Book Review: The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry

“Todd Henry has spent years breaking down the secrets of highly effective creatives. Read this book and prepare to ramp up your brilliance!”
—Chris Guillebeau, author of The Art of Nonconformity
 
Many of us assume that our creative process is beyond our ability to influence, and pay attention to it only when it isn’t working properly. For the most part, we go about our daily tasks and everything just “works.” Until it doesn’t.
 
Adding to this lack of understanding is the rapidly accelerating pace of work. Each day we are face escalating expectations and a continual squeeze to do more with less. We are asked to produce an ever-increasing amount of brilliance in an ever-shrinking amount of time. There is an unspoken (or spoken!) expectation that we’ll be accessible 24/7, and as a result we frequently feel like we’re “always on.”
 
Now business creativity expert Todd Henry explains how to unleash your creative potential. Whether you’re a creative by trade or an “accidental creative,” this book will help you quickly and effectively integrate new ideas into your daily life.


MY THOUGHTS

BUY THIS BOOK! One of the best books I have read ever. This book focus on creativity in a very informative and engaging manner. I found myself taking copious notes and applying many of the ideas suggested.

This book give examples and many levels of research talking about research. What is intriguing is the notion that despite all the research that shows strategies for engaging and new ideas our society continues to neglect the information. I read this book and realized that I have some serious self development to help myself stay fresh and develop new ideas. I was reminded about the important of organizing my life, my thoughts, and to take time to get away. 

The ideas are practical and easy to implement. The key is to actually implement the ideas. I have already started to do some basic structure with my notebooks of ideas, creativity sessions, and projects to explore.

Todd Henry is becoming my next big addiction. I cannot get enough of his ideas and thoughts. You need to follow this guy, listen to his podcasts, and read this book. I will be reading his new book Die Empty starting tonight!

Love, love, love this book because it will help me get to the goals that I have set for myself.

Check the book here

http://www.accidentalcreative.com/

Mindmap: a 30 minute walk #coffeechugPLN

Mind Map

I am going through a MOOC created through Venture Lab of Standford after the fact as I did not make time during the allotted time, but now that summer is here I can piece my way through.

Task

Take a silent walk for 30 minutes and make note all that you notice. You can walk anywhere - in nature, a city, or a school. Capture your observations in a Mind Map that you will share with the class.

While you are observing, pay attention to the sounds, the smells, the textures under your feet, etc. Look at things that are close up and far away, and sit quietly for at least 10 minutes to notice all the things around you.

I tested out my Bambook Create so I apoligize for the terrible artwork. I went a different route and actually sat on my deck instead of walking and just watched my three children play in the sandbox without the need of a parent, fighting, or needs. It was a zen moment because we rarely get these times and during those 30 minutes I felt at ease with the world, blessed for great kids, and even more important was to remember how important it is to enjoy the small things in life like sand in a sandbox. Through watching my children they see the world in a different light and I think we adults need to remember this. Often times our vision is blurred through the lens of bills, schedules, to do lists, dinner, cleaning, etc. We lose touch with the power of holding hands, sitting in the sunshine, and just "being".

My creativity did not move during these 30 minutes, but it was creating the ignition to be inspired. We rarely turn off our minds anymore. We always feel the need to be distracted with our phones, iPads, TV, etc. Whatever happened to being bored and quiet to let things reset so we can ignite the next great idea. Watching my children take sand and build a world reminded me that I need to unplug and just "be" more and to remove the lens of adulthood and see the world for what it is.

Coffeechug Tweets of Knowledge!

Just wanted to compile so very interesting reads and articles about education, intelligence, and creativity from my Twitter feed in case you don't have Twitter(in which you are missing out big time!) or just missed them along the way. 

Enjoy!

LOVE THIS ARTICLE! Project Based Learning: Put Students at Center Stage - AskteacherZ: Inspirational Educationhttp://askteacherz.com/1/post/2012/12/project-based-learning-put-students-at-center-stage.html …

Eracism Project - Eracism Project Bloghttp://www.eracismproject.org/1/post/2012/12/december-19th-2012.html …

All the 2012 Best-of Reading Lists, Together at Last | Brain Pickingshttp://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/12/19/all-the-2012-best-of-reading-lists-together-at-last/ … via @brainpicker

10 books we loved in 2012 http://usat.ly/REjr0C  via @USATODAY

35 of the best productivity and lifehack apps of 2012 http://tnw.to/d0TRh via @TNWapps

Biggest intelligence test exposes the limits of IQ | Science Museum Blog http://sciencemuseumdiscovery.com/blogs/insight/biggest-intelligence-test-exposes-the-limits-of-iq/ … via@sciencemuseum

Creative Educator - How Do You Know and Why is it Important?http://shar.es/h4NyQ  via @sharethis

Why Students Won't Collaborate http://edut.to/ZgA4Tk  via @edutopia

Via @MindShiftKQED: Why Nate Silver Can Save Math Education in America | http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/12/why-nate-silver-can-save-math-education-in-america/ …

Snapshot of a Deeper Learning Classroom: Aligning TED Talks to the Four Cs http://edut.to/UoNCEq  via @edutopia

Neil deGrasse Tyson Offers Advice on How to Be Yourself and Achieve Your Own Greatness | Open Culturehttp://www.openculture.com/2012/12/neil_degrasse_tyson_offers_advice_on_how_to_be_yourself_and_achieving_your_own_greatness.html …

Lesson Planning and the Common Core: A Unit Based on http://TED.com http://edut.to/MKqNfX  via @edutopia

Keith Yamashita: The 3 Habits of Great Creative Teamshttp://99u.com/videos/7264/Keith-Yamashita-The-3-Habits-of-Great-Creative-Teams … via @99u

if you truly want to be great, you have to develop your own unique method of getting unstuck ---Keith Yamashita

The Common Core standards are supposed to be about bigger ideas and fewer of them? http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2012/12/the-common-core-standards-are-supposed-to-be-about-bigger-ideas-and-fewer-of-them.html … via@mcleod

Lego Imagination Challenge: November

Coffeechug here, reporting live from the nerd cave.

Here is the next installment in the Lego Imagination Challenge for the month of November.

This topic took the most votes by a one! So I will use the theme in second place next.

Here is the challenge for November

Monochromatic color scheme.  

Pick a color

Any color that you want.

And use ONLY that color.

Build anything. 

Your creativity is the only limit imposed upon you(and the fact that you can use only one color!)

So, build a structure, a sculpture, functional, non-functional, anything at all, but you can only use one color!

Email photos to aarmau@gmail.com

We had a great result last month. The goal is to increase the number of creations. Spread the word and make it happen!

Good luck and may the blocks be with you.

Lego Imagination October Contest: Halloween - All Submissions

Today is Halloween! Happy Halloween to you!!!

Here are the photos of all the submissions. You can see more views of each one by checking out the slide show at the bottom.




Here is the slide show with more photos of some of these with greater detail.



Thank you to everyone who submitted. We had ages 7-14. Thank you to everyone who submitted. If you have a favorite, leave a comment and let us know.

November theme is released tomorrow. Spread the word and get your LEGOS ready!

Pringle Challenge Is Underway!

My 4th and 5th grade ELP students are taking part in a Pringle Challenge in which they have to build a container that will keep a Pringle chip intact while being shipped to various classrooms across the US. Students will receive a score based on intactness of their chip, volume, and mass. I could go into further detail, but all documents are presented and shared below.

The materials are quite limited. Students are only able to use notecards, 1 ply cardboard, masking tape, straws, and computer paper. That is all! Talk about making students really plan accordingly.

Here is a basic overview




Here is a Powerpoint going over the unit

Pringles challenge from Aaron Maurer

And here is the Scoring Sheet

Thanks to Elizabeth Jones who has created all these documents.

We wrap up building and finalizing this week. My students only have a few days of class to work as I only meet with each grade level two days a week.

We will mail them off Thursday when I meet with my 5th grade students.

We will then await the packages to arrive. Then we will Skype with the other classes so we can see our packages as well as the other students seeing theirs.

This has been one great thinking challenge and really forcing students to think in whole new aspects.

Here is a slideshow of some of their work in progress. I will update again later this week when we finalize our work.

Lego Imagination Challenge: Halloween Entry #6 - PUMPKIN!

The next entry in the LEGO Halloween Challenge.

This comes from another student of mine, Sophie. She is in 4th grade and is 9 years old

She has titled this

PUMPKIN!

And I love it! Very clever way to creating a pumpkin. I love the abstract feel that this creates.

About two weeks left to get your submissions entered to the challenge. Great job everyone!

This picture reminds me that my family needs to go get pumpkins!

Lego Imagination Challenge: Halloween Entry #5

Here is the next entry for the Halloween Challenge! I am so excited to have so many entries coming in.

Justin is one of my 5th grade students and like my previous students is also awesome. He shared a few pictures so we could be sure to see everything.

This is another great creation! Great work Justin.




Remember there is still plenty of time to submit your work! This open to everyone and anyone who wants to build. Check the tab at the top of the blog to learn more!

Keep them coming you crazy LEGO fans.

Lego Imagination Contest: Halloween Entry #4: Zombie

Here is the next creation submitted to me by another awesome student. Stephanie like a few others is 9 years old and used what parts she had to make a zombie.

Well done Stephanie and your work will be shared and voted on soon!

Check the tab at the top of blog to find out more information if interested.

Lego Imagination Contest: Halloween Entry #2

The second addition to the contest has been added.

Thank Logan for your build and taking time to send me a picture.




Logan shared this with me: "Hope you like it or at least don’t hate it. I spent like 10 whole minutes on it. I am subscribed to you on YouTube ‘cause your channel is awesome."

Logan, I don't hate it! I do like it and for 10 minutes this is a good build. Thanks for participating. You are now entered to win my small Lego prize!

Who will be next?

Check the tab up top to see the other entry. 

Lego Imagination Contest: Halloween - First Entry Arrives!

One of my super awesome 5th grade students brought in a picture Thursday of her submission to my Lego Imagination Monthly Challenge: Halloween.

She has crafted a great looking scene that is perfect for Halloween!

I love it!

She is the first to submit some Lego work and she has set the bar pretty high.

Anyone else ready to submit their work yet? If not, then keep working hard as you still have time.

I cannot wait to see what else is coming along the pathway to AWESOME!

Great work Kaitlyn Walter!

Language Arts Teaching Idea About Grammar

I was reading online last night and came across this article - http://m.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2012/08/imagined-lives-punctuation-marks/56023/

The author creates these made up stories of various punctuation marks. I thought it was pretty clever.

While reading the article, I thought of a possible teaching idea utilizing the framework of this article.

What if students created imaginary stories of various parts of speech, grammar, and punctuation?

As students use their creativity to hash out a story that combines the elements of the particular grammar item they would be constantly thinking about their writing skills, grammar, and effective parts of speech. Through revision and peer review the whole time students are always going to be engaged on some level with writing elements.

In middle school, who knows what type of stories they would come up.

That is all from the randomness of the bald guy!

Lego Challenge Design #2: Eye-ffel Tower

Here is the Tuesday creation.

Moving To Middle Lego Challenge #1: Eye Slide

Before school starts my middle school offers a one week crash course for the soon to be 6th graders. This class allows them to get comfortable with the building, lockers, classes, etc. before 1000+ kids come rushing the halls in about a week.

In my small group I give one student each day a pack of Lego pieces to take home. Their job is to create something cool. My only rule is that they have to use all the pieces. I don't care how they use the pieces as that is the only rule.

These kids are still embarrassed to stand out so working with them to challenge themselves and use their brains. They will continue to get better and I plan on doing this during the school year with any student that is interested.

Here is Lego Design #1: Eye Slide


Idea #2 coming soon. This is a great two minute idea for students to share their work to start class. I look forward to watching the models change and improve. As always, being a teacher I would love to have you share more great ideas that I can use with my students. I hope you enjoy this new project of mine.