Spencer Education

We Can’t Empower Students by Disempowering Teachers

John Spencer — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 16:12:29 +0000

In my latest blog post, I contrast two types of professional development approaches. The first is a shame-based model that focuses on black and white thinking and sends the message that we are doing everything wrong. The second is a nuanced-based approach centered on empowering...

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How Quantity Can Improve the Quality of Project-Based Learning

John Spencer — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:13:14 +0000

We often assume that improving the quality of student work means slowing down and spending more time on a single project. But sometimes the opposite is true. Creating more can actually help students create better. In my latest article and podcast episode, I explore how...

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Why Constraints Make Us More Creative

John Spencer — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 23:53:51 +0000

We often assume that creativity requires freedom. Remove the rules, open up the possibilities, and let students run with their ideas. But sometimes the opposite is true. The right constraints can give us a starting point, push us beyond the obvious, and lead to possibilities...

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5 Myths About Creativity

John Spencer — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 16:53:25 +0000

Sometimes our biggest creative failures reveal what we actually believe about creativity. In fifth grade, a disastrous California Mission project forced me to rethink what it meant to be “creative.” Years later, I can see how many of my assumptions were actually common cultural myths:...

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The Power of Routine Creativity

John Spencer — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:13:31 +0000

We often picture creativity as something big and bold. It’s the ambitious project that draws in the entire community. It’s the big project that kids remember years later. But creativity doesn’t have to be an event. In fact, some of the most powerful creative thinking...

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Five Reasons Students Should Own the Assessment Process

John Spencer — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:27:32 +0000

For years, I held a very teacher-centered view of assessment. I would grade student work and use that to modify lessons and pull small groups. Students would receive a grade, which would then motivate them to work harder. Later, I started realizing that my feedback...

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Why Confident Humility is a Critical Skill in a Generative Age

John Spencer — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:42:15 +0000

We often assume that confidence comes with competence. But sometimes we are overconfident in what we know and, at other times, we underestimate what we can actually do. In a world of rapid change and increasingly sycophantic AI, students will need to recognize the limits...

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Beyond Screen Time: The Low Tech Learning Matrix

John Spencer — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:44:20 +0000

For years, the conversation around educational technology centered on one question: How can we get more technology into classrooms? Today, we’re facing a different challenge. It’s time to move beyond debates about screen time and start thinking more intentionally about when technology leads to deeper...

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The Power of Low-Tech Games and Simulations in the Classroom

John Spencer — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:33:37 +0000

When people hear the term game-based learning, they often picture students staring at computer screens while navigating elaborate virtual worlds. Or perhaps a lone student staring into a VR headset in isolation. Those experiences certainly have their place (at times). However, some of the most...

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The Best Makerspace Might Be Outside

John Spencer — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:51:45 +0000

We want students to be makers and designers. But there’s a surprising source of inspiration for design: the natural world. As we think about moving toward a low-tech approach, we need something better than desks in rows with students doing worksheets. Listen to the Podcast...

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