Rachel Pickett Female Denver, CO United States: Share

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Creativity: How innovati…

26 members
Think Better

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Brainstorming Education…

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Curiosity Oct 28

Latest Activity

Hal Portner commented on Rachel Pickett's event 'Effective classrooms... we're creating them!'

Will be there in spirit (unless you have figuted out how to beam me up). Keep me updated, please. Hal

November 2

Rachel Pickett added an event

Effective classrooms... we're creating them! at KJs Coffee Bar

November 8, 2009 from 1pm to 3pm

What do effective educators need to know and be able to do? ‘Effective Classrooms… we’re creating them!’ meet-ups connect educators working to build vibrant and highly effective classrooms and schools. We’ll start with our experiences, creating thi…

November 2

Curiosity

October 27

Rachel Pickett added an event

Creating Innovative Spaces at KJs Coffee Bar

November 1, 2009 from 11am to 1pm

Do you ever wonder how you can innovate in all areas of your life? At this meet up group we're going to start exploring the question "What do we need to know and be able to do to build innovative lives?" I hope this will develop into an ongoing gro…

October 25

Rachel Pickett replied to Hal Portner's discussion 'Critical vs Creative Thinking'

This is mind-opening... turns my whole way of thinking about teaching and learning around. Do you know of any classrooms/s.s. teachers who teach invertedly? Thanks :) Rachel

October 18

Rachel Pickett commented on Bradley Foster's video 'Stepping out'

Amazing! Thanks :) Rachel

October 11

Rachel Pickett commented on Hal Portner's group 'Brainstorming Education Reform'

Hi everyone, Lately I'm curious about the parallels between classrooms and businesses. Maybe there are structures to management and inspiring innovation that can be applied and adapted to both worlds? I've started brainstorming a list of structure…

October 10

Rachel Pickett commented on Hal Portner's group 'Brainstorming Education Reform'

Hi Hal, Using failure in that way is very exciting :) Reese's Pieces cookies... yum. I'm thinking that forming criteria for classroom creativity could be a good way to go. At least for me, right now, as a researcher. Management is also a great pl…

October 6

Wanting to connect about creativity in classrooms

October 4

Rachel Pickett updated their profile

October 4

Rachel Pickett commented on Hal Portner's group 'Brainstorming Education Reform'

I just spent 4 weeks teaching geography to 7th graders, and it was wonderful. I really bonded with those kids, and there are two stories which may be of interest to you... In an attempt to creatively teach latitude and longitude to them, I let them…

October 4

Rachel Pickett commented on Hal Portner's group 'Brainstorming Education Reform'

Hi :) I'm hoping this is a good space for me/us to think through how to potentially build a solution-based classroom... if it can be a sounding board of sorts. Thank you to everyone emailing with me to think through ideas! I'm very grateful for yo…

August 2

Rachel Pickett commented on Hal Portner's group 'Brainstorming Education Reform'

Hi Hal, Thanks for your thoughts, ideas, and support! I like how you're beginning to outline some steps we (my students and myself) can take to problem-solve. They seem applicable to any problem... historical or present day. I actually think teach…

July 30

Rachel Pickett commented on Hal Portner's group 'Brainstorming Education Reform'

Hi all! So, as the beginning of the school year approaches I'm thinking about how to structure and communicate problem-solving/solution-finding so it's clear and concrete for my students to understand, and is integrated into my classroom and curric…

July 28

Rachel Pickett replied to Hal Portner's discussion 'Creativity in Education'

July 28

Rachel Pickett commented on Hal Portner's group 'Brainstorming Education Reform'

Hi everyone, I'm new here, and wanted to say 'hi.' My name is Rachel and I'm a social studies teacher in Denver... and a newbie at that, as I just finished up my first year teaching. There are so many ways innovation, creativity, and problem-solvi…

June 19

Profile Information

Location:

Denver

About Me:

I'm a social studies teacher, wanting to combine social studies curriculum with problem-solving... creatively

Website:

http://www.summerinquiryproject.com

What's one thing you know about creativity?

It's inspiring and elegant

What's one thing you wonder about creativity?

How to build a life sourced in it

Comment Wall (9 comments)

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At 8:09pm on September 15, 2009, Alan (Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP) said…: Rachel

Back in June you wrote about Future Problem Solving Program resources.

If you have not found info my suggestion is that you go to their website.

http://www.fpspi.org/

or do a Google.com search for

Future Problem Solving Program

and look for the state or country chapter that is closest to you in your location.

Alan

At 4:16pm on August 4, 2009, Hal Portner said…: Rachael, I sent this earlier, but not sure it was done properly, so ...
I'd love to see your master's "It Takes a Village ..." paper and/or PowerPoint. Would you be willing/able to send it/them as attachment to my email: hportner4@comcast.net ?

Also, I'd like to share with you the draft of a chapter from a book I am working on. It deals with standards, rubrics and targeted components for student learning. I'll need your email address in order to send it.

Best,
Hal

At 9:55am on August 3, 2009, Mark_Abrahams said…: Concerning ‘energizers’, they are simply methods of inspiring / firing up the imagination, engaging with students creativity. The one I sent is pretty low level but everything can be innovated though it may take a bit of work to find something that best suits your students. They could be worked into the problem-solving structure say by identifying a more complex challenge (as an energizer) and working towards solutions (e.g. using CPS) and arriving at a co-produced action plan. It could certainly be related to social science.

Starting where you are, to build solidity and identify success seems to me to be a super opportunity. As you suggest, find out what works with kids, what they respond to, how they engage (VARK) how applied creativity helps their literacy development. Publication of your research as to what is effective would be great.

As for me, though I have a huge interest in education and the potential to be realised, I aim to get involved in social innovation and designed solutions – working across all sectors (public / private – voluntary / charitable – health / education / social services). With the right facilitation real change can be achieved and boy do we need change in this cash strapped environmentally threatened world we live in.

Having designed hospitals, laterally for mental health, I have a significant insight into how the organisation operates and the processes applied. We’ll see if I manage to get the opportunity I seek.

Regarding my friend’s paper, I’m sure he will share it or relevant passages. However, I’m away (off-line) now for the next three weeks and sorry but we’ll have to pick this up again in late August.

Meanwhile, best of luck with your search – I’m sure you’ll get something that suits _ notwithstanding that you’ll be busy settling in for a while. So we can set a couple of month’s worth of exchange, to see where this leads. My understanding of how things work in USA may need some tweaking. You may be well in advance of UK. You could usefully also look up Rob Jacobs (on the Hub and Twitter) who may give you more immediately what you require, so that you and I talk more when you are in research mode. Personalised learning also needs discussion because we have to create pathways which better suits individual needs...and this creates a lot of extra work unless the right systems are in place.

All the best

At 12:31pm on July 31, 2009, Mark_Abrahams said…: ENERGISER.doc

2nd response of 30/07/09
Where my wife, Barbara works, they call this activity (P.O.W.) an Energiser.
(I’ve attached an example).
This ‘energiser’ is used so that students don't dive into the topic but actually get their brains working on a problem or activity to warm them up or energise them (teachers too?).
With ‘Entry level’, in a hotel school like the one Barbara works in, it might be say 'Pasta'.
It would be identification at the start of a practical or tasting and identifying low fat products at the start of a theory lesson on nutrients. It usually has some relation to the topic to get them thinking about the topic but at higher levels you may use a current affairs quiz. Next semester, we may be able to give you more examples of higher level energisers. We will ask others when they return.

They also run a personalised learning programme - which may interest you. All levels are welcome and there are a number of courses with the so-called ‘Progressive Learning Programme’ where people with learning difficulties and who may have been excluded (or worse) join the carefully managed programme. It has proved to be a wonderfully empowering scheme benefiting all levels, right up to HE level.

For me, the new tools of the moment are those suggested by John Yeo. Until I fully understand the copyright issues I can’t send you this, but I’m sure John will share it with you – as long as we clearly understand your intentions.

On all our behalves, I’d like to get this idea packaged and available, yet we need to talk and exchange more before we get to that stage. Let’s agree that, over the next two months or so we’ll settle a few things and bottom idea this out.

More later

At 4:37am on July 30, 2009, Alan (Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP) said…: Dr. Paul Torrance and his wife, Pansy Torrance created and founded the FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING PROGRAM in the early 1970s. There are chapters in many states around the US and in a variety of countries around the world. Do a google.com search to learn about the program and to contact the state chapter nearest you and the national and international headquarters. There of course are also the Odyssey of the Mind, Imagination Destination and Inventors organizations for school children as well.

Alan

At 2:51pm on July 28, 2009, Alan (Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP) said…: Rachel There are many directions you can take.....Use Bloom's Taxonomy google for samples of learning strategies for all 6 of the stages of his Hierarchy of learning. Another is to contact the Future Problem Solving Program in your area or nationally and find out what materials they already have focused on Social Studies. Still another is to explore the de Bono CoRT and Lateral Thinking Learning materials....google search once again. One more is to google Donald Treffinger and his Critical Thinking Association for materials and contacts.

Alan

At 6:13pm on July 18, 2009, Roger von Oech said…: Thanks for the kind words. IF you have an iPhone, you might also check out the Creative Whack Pack App: http://budurl.com/whackpack

Best wishes,

Roger

At 10:19am on July 16, 2009, Tim Hurson said…: Rachel, I didn't know you were Terry's daughter! Welcome! Terry says you may have some ideas for Think Better in education. I'd love to chat. Are you interested in coming to Mindcamp? It's blast. Check it out at mindcamp.org. Not much space left, but let me know if you're interested.

At 3:22pm on June 11, 2009, Franca Leeson said…: Hi Rachel, welcome to The Hub! I hope you find what you're looking for here, or at least some good clues. I like your city... we have good friends in Denver and visit occasionally.