How To Engage Young Learners: 7 Tools of the Imagination You Need To Use

Engaging and effective teachers of young children know how to tap into the imaginative lives of their students.   You can learn to do the same by adding some “tools” to your teaching toolkit. These tools–or what are called cognitive tools in the Imaginative Education approach–reflect features of the imagination. If your students speak and have bodies (I’m […]

Tips For Imaginative Educators: #8 Seek Heroic Qualities

The world is full of heroes. Some of our heroes are people that exemplify qualities such as ingenuity, flexibility, agility, determination, or reliability.  For example, we are impressed by the extraordinary speed and strength of basketball player Lebron James or the extraordinary agility and accuracy of soccer player Lionel Messi.  We are awestruck by the perceptiveness and intelligence of scientist Marie Curie. […]

Tips For Imaginative Educators: #7 Identify The Unknown

Everyone loves a puzzle. Imaginative teachers pull their students in; they intrigue them. They puzzle them. Of course, leaving students puzzling doesn’t mean leaving them confused. By puzzling I mean capturing students’ curiosity. Mystery intrigues us; it evokes emotion. The world is full of unanswered questions and puzzles. What’s more intriguing than that? Kieran Egan suggests that one of the worst things […]