creativity in the classroom

A lot of things get blamed for our education system being so shitty.

Government, phones, technology, not enough pay, bad teachers, bad teacher-education systems, private schools, gun violence, drugs, money, etc, etc, etc.

Our world sometimes seems stuck on the same issues, repeating over and over, trying the same kind of solutions, in different times, to the same problems. Nothing is changing.

I can’t speak on all of them, or have any solutions, but I know for a fact what will help:

Creativity.

I started this whole thing because I simply decided, “this is boring” while I was teaching math one day.
And so, I turned within myself, searching for that part of myself that filmed movies, wrote songs, crafted stories, and created art.
And I put that part into action.

I know there are a lot of amazing teachers out there who have used very creative ideas and tools to teach our kids.
I know I am far from the first person coming up with a unique idea.

But I know I shouldn’t be the last.

We need school to be a place kids want to have fun.
Where they want to go.
Because it’s where their people are.
It’s where they feel safe.
It’s where they find excitement, joy, and laughter.
It’s where they discover who they are, what they love, and what they desire.

School is not that, not even close.

We all know what school is, but do we ever really think about what school could be?

Not, what curriculum we should teach,
what classes should we offer,
or how do we get kids to college.

But what it could represent.

Community. Peace. Love.

A place where it’s encouraged to make mistakes, push yourself, and embrace the challenge.
Where the view from the top is just as good as the path that brought you there.

When I decided I wanted to not be bored anymore, that’s where I went first, that’s what I was always doing, that’s what this whole thing is about.

This is my true trailhead:
Math is worth learning, not for the specific concepts, skills, or formulas - but because of everything else it brings with it.

Call it creativity. Call it luck. Call it silly. Call it “that will never work".”

Whatever it is,
We need more of it.