What are some quick and easy activities that could help you bring creativity into your life?

In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Matthew Worwood and Dr. Cyndi Burnett are joined by guests Josh Seidenfeld and Mark Lion in a special discussion centered on overcoming creative blocks and integrating playful, creative practices into education. Josh and Mark, founders of the Messier platform, share their journey of creating a space for consistent creative practice and how they collaborated with creativity scholars like Dr. James Kaufman to develop their innovative app. The conversation delves into the significance of retaining a sense of play and the necessity of looking at creativity beyond traditional arts. A unique exercise, coming up with excuses for not attending a friend's wedding, serves as a practical and amusing demonstration of divergent thinking. The episode also highlights the importance of facilitating fun experiences in educational settings and the role of skills such as shifting perspectives and staying curious.

Listeners are introduced to various creative exercises, including taking pictures from different perspectives, creating thematic playlists, and writing poems from unique viewpoints, illustrating practical ways to foster creativity in classrooms. Mark emphasizes that even five-minute creative activities can prompt deeper creative exploration, and Josh underscores the value of incremental creativity in our daily lives and the app's role in encouraging these moments. This final pre-summer episode encourages educators to use the discussed exercises and resources over the break to cultivate a lifelong commitment to creativity.

Download the Messier App here for free!

About Josh Seidenfeld and Mark Lion:

Josh Seidenfeld and Mark Lion are founders of Messier, a platform to help people enjoy the benefits of a consistent creative practice. Messier advisors include some of the leaders in creativity psychology research, including James C. Kaufman, Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, and Roni Reiter-Palmon.

Josh is a longtime creative person, having produced two albums with his band, Boy in the Bubble. Day jobs most recently included climate projects at Apple and Meta. He lives in Oakland with his wife and two daughters, whose creativity constantly inspires him.

Mark founded and led Lion Interactive, a digital design agency in the San Francisco area, for 25 years. Clients have included McKinsey and the Asian Art Museum. Notable projects include design leadership in Texture, which was acquired by Apple and incorporated into Apple News. Mark (also) lives in Oakland with his wife and son, where their weekends are usually filled with maker projects.

Eager to bring more creativity into your school district? Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and CreativeThinkingNetwork.com What to learn more about Design Thinking in Education? Do you want to build a sustained culture of innovation and creativity at your school? Visit WorwoodClassroom.com to understand how Design Thinking can promote teacher creativity and support professional growth in the classroom. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter!