Help all learners bring more creativity into 2025

Help all learners bring more creativity into 2025

Author: Jeff Utecht & Tricia Friedman December 16, 2024 Duration: 40:44

Creativity is essential. On the show this week we loved learning with Crayola's Cheri Sterman. Cheri is here to tell us all about the power of the upcoming Crayola Creativity Week.

Educators and families can register free for this event:

https://creativity-week.squarespace.com/

The conversation centers around Crayola Creativity Week, a free program designed to inspire and celebrate children's creativity. Cheri Sterman discusses the importance of nurturing creativity in children, the role of parents and educators in fostering creative confidence, and practical ways to integrate creativity into daily life. The event features a lineup of celebrity guests and aims to engage millions of children worldwide. The discussion emphasizes creativity as a vital life skill that benefits individual well-being and community building.

Ready to learn more about our amazing guest?

Cheri Sterman is a nationally recognized leader in child development and education, and a passionate advocate of creativity and the influence it has on a child's future potential. Cheri most recently helped Crayola launch its advocacy initiative, Campaign for Creativity, which challenges conventional perceptions about creativity, sparking a new dialogue about the value of creativity and helping parents incorporate more creative moments into their children's lives.

 

Cheri has served as vice-chair of the Partnership for 21st Century Learning and on the executive boards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Child Development Council. Cheri helps educators and community leaders expand their creative thinking. She hosts Crayola monthly online programs including: The Art of Learning, and Read Along-Draw Along where she interviews authors, illustrators, art therapists, and educators.

 

Cheri has served as a consultant to the National Governors Association, White House Commission on Children and Youth, Children's Defense Fund, and the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities' Turn-Around Schools Initiative.

 

You can connect with her on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheri-sterman-6862351ba/

 

Learn more about this week's show sponsor:

https://www.neulight.io/?utm_source=shiftingschool&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=fallsponsorship&utm_id=1

 


Ever feel like the conversation around education moves faster than a school day? Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators is here to slow things down just enough for a meaningful dialogue. Hosted by practicing educators Jeff Utecht and Tricia Friedman, this podcast creates a necessary space for teachers and administrators to dig into the real work of modern teaching. Instead of just theory, you’ll hear from fellow practitioners and thought leaders who are navigating the same challenges you face daily. The discussions move beyond surface-level trends to unpack practical strategies and tools that can be adapted for your own classroom or school. Whether it’s rethinking assessment, integrating technology with purpose, or fostering a more inclusive learning environment, each episode is grounded in the shared goal of improving outcomes for every student. Tuning in feels less like another professional development requirement and more like a candid staff room conversation with colleagues who get it. This is where the abstract ideas about educational change meet the concrete reality of the K-12 world, offering actionable insights for anyone committed to the craft of teaching. Find Shifting Schools wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts for a regular dose of perspective and practical ideas.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators
Podcast Episodes
How to build a story one ingredient at a time with Keala Kendall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:49
Join us as Keala Kendall, author of the compelling gothic novel That Which Feeds Us, takes us through her creative process, the importance of representation in storytelling, and how horror can serve as a mirror to societ…
Dr. Brittney Cooper on Picture Books, Collaboration, and Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:49
This week, Tricia Friedman welcomes Dr. Brittney Cooper to the podcast to talk about her new picture book, Mama Says I'm Fine, illustrated by Tamisha Anthony. The conversation explores the story behind the book, the emot…
Why Patricia Cornwell Still Believes in Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:03
Patricia Cornwell joins Tricia Friedman for a conversation about memory, writing, curiosity, forensic science, and the memoir she never expected to write. In this episode, Cornwell reflects on the childhood experiences t…
Great gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:42
This week Jeff and Tricia share their five top gifts to celebrate the special educator in your life. They take you through why these five gifts celebrate creativity, learning, wellness, and show personal recognition duri…
What we learn when we listen to students [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:06
What happens when you stop talking about students and start talking with them? In this episode, Jeff Utecht sits down with high schoolers and asks a question most adults skip: what do you actually need from school right…
The Business of You with Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:26
This week Jeff talks with Nick and Marnie about why we want to help students stop waiting for permission and start building a bridge to a career on your their own terms. In this episode, Jeff Utecht is joined by Marnie S…
Sara Amini: The Stories We Carry and the Friends Who See Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:26
What can a graphic novel teach educators about belonging, friendship, and the inner lives of young people? Sara Amini is an actor and author whose semi-autobiographical middle grade graphic novel Mixed Feelings started a…
Why Friendship Is Serious Business for Kids and Adults [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:19
Alyson Gerber joins Tricia Friedman to talk about The Liar Society, why friendship is serious business, and what mystery stories can teach young readers and adults about belonging, trust, competition, and connection. In…