LIBERATE YOUR STUDENTS’ CREATIVE SKILLS—AND YOUR OWN
Evidence-based online professional learning experiences that equip educational leaders to innovate their existing curriculum
We know what it’s like to feel frustrated as a teacher or educational leader.
We understand how it feels to watch students’ minds be tamped down by conventional cultural expectations that perpetuate doing things the same way they’ve always been done.
We know that countless buzzword educational trends, reforms, and programs don’t always help you reach your personal learning goals — the ones that made you decide to become a teacher.
And, yes, we also sympathize that many professional learning experiences can be tedious and overwhelming—and seem to result in little change.
That’s why we developed Creativity-Based Learning courses built on our Creativity Fan Framework.
We equip visionary educational leaders like you with mindsets, toolsets, and skillsets to fuel your students’ curiosity and confidence in their own creative thinking. And guess what? It makes teaching and learning fun again.
Our evidence-based strategies, tools, courses, and professional learning experiences will catalyze every student’s inventiveness, ingenuity, and imagination—for a lifetime.
Our Story
We were both good students who oftentimes felt frustrated and bored in school. But all along the way there were teachers who made learning fun and exciting for us. They challenged us to think and provided us with opportunities to explore our creativity. All of these experiences led to our life long missions to change education. To make it better. We became teachers.
Although much of our early careers were focused on gifted and talented education, we both knew that we wanted to break out of that model and create a way to teach that would stimulate all children’s curiosity and creativity.
We began our quest by co-writing books and articles to provide resources for teachers and parents. That led to speaking gigs and professional learning experiences across the globe. And it made a difference.
Teachers and students shared their “aha” experiences as classrooms transformed into studios.
“I feel invigorated, empowered, happy, and validated. I know I can make this kind of difference in my students’ lives.”
– LYDIA, PARK CITY, UT
“What? That can’t be the bell! Class can’t be over yet!”
–DEFOREST, 8TH GRADE
But we noticed a central problem: teachers often felt frustrated, taxed, and time-depleted.
We knew that in order to change education as usual, future-minded educators like you need more than an article or a one-day workshop.
So, we created a self-paced, flexible professional learning experience that gives you activities to try out in your classroom on your own time and in your own way. The Creativity-Based Learning courses built on our Creativity Fan Framework will stimulate curiosity, creativity, and wonder in your classroom, school, or district. Every day!
We know you’re ready for a new, invigorating way to teach.
“Curiosità: an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.”
Let’s create a generation of creative agents of change. Together.
We stand for integrating creative thinking into all teaching and learning.
We stand for rigor not rigidity.
We stand for honoring students’ innate creativity.
We stand for schools designed not as factories but as studios.
We’re guessing you feel the same way.
Let’s bring these Curiosita ingredients into every classroom:
Courage
Experimentation
Creativity For All
Wit, grit, and playfulness
Let’s change how education is done.
Patti Shade, Creativity Cultivator
Patti Garrett Shade’s career in education has taken her from classroom science teacher to Gifted and Talented State Program Director of the Indiana Department of Education to teacher with the Department of Defense Dependents Schools. Her development of one of the first elementary science lab enrichment programs in the U.S. received state and national accolades. As Indiana’s Gifted and Talented State Program Director, she wrote legislation to ensure that creativity was included as an area of gifted identification. Patti also served on the World Creativity Center Development Team with Dr. Edward de Bono. She co-authored multiple articles and four books including Curiosita Teaching: Integrating Creativity Into All Teaching & Learning, Curiosita Teaching: Handbook of Instructional Strategies, and Setting Minds Free: Nurturing and Protecting Your Child’s Creativity, which received the Legacy Book Award from the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented. She holds an MA in Biology and Physical Education and endorsements in Gifted and Talented and Aerospace.
Rick Shade, Creativity Cultivator
As a professor of education, Dr. Rick Shade received outstanding educator awards from the University of Wyoming and Ball State University for his innovative teaching practices. Oxford University recruited him to assist in leading a national teacher training program in creativity and gifted education. As a Senior Lecturer at the Oxford Gifted Research Centre for Able Pupils, Rick consulted with and trained educators throughout England and Europe. He has co-authored dozens of scholarly publications and given hundreds of presentations and workshops nationally and internationally. He is the author of seven books including License to Laugh: Humor in the Classroom, Curiosita Teaching: Integrating Creativity Into All Teaching & Learning, Curiosita Teaching: Handbook of Instructional Strategies, and Setting Minds Free: Nurturing and Protecting Your Child’s Creativity, which received the Legacy Book Award from the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented. He holds an MA and EdD in Special Education and Teaching.
CREATIVITY-BASED LEARNING COURSES
Integrate creativity into all aspects of teaching and learning at your own pace and in your own way. The Creativity-Based Learning Series will give you instructional tools and a curricular framework to enhance learning in ALL classroom environments including: STEM, Design Thinking, Universal Design for Learning, Project-Based, Problem-Based, and Inquiry-Based Learning.
Created for teachers by teachers!
Classroom tested and scaffolded for students!
