In classrooms across the country, something subtle but powerful is taking shape. Amidst the distractions, the surface-level shortcuts, and the pressure to speed everything up, I’ve seen students quietly shift from passive to active. They’ve gone from compliant to curious and from distracted to dialed... The post Teachers Are the Champions of Depth …

The future is unpredictable. So, when we try to design learning experiences that “prepare students for the future,” we have to recognize that we don’t always know what they’ll need. In this article, I explore the counterintuitive reality that the best way to prepare students... The post Why Deeper Learning Is a Critical Advantage in the Age of AI a…

Content curation is a vital part of the creative process. In this blog post and podcast, we explore why curation matters and how we can help students learn how to engage in the curation process. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but... The post In a World of AI, Content Curation Is More Important Than Ever appeared first on John Spencer.…

In my latest podcast episode, I interview Samantha Marsden, who shares how drama and improve strategies can help students gain creative confidence, improve their communication skills, and engage in iterative thinking. Her new book Acting Games for Improv is out and I highly recommend it.... The post Sam Marsden on the Value of Improv Games to Spark…

We know that creativity is vital for student learning. We also know that we tend to value the things we assess. However, when we assess creativity, we can unwittingly cause students to become risk-averse. So, how do we assess creativity in a way that encourages... The post We Want Students to Be Creative, But How Do We Assess This? appeared first o…

About a week ago, ChatGPT rolled out a major update to its image generation and suddenly my feed was flooded with AI-generated images in the style of Studio Ghibli. While the results are impressive (yes, it finally gets hands and text right) but also pretty... The post Centaurs, Cyborgs, and Coffee-Bearded Logos – Seven Ways AI Is Changing Creativi…

We often hear about AI and student cheating. This is a valid concern. But I’d like to highlight ways that we can use AI for deeper mastery. In this post (and podcast), I explore how we can move beyond using AI for quick answers and... The post Ten Ways to Use AI for Deeper Learning and Mastery appeared first on John Spencer.…

While it’s easy to reject traditional teaching practices as “less authentic” in PBL, we explore why these ten strategies actually belong in PBL unit plans. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on the go, just... The post Ten Traditional Teaching Practices that Still Belong in a PBL Unit appeared first on John …

In this latest episode, Lynn Cashell shares how she integrated AI into her student Genius Hour projects. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on the go, just click on the audio below or subscribe via iTunes/Apple... The post Lynn Cashell on How She Integrated AI into Genius Hour appeared first on John Spencer.…

This week, we explore the concept of “teaching in beta”—a mindset that embraces imperfection and experimentation in the classroom. Learn how veteran teachers are innovating with new strategies, taking creative risks, and continually iterating on their lessons to foster resilience and growth in both students... The post Taking a Beta Approach to Tea…