Enjoy the process of making your own paper from recycled scraps using a dip method.  This paper is great for collages, book arts, cards, and other creative endeavors.  It's fun to make with children in a classroom, too.  After a demonstration you will be able to create and experiment and make as much paper as you like during this workshop.  $20   Sign up HERE

Creative Workshops For Teachers and Other Humans

7/9/2015 18:05:43

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I'm guiding two great workshops this month at ACoT.  They are perfect for teachers!  You can use what you learn with students of for your own creative expression.  They are open to EVERYONE--so bring your sister, neighbor, kids, best friends!


July 28, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., PAPERMAKING

Enjoy the process of making your own paper from recycled scraps using a dip method.  This paper is great for collages, book arts, cards, and other creative endeavors.  It's fun to make with children in a classroom, too.  After a demonstration you will be able to create and experiment and make as much paper as you like during this workshop.  $20   Sign up HERE

July 30, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m, BOOK ART


Have you ever wanted to make cook books for sketching or journaling or gifts.  This is the place for you!  We will learn simple book techniques that even young children can make.  I will show you a variety of samples of various cutting and sewing methods, and then you will create until your heart is content!  Most students will make 3 - 6 books or booklets.  $40, all materials are included.  Sign up HERE

A few samples I've made for our workshop!

I look forward to sharing these workshops with you!  It would be extra fun to make paper at the first workshop that you use to create books in the second workshop!  Do you have questions? Contact me

Edible Cars

The six year old I live with and adore has a book about making toy cars he borrowed from the library.  He has been admiring the section on edible cars.  Finally we started making them, and now we can't stop.  He keeps making hovercrafts.  This is super fun on a rainy day.  I think it would be really fun at school, too!

Apple-grape mobile
Berry mobiles in background

Cherry-berry-mobile

Chocolate treat mobile

The Green Machine 

Once you get started the possibilities are limitless!  Do you enjoy playing with your food?

Art Blog Is Back

My art blog is back!  CHECK IT OUT!

I'm excited to have a home for my art happenings to land.  I share current work, and I let you know where I am leading workshops and special events

Hollyhocks 2
Available at my studio in ACoT $145

Teaching Children To Choose Kindness

 When I think of all the things children really need to learn to make it in this world, choosing kindness is at the top of my list.  I believe in it so much that I'm doing a mini series about it over on the website Brave Teachers.

The first step is letting children see us responding rather than reacting to them.  Read more about it here.

The second step is pointing out examples in ordinary daily life where we witness people choosing kindness. You can read more about it here.

I hope you will join us for more of the journey in teaching children to choose kindness!

What are you working on or thinking about today?

Art In Math: Picture Pie

So I'm still trying to use this blog as the place to share the real stuff I did in my real classroom with my real students.

Today's topic:  Art in Math:  Fractions

Several areas of math lend themselves well to art.  The first two that pop into my mind are geometry and fractions.

Now for the problem. . . when do you have the time to do this cool stuff?

My best response is that every single day I make decisions to shorten or sacrifice part of some sort of learning for some other sort of learning.  The pragmatist in me says, do it as a station on a day when you do a variety of different thematic activities.  I've done that a lot with Fridays with Everyday Math, and it's worked very well.  {A Practice Page, A Game, and Creative Activity}

Now for Picture Pie!  {I have used this very successfully with both 2nd grade and 4th grade.  The difference was 4th graders used compasses to construct their circles, and I had already punched out all the circles for 2nd grade.}

Picture Pie by Ed Emberley cuts circles into halves, quarters, and eighths to make all sorts of plants, animals, patterns, and scenes.  It is soooo COOL and totally worth a look!  {I think it could also be a fully integrated math, art, and writing activity if given the time.}

So here is what I did with 2nd graders:

1.  Everyone starts with one circle in their hands and scissors.  We fold and cut in 1/2.  Then we take one half and cut into fourths.  Then we take one fourth and cut into eighths.  We identify the math fractions terms, too.

2.  Then I give them a couple minutes to make anything using any parts of the circle they want.  It is surprising what kids are starting to see already!

3.  Then I reveal the book.  I'm walking around and enthusiastically pointing out how the butterfly is just 4 fourths and so on. { I'm a HUGE believer in teacher enthusiasm!}

4.  I pass out to each team a few idea pages and a load of different colored circles.  Each person has a small black or white piece of construction paper (4 1/2 x 6 inches)  I have plenty of extras because some people make lots of stuff and some just make a few.

5.  I let them work, and I only try to intervene when a child is doing nothing or appears frustrated/overwhelmed.  Below was a fairly standard amount of work a second grader could do in about 20-25 minutes.