The curriculum work of teachers is understood and conceptualised in different ways. A prevalent view is that teachers are an integral part of a system of transmission and their work with curriculum essentially a technical exercise. Some form of this view seems to be assumed by policymakers, parents and at least some teachers. However, when this…

This article describes my tumultuous journey as a course instructor and researcher investigating imagination in an educational leadership graduate seminar. I employ an arts-based pedagogy and research methodology known as Performative Inquiry. Sharing my experiences delivering this course informs my future teaching and can support colleagues…

There is no unique definition of circus pedagogy; however, "scholars agree that such a discipline could provide a valid alternative to learn and deepen various mobility contents". This article aims to provide strategies for implementing an elementary physical education Circus Unit. An overview of how to design three basic routines of a…

Every educator's imaginative instincts will be guided by this book's practical design method, which harnesses the power of play for student learning. Teachers from all disciplines and levels can create a full spectrum of engaging exercises through the authors' six accessible ALLURE steps: (1) Ask where to apply the play; (2) List the mental moves;…

The Improvising Teacher offers a radical reconceptualization of improvisation as a fundamental element of teacher expertise. Drawing on theories of improvisation and expertise alongside empirical research, the book argues that teacher expertise is fundamentally improvisatory. The book provides a theoretical model for teacher expertise that is…

Creative writing offers multiple genres that give your ELs an opportunity to practice many types of writing skills. Poetry, prose, dialogue, and creative non-fiction are just a few of the myriad styles, forms, and skills that can help ELs broaden their understanding of what writing is all about, while making them better writers. But most of all,…

Research studies show that all students--young and old, rich and poor, urban and rural--benefit immensely from classrooms filled with art, creativity, and laughter. Fun, playfulness, creative thinking, and individual expression reinforce positive experiences, which in turn lead to more engaged students, better classroom environments, and…

The "communication effect" is what happens when we saturate our classrooms with authentic communication, which occurs when students use language to build up ideas and do meaningful things. For starters, authentic communication deepens and increases language development, learning of content concepts and skills, rigor and engagement,…

Now more than ever, students need support. To meet their needs, educators should encourage their students to break from the mainstream by inspecting their experiences, and therefore expressing their own values. This endeavor will lead students to make choices that are best for themselves and others. It is important to support students in both…

Plants and the outdoors may be something of a mystery to a generation of children who are reportedly spending more and more time indoors; this has the potential to inhibit real understanding of many complex biological processes. Taking children outdoors introduces them to a world from which they are becoming increasingly distant. However, a…

In this paper I discuss the possibilities for exploring the hundred chart kinesthetically with elementary preservice teachers using a life-size hundred chart--an innovative tool, homemade from a shower curtain--to build quantity sense. Preservice teachers explored creative approaches to teach mathematics using the life-size hundred chart and…

The Idea Bank column provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. As students use increasingly diverse internet sources, it becomes hard to tell whether their answers are truly original. A general solution to this dilemma is to ask students to present information in a format that they are unlikely to encounter in books…

In this fully revised and expanded third edition of the bestselling "Reciprocal Teaching at Work," Lori D. Oczkus provides both tried-and-true and fresh solutions for teaching reading comprehension. Reciprocal teaching is a scaffolded discussion technique that builds on the Fab Four strategies that good readers use to understand text:…

"Teacher as Curator" provides a roadmap for using creative strategies to engage both educators and students in the learning process. Focusing on key qualities of culturally and linguistically responsive arts learning, chapters specifically demonstrate how arts integration strategies and formative assessment can be a catalyst for change…

This article describes a sequential approach to improvisation teaching that can be used with students at various age and ability levels by any educator, regardless of improvisation experience. The 2014 National Core Music Standards include improvisation as a central component in musical learning and promote instructional approaches that are…