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Creativity

Six Ways to Embrace Wonder: An Inspired Mindset Part 3

In graduate school I spent the summer in Saul, French Guiana - a sparsely inhabited village in the middle of a sprawling rainforest. The daily hot sweaty hikes deep into the rainforest to collect tree specimens of lecythidaceae (Brazil Nut) were punctuated with deep moments of wonder and awe. Columns of leaf cutter ants, flocks of macaws, swarms of butterflies and…

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November 4, 2022
Six Ways to Embrace Wonder: An Inspired Mindset Part 3
Creativity

Gifting Wonder- Part 2

In Part I of this series, I quoted Socrates: “Wisdom begins in wonder.” I introduced the idea of how a sense of wonder animates a sense of connection, which enlarges our empathy and capacity to see and feel things deeply. Within us, creativity soars as wonder loosens our imagination. Wonder is that fleeting and momentary experience that dissolves time and lets…

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September 14, 2022
Gifting Wonder- Part 2
Creativity

Tools of the Trade – Wisdom Through Wonder

Wisdom begins with wonder- From wonder comes affection- From affection emerges connection- From connection grows empathy- From empathy soars creativity- From creativity ascends wisdom- Wisdom begins with wonder. In the photo are the tools of my grandfather’s profession. Norman was first a miner in Wales, then a mine engineer in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and later in life, he was an engineer…

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August 10, 2022
Tools of the Trade – Wisdom Through Wonder
Creativity / Design

Empathic Design – Our Feelings Change Us

One of the earliest evolutionary feelings that led to action for humans was empathy. The human ability to internalize and react to the feelings of others was transformational.

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June 18, 2021
Empathic Design – Our Feelings Change Us
Design / Summer Imaginations

Join us for 2021 Summer Imaginations

This summer, encourage your students to think like engineers and inventors! D!Lab is offering four design thinking challenges that develop creativity and engage students in the process of innovation. The D!Lab Summer Imaginations program engages students’ minds and hands in a summer where academic and creative connection and engagement is crucial. All four challenges are listed below. Participants will have until…

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June 16, 2021
Join us for 2021 Summer Imaginations
Design / Summer Imaginations

Join us for Summer Imaginations

This summer, encourage your students to think like engineers and inventors! D!Lab is offering weekly design thinking challenges that develop creativity and engage students in the process of innovation.

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June 4, 2020
Join us for Summer Imaginations
Design

Novelty – The Science of Remembering, Part 1

Across millions of years, humans and our ancient ancestors survived by constantly living lives between the familiar and the novel. Student learning and memory operate in that same zone between the familiar and the new. As teachers, how we take advantage of novel routines and experiences may be some of the most important things we do to help our students remember and think.

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February 6, 2020
Novelty – The Science of Remembering, Part 1
Design

The Instructional Power of Creativity, Design and Empathy in High School Curriculum

When you walk into the large basement of the church and look at the faces and ages of the group, you are looking at the reality of homelessness in Washington, D.C. Each person’s story and struggle vary. As part of our school’s Identity and Service Learning class, ninth grade students from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland are dining with the meal participants as a way to hear and understand the stories and apply a creative and empathic design process to solve some of the challenges they hear about...

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August 20, 2019
The Instructional Power of Creativity, Design and Empathy in High School Curriculum