Podcasts about creative potential within us all

Chapter 1:Summary of Creative Confidence"Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All" by Tom Kelley and David Kelley emphasizes the idea that creativity is not a rare trait possessed by a few, but a skill that can be cultivated in everyone. The authors, who are leaders at IDEO, a renowned design and innovation consultancy, argue that fostering a culture of creativity can lead to innovative solutions in both personal and professional contexts.The book is structured around several key concepts:1. Understanding Creativity: The authors define creativity broadly and highlight that it can be expressed in various ways, from problem-solving to artistic endeavors.2. Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt: They emphasize the barriers to creativity, particularly the fear of failure and self-doubt. The authors encourage readers to embrace experimentation and view failure as a learning opportunity rather than an endpoint.3. Building Creative Skills: Kelley and Kelley discuss practical techniques to enhance creative skills, such as engaging in brainstorming sessions, encouraging collaboration, and adopting a growth mindset.4. Design Thinking: The book introduces the principles of design thinking, a methodology that focuses on understanding user needs, prototyping, and iterative learning. This approach is framed as a way to cultivate creativity in teams and organizations.5. Creating a Supportive Environment: The authors argue that leadership plays a crucial role in nurturing creativity. They advocate for environments that promote open communication, support risk-taking, and celebrate creative efforts.6. Real-World Examples: Throughout the book, the Kelleys share stories and case studies from their own experiences at IDEO and other organizations. These examples illustrate how creative confidence has led to significant innovations and success.In summary, "Creative Confidence" is both a guide and an inspiration for individuals and organizations seeking to unlock their creative potential. It asserts that everyone has the capacity to be creative and provides practical advice for cultivating that creativity in a supportive and empowering way.Chapter 2:The Theme of Creative Confidence"Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All" by Tom Kelley and David Kelley focuses on the idea that everyone has the ability to be creative. The authors, who are well-known figures in the field of design and innovation, particularly through their work with IDEO, emphasize the importance of cultivating creativity in both individuals and organizations. Here are key plot points, character development, and thematic ideas from the book: Key Plot Points:1. Understanding Creativity:- The authors establish that creativity is not just for artists or designers but is a fundamental skill that can be nurtured in everyone.2. Overcoming Fear and Blocks:- The book discusses common fears associated with creativity, such as the fear of failure, criticism, or the belief that one isn't creative. The Kelleys share stories of individuals and organizations that have successfully overcome these obstacles.3. The Creative Process:- The authors outline the different stages of the creative process, including empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing. They emphasize the importance of iteration and experimentation.4. Examples of Creative Success:- The book provides numerous case studies and anecdotes from various industries, showcasing how creativity can lead to innovative solutions and successful products.5. Cultivating a Creative Culture:- The Kelleys discuss how organizations can foster a culture of creativity by creating safe spaces for collaboration, encouraging risk-taking, and celebrating failure as a learning opportunity.6. Empathy and...

Astro themes of October! (00:01:33) October 1st - 2nd: Correction.  The Sun Mercury cazimi and the Libra eclipse - Something is wrong. (00:02:42) October 3rd - 7th: Analysis.  Mercury square Mars creating challenge in decision making. (00:04:07) October 8th - 13th: Intuition Mercury in Libra trine Jupiter in Gemini - Manifesting time! (00:07:11) October 14th - 19th: The beginning of transformation Venus opposite Uranus - What or who is draining your wealth and energetic resources? (00:12:34) October 20th - 24th: Refinement Mercury trine Saturn rx - Get clear headed on things. (00:15:30) October 25th - 31st: Picking your battles Mars sextile Uranus - A boost of freedom Books!!! (00:18:19) Aries Book Picks: Purpose, destiny and evolution of networks. The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. (00:19:05) Taurus Book Picks: Being unapologetically the self and evolution of your professional goals. Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries (00:19:50) Gemini Book Picks: Making your own luck and intense spiritual growth The Luck Factor: The Four Essential Principles by Richard Wiseman The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer (00:20:20) Cancer Book Picks: Innovative visions and or Financial transformation Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley and David Kelley You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero (00:21:07) Leo Book Picks: Rebirth in alliances and the evolution of connections with others. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brené Brown The Power of Connection: How Relationships Help Us Heal by Dr. David F. Drake (00:21:51) Virgo Book Picks: Deep focus on wellness and health regeneration. How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Dr. Michael Greger Lifeforce: How New Breakthroughs in Precision Medicine Can Transform the Quality of Your Life & Those You Love by Tony Robbins (00:22:53) Libra Book Picks: Taking a risk in making changes Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown The Art of Risk: The New Science of Courage, Caution, and Chance by Kayt Sukel (00:23:44) Scorpio Book Picks: Power struggles in work and/or family and rebirth of emotional foundations Family Ties That Bind: A Self-help Guide to Change Through Family of Origin Therapy by Dr. Ronald W. Richardson It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are by Mark Wolynn (00:24:20) Sagittarius Book Picks: Time is money and the evolution of managing your mindset Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel (00:25:05) Capricorn Book Picks: Control of wealth and developing motivated negotiations in partnerships  The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich by David Bachwhere Bach Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen (00:25:58) Aquarius Book Picks: Rebirth of identity and unconventional self-reinvention The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear (00:26:41) Pisces Book Picks: Letting go of the past and empowerment through surrender The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life* by Mark Manson

Resolver um problema e encontrar um problema são duas fases distintas em um processo de solução de problemas. Ambos os papéis são igualmente importantes no processo de solução de problemas, e cada um tem seu próprio conjunto de habilidades e contribuições valiosas. Os "resolvedores de problemas" (problem finders) são habilidosos em desenvolver estratégias, gerar ideias, testar soluções e implementar mudanças que abordem o problema identificado. Eles trabalham para encontrar a melhor solução possível para resolver os desafios enfrentados. Ser um bom "encontrador de problemas" (problem solvers) requer observação aguçada, pensamento crítico e uma mentalidade aberta para reconhecer desafios potenciais. Ao identificar problemas de forma proativa, os designers podem criar soluções inovadoras e eficazes que abordam as necessidades reais dos usuários. Ambos os papéis são complementares e fundamentais para o sucesso no design e em muitas outras áreas. Encontrar um problema é o primeiro passo para resolver um problema. É importante passar por ambos os estágios para garantir que você esteja abordando corretamente a questão em questão e implementando soluções eficazes. Vamos receber Alessandra Stradiotto Jacob para nossa edição matutina Bom dia UX. Livros indicados: Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All https://amzn.to/3xO1W8l El arte de resolver problemas https://amzn.to/3xQxdYo Criatividade S.A.: Superando as forças invisíveis que ficam no caminho da verdadeira inspiração https://amzn.to/3QhI5VH Reframe: Shift the Way You Work, Innovate, and Think (English Edition) https://amzn.to/4b5L3Eu How Design Makes the World https://amzn.to/3JvrCcC NOSSO LIVRO JÁ ESTÁ EM PRÉ-VENDA! Nosso livro, UX Decodificado, está em disponível para compra. O livro é um guia essencial para iniciantes em design de experiência do usuário, oferecendo uma rota clara para caminhar nos desafios da profissão. Ele aborda de maneira prática e realista como os designers devem atuar em empresas que demandam entregas estruturadas e habilidades em pensamento crítico, comunicação e visão de design. Este livro serve como um recurso valioso, proporcionando insights para uma atuação eficaz e inovadora no campo do UX design. COMPRE AGORA!

Youtube Course / Page31 Days to New Beginnings WorksheetsFacebook GroupSupport the Podcast:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1590358/supportReading References:"The Chaos Imperative: How Chance and Disruption Increase Innovation, Effectiveness, and Success" by Ori Brafman and Judah Pollack"Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All" by Tom Kelley and David Kelley"Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder" by Nassim Nicholas TalebMEDITATION:Meditation Guides or Channels:Healing Earth Tones:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGmxHmX38NkBAgqHFiRBWNwTrue Higher Self:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFa2nW_0u3yv4pS_aXIYjBwGet Organized with Todoist:  https://get.todoist.io/897d3gggqsu1LEARNING:Thinkific - People use Thinkific to teach all types of skills - from learning to play guitar, to flying a drone, to enhancing digital marketing skills!Learnworlds - Save time, money and energy to focus on what really matters. Create and monetize your online Courses, Memberships, Subscriptions with LearnWorlds.Udemy - an education technology company that provides an online learning and teaching platform.================================In this episode, we delve into the fascinating realm where mindfulness and creativity intersect, uncovering how cultivating presence can profoundly impact inspiration and imagination. By exploring various mindfulness practices such as meditation, journaling, and sensory exploration, we aim to unlock the secrets to harnessing mindful creativity and enhancing productivity.Definition and Explanation:Mindful creativity involves being fully present and aware in the creative process, allowing thoughts and ideas to flow freely without judgment or attachment. It's about tapping into the richness of the present moment to ignite inspiration and fuel imagination. Through mindfulness practices, individuals can cultivate a deeper connection with their inner creativity and unlock new realms of possibility.How Mindful Creativity Can Enhance Productivity:Enhanced Focus and Clarity: Mindfulness practices help clear mental clutter and sharpen focus, allowing creatives to channel their energy more efficiently into their work.Stress Reduction: By fostering a sense of calm and tranquility, mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety, creating an optimal environment for creativity to flSupport the Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1590358/support Closing of ReThinkBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Nahal Tavangar is a self-professed generalist who has worked in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors across two continents. These roles and experiences have given her valuable insights into design thinking in various industries, work environments, business models, and workplace cultures. Today, we talk about research workshops, metaphors, and designing feedback.   Listen to learn about: Designing feedback systems The three categories of feedback methods How Nahal uses LEGO Serious Play in her work Ways of working with visualizations and metaphor in design work   Our Guest Nahal is passionate about creating ways to improve existing systems and processes to fit human needs, for the people they serve or may serve. Even before she learned about human-centered design, she was expressing and cultivating this passion in her work. After diving head-first into the Design Thinking community in Washington, D.C. and meeting her German boyfriend-now-husband, she decided to uproot her life in the U.S. in 2014 and move to Germany to pursue her M.A. in Integrated Design, with a focus on Service Design. Her thesis was on the topic of how we might capture more ‘holistic feedback' in the design process. Nahal is a self-professed ‘generalist' and has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors across two continents. These roles seem unrelated at a glance, but the experiences have given her valuable insights into design thinking in various industries, work environments, business models, and workplace cultures.     Show Highlights [03:02] Nahal's journey into design thinking is thanks to a friend's suggestion. [04:30] Getting involved with the Design Thinking DC community, and starting to apply design thinking to her work in PR. [05:00] Using a “question of the day” to get people in her office to think creatively. [06:23] Moving to Germany to get her master's degree in service design. [09:00] Nahal's struggle to call herself a designer. [10:23] Adapting terminology to fit the audience. [11:26] Dawan offers a story about asking workshop participants to sketch. [13:14] Nahal also likes getting people to work with visualizations instead of just talking. [13:37] Nahal talks about creating a customer journey map in her work for a German energy company. [19:09] Another initiative for the company involved diving into customer feedback channels. [20:31] Discovering a passion for learning from customer feedback in order to create a learning culture at an organization. [21:46] The need to build connections between research and feedback systems. [22:12] The problem with only using surveys as a feedback mechanism. [22:53] The need for a better feedback system that ensures its insights are used by the organization. [24:47] Dawan talks about the limitations of surveys. [27:15] Nahal's three categories of feedback methods. [28:23] Nahal gives an example of creating a robust feedback system. [29:33] Feedback systems need to be designed. [30:33] Getting trained in LEGO Serious Play, and how Nahal uses it in her work. [31:41] Nahal talks about the first time she used LEGO Serious Play in a workshop. [33:18] Dawan mentions the power of asking questions. [35:07] Using Image Cards to help people tap into metaphors. [36:09] The power of metaphor. [38:36] A Miro Moment. [40:22] Dealing with imposter syndrome. [41:38] Trust the process – and trust the people. [44:14] Nahal has words of encouragement for those trying to bring design thinking tools into their day-to-day. [46:36] Find ways to discover the needs of your customers.   Links Nahal on Twitter Nahal on LinkedIn Nahal on Creative Mornings Nahal's MA Thesis: Designing Holistic Feedback: A Typology of Methods and Proposed Framework for Soliciting More Comprehensive, Qualitative User Input Pega   Book Recommendations How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market, by Gerald Zaltman Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All, by Tom Kelley and David Kelley The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath Trust the Process: An Artist's Guide to Letting Go, by Shaun McNiff The Mom Test: How to talk to customers and learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you, by Rob Fitzpatrick Good Services: How to Design Services that Work, by Louise Downe   Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Design Thinking for the Public Sector + Building and Training Design Thinking Teams with Stephanie Wade — DT101 E14 Experiencing Design: The Innovator's Journey with Karen Hold — DT101 E71 Designing a Learning System for the Good Life // ALD 013 — DT101 E108

Nahal Tavangar is a self-professed generalist who has worked in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors across two continents. These roles and experiences have given her valuable insights into design thinking in various industries, work environments, business models, and workplace cultures. Today, we talk about research workshops, metaphors, and designing feedback. Listen to learn about: >> Designing feedback systems >> The three categories of feedback methods >> How Nahal uses LEGO Serious Play in her work >> Ways of working with visualizations and metaphor in design work Our Guest Nahal is passionate about creating ways to improve existing systems and processes to fit human needs, for the people they serve or may serve. Even before she learned about human-centered design, she was expressing and cultivating this passion in her work. After diving head-first into the Design Thinking community in Washington, D.C. and meeting her German boyfriend-now-husband, she decided to uproot her life in the U.S. in 2014 and move to Germany to pursue her M.A. in Integrated Design, with a focus on Service Design. Her thesis was on the topic of how we might capture more ‘holistic feedback' in the design process. Nahal is a self-professed ‘generalist' and has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors across two continents. These roles seem unrelated at a glance, but the experiences have given her valuable insights into design thinking in various industries, work environments, business models, and workplace cultures. Show Highlights [03:02] Nahal's journey into design thinking is thanks to a friend's suggestion. [04:30] Getting involved with the Design Thinking DC community, and starting to apply design thinking to her work in PR. [05:00] Using a “question of the day” to get people in her office to think creatively. [06:23] Moving to Germany to get her master's degree in service design. [09:00] Nahal's struggle to call herself a designer. [10:23] Adapting terminology to fit the audience. [11:26] Dawan offers a story about asking workshop participants to sketch. [13:14] Nahal also likes getting people to work with visualizations instead of just talking. [13:37] Nahal talks about creating a customer journey map in her work for a German energy company. [19:09] Another initiative for the company involved diving into customer feedback channels [20:31] Discovering a passion for learning from customer feedback in order to create a learning culture at an organization. [21:46] The need to build connections between research and feedback systems. [22:12] The problem with only using surveys as a feedback mechanism. [22:53] The need for a better feedback system that ensures its insights are used by the organization. [24:47] Dawan talks about the limitations of surveys. [27:15] Nahal's three categories of feedback methods. [28:23] Nahal gives an example of creating a robust feedback system. [29:33] Feedback systems need to be designed. [30:33] Getting trained in LEGO Serious Play, and how Nahal uses it in her work. [31:41] Nahal talks about the first time she used LEGO Serious Play in a workshop. [33:18] Dawan mentions the power of asking questions. [35:07] Using Image Cards to help people tap into metaphors. [36:09] The power of metaphor. [38:36] A Miro Moment. [40:22] Dealing with imposter syndrome. [41:38] Trust the process – and trust the people. [44:14] Nahal has words of encouragement for those trying to bring design thinking tools into their day-to-day. [46:36] Find ways to discover the needs of your customers. Links Nahal on Twitter Nahal on LinkedIn Nahal on Creative Mornings Nahal's MA Thesis: Designing Holistic Feedback: A Typology of Methods and Proposed Framework for Soliciting More Comprehensive, Qualitative User Input Pega Book Recommendations How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market, by Gerald Zaltman Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All, by Tom Kelley and David Kelley The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath Trust the Process: An Artist's Guide to Letting Go, by Shaun McNiff The Mom Test: How to talk to customers and learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you, by Rob Fitzpatrick Good Services: How to Design Services that Work, by Louise Downe Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Design Thinking for the Public Sector + Building and Training Design Thinking Teams with Stephanie Wade — DT101 E14 Experiencing Design: The Innovator's Journey with Karen Hold — DT101 E71 Designing a Learning System for the Good Life // ALD 013 — DT101 E108

I have taken a whole week break since graduation, and this week I am back at it! Capstone time begins now. My capstone project will consist of a deep-dive into the research around the benefits of creativity in order to write a robust literature review. Beyond the academic paper, I am creating a book proposal for my next non-fiction book about everyday creativity. Here are the 10 books about creativity I mentioned in the episode: "Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Explores the concept of flow and how it relates to creativity, offering insights into the creative process. "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear" by Elizabeth Gilbert - Encourages readers to embrace their creativity, overcome fear, and lead a more inspired and fulfilling life. "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron - A renowned guidebook for nurturing creativity and unblocking artistic potential through a twelve-week program of self-discovery and creative exercises. "Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World" by Adam Grant - Explores the characteristics and behaviors of original thinkers and provides insights on how to champion new ideas and drive meaningful change. "Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative" by Austin Kleon - Offers unconventional advice and inspiration for embracing creativity, encouraging readers to borrow from other artists and find their unique creative voice. "Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All" by Tom Kelley and David Kelley - Written by the founders of IDEO, this book explores how to unlock and nurture creativity in individuals and organizations. "The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles" by Steven Pressfield - Examines the challenges and resistance faced by creative individuals and provides strategies for overcoming obstacles and unlocking creative potential. "Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking" by David Bayles and Ted Orland - Explores the psychological and emotional aspects of the creative process and addresses common fears and obstacles faced by artists. "Imagine: How Creativity Works" by Jonah Lehrer - Investigates the science and psychology behind creativity, offering insights into the creative process and strategies for cultivating creative thinking. "The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life" by Twyla Tharp - Provides practical advice and exercises for developing creative habits, enhancing productivity, and fostering long-term creativity. Bonus. "Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood" by Ashlee Gadd is part pep talk, part permission slip. This book honors both the mothering journey and our God-given desires to create. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mawusi Amoaku, a fashion designer turned educator shares how stumbling on sketchnoting helped her overcome learning challenges which she now shares with students that have special learning needs.Sponsored by ConceptsThis episode of the Sketchnote Army Podcast is brought to you by Concepts, a perfect tool for sketchnoting, available on iOS, Windows, and Android.Concepts' infinite canvas lets you sketchnote in a defined area while still enjoying infinite space around it — to write a quick note, scribble an idea, or keep pre-drawn visual elements handy for when you need them most.The infinite canvas lets you stretch out and work without worrying if you'll run out of space. When combined with powerful vector drawing that offers high-resolution output and complete brush and stroke control — you have a tool that's perfect for sketchnoting.Concepts is a powerful, flexible tool that's ideal for sketchnoting.SEARCH “Concepts” in your favorite app store to give it a try.Running OrderIntroWelcomeWho is Mawusi?Origin StoryMawusi's current workSponsor: ConceptsTipsToolsWhere to find MawusiOutroLinksAmazon affiliate links support the Sketchnote Army Podcast.Mawusi on InstagramMoonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer.Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley and David KelleyThe Sketchnote Handbook by Mike RohdeThe International Sketchnote Camp 2021Sketchnote Army PodcastToolsAmazon affiliate links support the Sketchnote Army Podcast.A4 sheets of paperFriXion penMUJI penPaper Mate InkJoy highlighterSTABILO BOSS gray highlighterTombow markerClairefontaine dot grid paperClipboardTransparent clipboardLED lightbulbRhodia Staplebound NotepadiPad ProApple pencilConcepts AppProcreateTipsContinue feeding your mind.Even if you go digital, keep drawing by hand.Don't overthink it. Just do it.Be open to trying something new.Listen to other sketchnoters.Share your work.Experience with other layouts, find out what works for you.Collaborate with your colleagues.Ask for feedback.Be intentional and tell someone your goal.Don't give up. Be patient.CreditsProducer: Alec PulianasTheme music: Jon SchiedermayerShownotes and transcripts: Esther OdoroSubscribe to the Sketchnote Army PodcastYou can subscribe to the podcast through iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube or your favorite podcast listening source.Support the PodcastTo support the creation, production and hosting of the Sketchnote Army Podcast, buy one of Mike Rohde's bestselling books. Use code ROHDE40 at Peachpit.com for 40% off!Episode TranscriptMike Rohde: Hey everyone, it's Mike Rohde, and I am here with my friend, Mawusi Amoaku. How are you doing, Mawusi?Mawusi Amoaku: I'm doing good, Mike.MR: It's so good to have you.MA: How are you?MR: I'm doing great. It's always great for me to have someone interesting on the show to talk about their visual thinking journey and the work they do and the impact they're having. And I feel like you're someone who definitely is doing that. And I love to share those stories.I think that's the core reason why the podcast exists is to just reveal really interesting people all around the world doing great things in the visual thinking space. So, with that, why don't you tell us, give us an introduction, who you are and what you do.MA: Okay. My name is Mawusi Amoaku, and I'm originally from Ghana. Grew up in Northern Ireland, hence my accent. I work in education supporting learners with additional learning needs, and I love it.MR: As I understand, in our chats that led up to having you on the show, you've pretty recently discovered Sketchnoting. I would love to hear your origin story around that. Where did that come from? And maybe look back to when you were a little girl, like, have you been drawing since you were a little girl? And how did those two worlds and your teaching all overlap into where you are today?MA: I think I'll start by telling you a little bit about me growing up. I've always loved drawing. When I was younger, I wanted to be an artist. And I love hand lettering and I love making zines. In terms of drawing, well, I try to draw something every day.I stumbled across sketchnotes in 2020 and it really transformed my learning experience. Although I work in education, I had to do a course as part of my job role to help me support my learners with learning needs. And I was finding the course particularly difficult because when I would read my textbook and make notes, when I came to writing the assignments, I would just forget everything. And I was so frustrated. Like I started to fall behind with my assignments, which I thought, this is ironic because what I do, I support learners to get their assignments done. Here I am, I can't even do my own.I didn't wanna tell anyone that I was struggling, so I just kinda had an idea. I thought to myself, "If this was one of my students, what would I say?" Like, I would encourage them to keep going, but I would encourage them to find another way. So, one day I just thought, right, I'm just gonna Google it.I was so behind with my work, I really didn't have time to be doing this, but I thought, I'm gonna have to try and find some answers. So yeah, I went on the internet and I researched and I came up with mnemonics, memory palace, mine maps, and finally, sketch notes. And that changed everything.So, for me, the first sketch note I made was of a "TED Talk" because I bought your book and I wanted to find out like, straight away, does this thing work. Should I continue with it or not? 'Cause I need to know that I'm investing my time wisely.And I sketch noted, I think it was called The Greatest Ted Talk Ever Told, I think that's the name of it. I was like, 20 minutes long. And I was like, I don't even know if I still have the sketchnote, but I remember the video. And I sketchnoted that and I thought, "Oh, wow."And then when I read my textbook, there were certain topics that I was really struggling with. So, I decided, I'm going to sketch note this, but I set myself boundaries 'cause I used to write pages and pages of notes and never read it, even though I used different colored pens, et cetera. I thought, okay, I'm gonna limit myself to an A4 sheet of paper per topic.I went to the glossary in the—when you talk about creating an icon library, I thought, okay, so for each topic, I'll look at the glossary and write down what those keywords are to create my icon library. And then I'll read a chapter and then I will sketch note it and that's it.I did that for each of the chapters, particularly the ones I was struggling with. Then I used those notes to write my assignments. I have to say, before I started doing that, I just thought, why am I not remembering this information? Why I'm not understanding this?But then when I sketchnoted it, I was so encouraged because I realized I do know it, I do understand it, and I can do it. So, it really helped me with my confidence. And I did the work.I have to say I was really behind with my work, but I did it. I got it done, I got my assignments in on time. And I remember thinking, you know, I actually do love learning, but that experience was so negative for me that I thought, now I kind of understand how some of our students feel when they can't understand a piece of work because it does knock your confidence, it does make you feel stressed, it does make you feel isolated.For me, I was too embarrassed to tell anyone because that was actually my job was to help other people. And I couldn't help myself. When I got to the end of the course, what I couldn't understand was I—the course was not finished, but I wanted to keep learning 'cause it was just so addictive. Like to do the sketch notes it was such a fun activity to do.It was right at the summertime, so I kept learning it. I kept researching effective ways to learn and reading different books that inspired me. One of them was "Moonwalking with Einstein" by Josh Foer, I think is how you pronounce his name. He talks about using the memory palace as a way to remember information.I was just fascinated. I was hooked. And then I thought, "Oh my goodness, I wouldn't mind doing another course." From not wanting to do the course that I did, I wanted to keep learning. Well, I started looking for opportunities. Any opportunity to sketchnote.At that point, I hadn't shared my work with anyone. It was just for myself. Towards the end of 2021—no, end of 2020, 2021, my New Year's resolution, I kept it pretty open and creative, was to invest in myself. That would primarily be learning a new skill and also, trying things that I probably wouldn't normally try 'cause I would be afraid to do it.One of them was actually public speaking. You know, do a workshop for my colleagues because I am a shy person. I'm an introvert, and the idea of speaking in front of any group of people scares me. So, that January, like that whole year actually, I started thinking, what if, what if? And starting to do different things, and showing my work.In terms of the sketch notes, I didn't actually use it at work initially. I tried to fight the urge to sketchnote. I really wanted to do it, but I was kind of worried what people would think.My background is art, actually, it's fashion design. Everyone knows that I love to draw, but I thought that if I drew at work, maybe people would think that I wasn't taking my job seriously. Or like, "Why is she doodling? Why are you doing that?"One time in a class I was supporting a group of students and nearly all of the students in the class had a learning need. I used to find it really difficult to support the group 'cause the needs vary a lot. I remember observing one student in particular who really struggled to understand what he needed to do.In the class, the students would rely on me to take notes. And I remember thinking, well, my handwriting's not great, and if they don't understand the notes, probably my handwriting. But I kind of thought I'd like the students to read the notes, use them, understand them, and become more independent.I thought if I sketch note this—it was partly 'cause I was struggling to write down the traditional way, but I thought if I sketch note this, maybe they'll be so curious, they'll want to read it. I really wanted them to want to read it and use it.I started to do it. And I shared that with the teacher because I was supporting the students in the class, I wasn't the teacher. I shared what I wanted to do with the teacher. I told them that this is a new thing that I'm learning. I would like to get better at it. Perhaps could I do it in this class? Because I feel that the more I do it, the better I get. And if I do every single day, I'm definitely gonna improve.He was really supportive and I started to use it. At first, the students didn't really know what to make of it. They're like, "Mawusi, you are drawing? Oh, my goodness. Like, what is this? This is serious."I thought, oh dear, I have to tell them this is really important. You're supposed to use this. So, I give them a little speech. I said, you know, "Yes, it took a lot of effort, but I'm doing this because I want you to do well. I really want you to enjoy your learning, but I want you to use the notes, understand it, use it, but not to rely on me to learn that you can do these things for yourself as well."And so, I did it. Then the next day I was like, oh, I might have to reinforce that. I started to do my little speech, and they said, "Mawusi, we know you told us yesterday." I never mentioned it again. And so, I kept doing it.It was during the pandemic, so we were in our bubbles. That meant a unique opportunity. I got to stay with my students in the various classes that they were in. And I continued to sketch note in each of those classes. They got used to it.I didn't have to say anything.What happened was the teacher would deliver the lesson and I would have a clipboard sketch note the lesson, scan it, and share. We use Microsoft Teams. I would share it on Teams and all the students would have access to those notes.One of the unexpected dividends, I guess, of doing that was it meant that students who have learning needs could use it, but everybody could use it. Whether they have a learning need or not. And if someone misses a lesson, they have those notes to help them to catch up.It was tiring, and a part of me wondered why I even started because I didn't actually have an end plan for when I would stop doing this. So, I would ask the teacher, "Would you like me to stop?" I kind of secretly hoping he would say, "It's okay, Mawusi. You can stop." And he is like, "No, keep going. It's all right. Keep going. And I said, "But they're not using it". He's like, "They're using it. Walk around the class."The first student who we went to, I hadn't said anything and within minutes of me sharing it on Teams, he had printed the notes and he was looking at it. I should actually clarify that this was a media lesson and so they work on computers. He was referring to the notes and doing his work.I hadn't had to say anything to any of the students. They knew the pattern, this is what happens in class. Then he said, "Okay, keep walking around." I noticed that they were all using it, but in their own way, whether it could be on the screen or on their phone or if they printed it out, but they were just doing their work.And I was like, "Oh my goodness, it actually works." I was so happy I just wanted to do a happy dance, but obviously, I was working so I didn't. But yeah, so that's kind of how it started in the classroom.I made some revision notes because I wanted to encourage my students to revise 'cause not a lot of them would revise for their exams. The exciting thing about the sketch notes was that I later found that they were being shared by other tutors. It gave an opportunity for me to talk about my work.And actually, one of the key things was, although I made the sketch notes for the students, I didn't really know what I was doing. It was an experiment. And I asked them for feedback. And the feedback from the students was invaluable because that's how I improved it.For example, one of the parameters that I set for myself, which was limit the information to one page, didn't necessarily work for the students because it was actually too much information on one page.MR: Really?MA: Yeah. So, with each sketch note I made, I would make changes because they were giving me constant feedback. And then tutors gave me valuable feedback. For example, because my handwriting's terrible, I used to write in capitals because that's my way of writing neatly.One of the dyslexia specialist tutors said, "Well, actually that's really hard for someone to read if they have dyslexia, 'cause it's the shape of the letters that helps them to differentiate the words."Well, had to kind of retrain my brain to write in lowercase as well. It was just really useful to share the sketch notes as a way to improve, but also yeah, to share my skills.But Mike, I have to say you did influence me a lot in that because I attended the sketchnote workshop, or no, the sketchnote camp that was held online in 2021. And your keynote speech was about care and service and community.And how we as sketchnoters 'cause we are a global community as Sketchnoters can do good to our organizations that we work for our communities. We are in a very specific situation in the pandemic and it's affecting all of us in different ways. How can we use those skills to benefit others?That was what encouraged me actually because up to that point, I was doing it for myself, but then I thought, well actually there is a community of people who are doing this and I'm going do it in my workplace and I'm gonna share it.I'm not online, but I'm gonna share it in the space where I work. And I hope that it'll benefit other people. But really the driving force for me to share sketchnotes is that I was really desperate when I find it. And I was thinking somebody else might be in a similar situation and I hope it helps them.MR: It's really funny because that's my origin story. I was desperate as well. The way I was taking notes was just so frustrating and I'd forced myself like you to l to limit myself to a small notebook and switched from pencil to pen.The experiment that I first did really set me on the path to say, "Hey, this is working for me. I really enjoy this. I can't wait for the next workshop or event that I can go try this and experiment with. "So very much similar in that way. And hoping, you know, if this is working for me, there has to be somebody else who this will help. And then also, you know, sharing it with other people and getting feedback was a similar experience.It sounds like yours was even more, I guess, accelerated because you didn't have a lot of time, you just had to keep working and then taking feedback live and then incorporating it as you worked, which is probably good for you.You almost got into a mode, it seemed to me like where you were just doing the work, you're getting feedback, you're making modifications, and next thing you know, you're writing upper and lower case, you're modifying the structure and you're serving.It seems to me like you're someone who, if you're serving someone else, you're willing to kind of jump through hoops and go over fire and do these things because you know it's gonna help your students.In some ways, doing it for yourself, you sort of run into a point where like, "Uh, I don't feel like doing it anymore. Who's there to hold you accountable?" But you found an accountability group, which were your students who actually gave you the feedback and held you accountable and pushed you further to really accelerate your learning. And also, it ultimately benefited them, right? Because your sketchnotes started to align for what their needs were. Is that a fair way to think of that?MA: I would think so. I think the desperation I felt at the beginning was something for a long time that I actually tried to forget. And I remember telling my boss this, and she said something to me, which was quite profound. She said you know, "It is giving you more empathy for your students." And that is exactly it.I've always loved learning, but I've never struggled to the extent that I struggle that time. But I'm really glad for that experience, well, because I share that with the students. I tell them I struggle.But when you struggle, you always have a choice. You know, you can find another way. You don't need to give up. It's kind of like if you see it as an opportunity to do it a different way, basically that is what I learned. And that is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about this because I'm so lucky I stumbled across it.It was actually when I read a book about the memory palace, it was a free book on Apple Books. And then I found another free book about sketch notes. It was basically a compilation created by educators and they were talking about the benefits of sketch notes and they shared examples of theirs.And that's where I heard about your mini-workshop, which was on YouTube. So, I watched the video and then I was like, that is actually why I bought the book. 'Cause I was like, "I need to do this. This is it."I have to say thank you to those people for putting the art there because I would never have found it. One of the other reasons why I was confident that it would work with my students was your episode where you interviewed Laura Kazan, I think you pronounce her name.MR: Yes, yes, yes.MA: That episode actually—I have listened to every episode of your podcast. I'll just tell you that, and the reason being, I wanted to learn as much as possible from your interviews with different people of and how they've used it. But her interview really stood out for me because I thought, "Those are my students. Those are my students, and I think they will benefit from this."One of the things she said at the end of her interview was, in her three tips, she said, "Is your school special education department willing to support sketchnoting."I thought as a department that I worked for in my college. So that is what give me the confidence to share it with my team because, you know, it made such a difference to her son, and I thought, well, it might just help our students as well.So, your podcast helped me a lot because there was something that I was doing by myself, but in listening to your interviews with other podcasters or other sketchnoters, I kind of felt like I wasn't by myself in doing this. I was so encouraged. So, thank you.MR: Oh, that's really great to hear. You know often doing podcasts can be a lonely business because you do these interviews and of course, they're enjoyable in the moment and you publish and there's often not a ton of feedback that I receive back from the episodes, but I keep doing them because I enjoy it.I think that's the driving force. And I know that there are people, and I know that because I hear like you and others who will say, yeah, I've listened to all the episodes. I can't wait for another one to come out. So, I know there are fans out there, which is, you know, really exciting and helpful, and especially when I hear it in the context of your—I would call your experience a journey, right.You sort of definitely went on this journey where you kept on discovering something else and that led you to something else and that led you to something else. And you continued to follow the thread all the way to kind of where you're at now, which is really cool because I think so many, you know, with the internet especially stumbling onto something can lead to something else if you allow it to if you're curious and you follow that path.I think that's a good reminder for us that sometimes it's just being open to something and taking it one step further might lead to something that you could never have expected. Your story, your origin story here sounds exactly like that. That string, you just kept pulling the string and now here you are.MA: Yeah. Actually, one of the reasons why I'm excited is for quite a few years, I have been looking for a passion. You know, my background is fashion design, I like to sew, and I love education, but I was looking for something that I would be really passionate about. And this is definitely it. So yeah, I love it.MR: Wow. Well, I love your origin story. Thank you for sharing all the detail and giving us insights and where those pivot points were. I would love to hear is there a project of any kind may be that you're beginning that you're excited about that you'd love to share with us.MA: I guess I would say is I've had more opportunities to share sketch notes with my colleagues and I've been in training staff on how to sketchnote. For me, someone who I said is kind of an introvert. I find it really hard to talk to people. This is like a watershed moment.I have to say the sharing of sketch notes has just helped me develop more confidence in myself. So yeah, that's something. And this year, in particular, the college that I work for the focus is on inclusion.So, as I started to share my sketch notes, last year we had a guest speaker and he's an inclusion expert. And I decided long before the event, I am definitely gonna sketch note this. Only I didn't wanna tell anyone because I didn't wanna put pressure in myself.So, I sat at the back and I made some sketchnotes, worked on it over the summer, and then my goal was I'm going to share it with my colleagues because I wanna tell more people, but I wanted to sketchnote something that we had all attended so that it would be more meaningful.And the exciting thing is this has led to more opportunities to sketchnote for different departments. I've done collaborations with colleagues who are specialists in different fields, and we've combined our skills to train other staff.So, yeah, it's such a fun thing to do, but it's a really useful way to communicate things that might be quite difficult to communicate in words basically. It's very engaging and I'm excited that I did it and that it's being shared.MR: That's really great. I love your approach of doing something that would be meaningful to the entire group so they could benefit from it. That's a really great way of layering two things you're passionate about sketchnoting and also about this opportunity to learn. And then making that as a service to your colleagues, right?Because I'm sure that they're seeing how this is having an impact on students and how it's helping them to learn and retain. So, they definitely see the benefit, and now that's now opened up even the opportunity to teach them these concepts so they could start to think like, "Well, how could I use it in my curriculum for my students in an interesting way." Which is you're just becoming this real true advocate inside your college. Which is pretty cool.MA: I think also part of it was in terms of—I would say when someone's sketchnoting, I know this is actually a tip, but I'll just say it in advance, is feeding to your mind because when I was doing this quietly, I was reading a lot of books about innovation and sketch notes and various things.There was a book called—oh, have I written it on somewhere? I have it here. The book is called "Creative Confidence: Unleash the Creative Potential Within All of Us" by Tom Kelly and David Kelly. That book was pivotal for me as well, because they have an organization called, IDEO. I don't know if you've heard of it before.MR: Yes.MA: IDEO is responsible for promoting innovation, I guess is how to put it, by taking a multidisciplinary approach. That is what has encouraged me to collaborate with my colleagues because when we think about organizations and how we can benefit our organizations when we work together and share our different skills, we bring different perspectives as well, that is powerful.So that is one of the reasons why I'm sharing it with my colleagues because although sketchnoting is my skill, I'm learning so much from them and I hope they're learning from me as well.MR: I'm guessing, just judging by the little bit that I feel here, they're probably learning a lot from you. Which is great. I think that's so admirable for you to not keep it to yourself, but spread it further and offer it to your colleagues, which is great to hear. Well, let's shift…MA: I was gonna attribute that to you too because you have created a community of sharing. That is, for me, one of the things that drew me to sketch notes because it's such a friendly environment and people are very encouraging of one another.MR: Definitely, something that I saw in other communities that I was involved with. In the web design community, there was a very welcoming and open environment there, and I just wanted to model that.It seems to me like, because we modeled that early, that it drew other like-minded people, and we seemed to have built a community that's sort of sharing and open and helping each other all the way down. So, when new people come, the culture is just, hey, this is a space where we share and we teach each other and we help each other.I always say, there's so much opportunity to share this idea. There's no reason why we should be thinking that we're fighting over table scraps when there's so much opportunity for everyone to have a place at the table and do work and have an impact. There's just so much work to do.I'm glad that you've sensed that. It's definitely something intentional and I hope that it just continues throughout the community. So that's really great to hear. Thank you.MA: Thank You.MR: Yeah. Well, we all do it together, so that's great to hear. At this point, I would love to shift to something more practical, I guess. Not that the other stuff isn't practical, but the people on the podcast love hearing about tools and how people use their tools.So, let's shift into the tool discussion and let's shift in specifically to analog tools and then follow up if you use digital tools with what digital tools you use.MA: Okay. I would say use what you have, start with what you have. For example, well, I used to use A-4 sheets of paper because I sometimes destroy my work if it's not very good. Yeah, I have a habit of that. But I started with A4 sheets of paper and a pen although it was a refillable pen—you know the FriXion refillable black pen?MR: Mm-hmm.MA: Which it's kind of the best of both worlds. I always think of a pen as the tool that makes me fearless and the pencil that makes me cautious. But the FriXion pen is a pen, but I can rub it out. I'm kind of contradicting myself anyway.I started it with that one because if I'm in the class and I'm sketchnoting, sometimes I make spelling errors and that helps me to fix it really quickly. But lately, actually, I haven't used that as much, so maybe my confidence has grown. I like to use Muji. Have you heard of Muji pens?MR: Yes. Of course. It's a famous Japanese store, which I've been to the one in New York City, but I know it's worldwide as well.MA: I love Muji. The Knot 0.38 and the Knot 0.5, my absolute favorites. One of my colleagues introduced me to the Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pen.MR: Oh, yes.MA: You've heard that one.MR: Those are good as well. Yeah.MA: That one's amazing. And actually, just recently stumbled across—I didn't realize that you could get gray highlighter pens, so I used the Stabilo Boss highlighter in Gray. Well, I was using the Tombow markers, but they're quite expensive. So, I like to buy a box of the Stabilo Boss. They're really good.But paper-wise, I highly recommend dot grid paper because it makes my work look neat. Some people say, "Oh, Mawusi, how do you do such straight lines? Or, you know, that's so neat." I'm like, "If you zoom in, you will see the dots." It really helps a lot.In the classroom, I use a clipboard, which is quite handy. But also, if I'm doing a finished sketch note by hand, I use a transparent clipboard. That's a little tip. If you use a transparent clipboard and then you use one of the, you know the flat LED light boxes, you can trace your work. So, it's just really handy.MR: Interesting. So, you have a light source behind this clear clipboard, and then you can lay the rough sketch underneath and then do your finished on top of it. Am I understanding that right?MA: Yeah. And those things are very cheap to buy, but perfect for what I need. The dot grid paper that I absolutely love is Clairefontine paper. It just feels really, really nice.MR: It works well with those pens that you've mentioned. A question, for those who are dot grid connoisseurs, I know that there's different levels of dot grid. Like I know some have very light gray dots and some are darker.Where is the Clairefontaine fall on that spectrum? Is it relatively light dots so that it's, you know, kind of goes invisible at some point? Or are they a little bit darker?MA: I think it's kind of light because people don't really notice it. I kind of feel like I'm cheating 'cause I'm thinking, they think I'm really neat, but I'm not.MR: Well, I suppose if you're using the Stabilo Boss gray marker, I guess you could adjust your exposure, say in Photoshop or whatever your photo tool is, and increase the contrast. Those dots would probably drop away and you wouldn't even see them, right? So, that's probably another option as well.MA: Oh, actually another tip. I find when I was sketchnoting in the classroom, I was taking too long with preparing the page in advance. What I did was I had a template, the original was dot grid paper. And because I'm in the classroom, I just photocopied that page. And so, the dot grid was even less noticeable so when I scanned it, nobody knew. So, yeah.MR: Interesting.MA: That's another little tip.MR: Cool. That's pretty cool. We're getting free tips here. This is pretty great. Now, does the Clairefontine paper come in like a block, and then you tear off sheets as needed? Or is it bound in some way? How is that paper? How do you work with the paper?MA: It's in a block and then you tear it off. They say it comes in A4 and A5. I think that's the European size. But when you tear it off, it's slightly smaller.MR: Oh, I see. Because there's perforations on the edge probably.MA: Yeah. But I think they provide the paper for Rodeo Notebooks. Is it Rodeo?MR: Yes. Yes, exactly.MA: Yeah, I think they have that same paper, but basically, I like loose sheets because I can then arrange it in whichever way I want. And it's much easier to scan your work if it's not in a notebook.MR: Good point. If I'm not mistaken, I think Clairefontine and Rhoda are both French companies, so it would make sense that they would collaborate in some way. Maybe they're owned by the same parent company for all I know. I don't know. But I think Rhoda Notebooks work in a similar way where there's a—and maybe they calculate this, right.So actually, the part you tear off is maybe A4 and they add a little bit. So, when the perforation tears away and what's left in the notebook is a little bit taller than A4. You know what I mean? Like, when you tear out the sheet, it's exactly A4. I don't know if that's true, but I've used Rodeo paper—MA: No, it's smaller.MR: Is it? Okay. So, it is—MA: It's annoying that it's smaller, but I still like the paper. It's still like the paper, but it's smaller.MR: Got it. Okay. Good to know. Good to know for those who find that important, little tip again there. What about digital? Do you have digital tools that you use? Are you using an iPad or some other tool like that?MA: I've started using the iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil. The first sketch note I did with that was one of the guest speaker because I just wanted to take the sketch notes to a more, in my view, professional level.Because when I was having to trace it for a finished sketch note, I wanted to kind of take away some of those steps and do more of a rough sketch and then do the illustration. I use Concepts. Oh, my goodness, Concepts is so good.MR: It's a great tool. Yeah.MA: And Procreate, obviously. Yeah. Everyone uses it. I have to admit, I don't know how to use both of them really, really well, but I use them enough to get the finish that I would like. That's something to explore later. I have to admit, I prefer working on paper. I just love the feel of paper. That's my go-to.MR: Yeah. I think many sketchnoters will use a paper-like, or some of other similar matte screen protector, which sort of approximates the feel of paper. I mean, it's not exactly. I think paper-like, probably achieves it the best with the best clarity, but there are other screen protectors that also do the same. Which helps, but still, it's not quite ink on paper, it's closer.MA: It's good. But I have to say by going on the iPad, it makes me more of a perfectionist and I don't like that because at least when I sketchnote in the classroom, it feels hot off the press and I haven't had a chance to make it beautiful because my objective is to make meaningful notes that are useful. So, I think when I do my digital sketchnotes, I'm thinking too much about aesthetics. I'm trying to break away from doing that 'cause it's very tempting.MR: Yeah. It's almost as though paper and pen puts emphasis on the process. Because you have less control. Whereas when you go to an iPad or something, you end up inadvertently being maybe even more focused, a little bit more focused on the output. Because you have the ability to undo or to redo things or to change things, or to move things.Heedlessly, if you allowed yourself to, and there's something about the paper that, you know, maybe the friction of the paper in the sense of if you do it hot off the press, right. And even if you redid it, let's say you wanted to do it a little nicer, like if there's some friction there, right?You've gotta redraw all this stuff on another sheet on your clear clipboard with the light coming from behind and it's a little bit of friction. You wouldn't wanna do it a third time, right? So, you would probably stop at that point. Where with the iPad, it's very easy to just keep noodling and noodling and noodling and never finish. So, I could see the definite different feel for them.And, you know, I always think of the two, sort of provide different purposes. So, I often use the iPad for illustrations where, you know, it's gonna be printed or there is some final output that's important. But I found this recently on a project, just to point out this.I was doing the iPad with—I use paper and I was doing sketches and I had sort of built a little template for myself for this illustration project. And I found myself getting really rigid and I was resisting drawing and I was taking longer on each piece.And I got to the point where I said, wait a minute, I need to just change this up. So, I got the manuscript for the book project that I'm working on, and I just got my little pen and all I could fit were in the margins, little thumbnails along the edge of where the text was. So, it was very limited space.I just started doing these little thumbnails and started drawing concept. And it was amazing how much it freed me up to just think, "Oh, a little thumbnail, big deal. You know, that one didn't work. Draw another one. Oh, that didn't work. Draw another one. Boy like that. What if I do another one?"Next thing you know, every one of these ideas I was having to illustrate for you know, I was doing three or four different concepts or little variations, right? Suddenly the floodgates opened, and I was just like moving through the manuscript like crazy. And all it was, was this shift from, you know, sort of the rigidity or the perfectionism or something on the iPad back to paper and a pen with limited space.Again, coming back to limitations and embracing them just keeps proving itself as a really effective tool for, at least for me, freeing my mind to kind of focus on the content and really get into the process and stop worrying so much about the output. So, I definitely can resonate with what you're saying here.MA: I agree. I also would say that I find that as I've—I hope I go back to how I was before. When I started Sketchnoting and I didn't have anything to go by, any previous sketch notes, basically all I thought was, I'm just gonna do it. I'm just gonna do it.Now that I've been doing it, I'm starting to be more cautious. 'Cause I'm like, what's happening? Because I'm almost scared to do it because I feel that people expect it to be good. What if it's not good? So, I just need to just do it.MR: I think it would be interesting for you to actually ask someone to do some, you know, user-testing and ask them what do you expect out of it. And you probably would find that they would think like, whatever you're doing is amazing.They wouldn't care either way. They just love that you are thinking this way if you get to the core of it. I mean, the beauty of it is we often sort of find ourselves, like the story I told you about the illustration, I sort of boxed myself into this situation.It finally dawned on me like, “Wait a minute, I'm in charge of this project. Why am I feeling as though I have to follow some rigid template that I made? Like, I can change anytime I want to. I'm just going to grab the manuscript and a pen and forget the iPad. I'm not touching the iPad.” We have the opportunity to have you know, the ability to make those changes and to try and experiment and sort of work our way back.So that's really good news that if you ever find yourself bound and/or you've painted yourself in a corner, well, you know, your shoes might get some paint on them, but you can walk out of the corner and just start over again.That's always good news is you have the opportunity to shake it up and try some new things or go back to the thing that worked for you and start again and see, what did I learn from the other one and how can I apply this now knowing it, which is sounds like a little bit of where you're at as well.MA: Yeah. I wanna say one of my daily practices for sketch notes is that I sketch note sermons online. There's a church that does a daily devotional which is like 15 minutes long. I don't do it first thing in the morning, 'cause I'm not a morning person. I do it later on in the evening.I find that those sketch notes are more real because nobody sees them except me. Actually, I've moved from single sheets of paper to a notebook for that. So, I have a whole notebook full of them. What I like about them is they're just themselves. I have not tried to make anything beautiful. I just quickly got that information done. So yeah, even if you go digital, keep drawing by hand.MR: Maybe that's your first tip since we're now sort of heading into the tips department.MA: Oh yeah.MR: And I guess I should frame it. I always frame this. Probably regular listeners like you will have heard this a million times, but, you know, give us three tips that you would say to someone who feels stuck. Someone who feels they're on a plateau. Just these little inspirations to kind of break out of maybe a rut. And I think if you wanna go further in this, what you've talked about, you know, go back to drawing by hand. This could be your first tip, I think.MA: Okay. I have many tips, and it's hard to choose one to three, so might give a few more. Is that all right?MR: That's fine. Yeah, please.MA: Okay. First, one is don't overthink it. Just do it. Just do it. I tried to talk myself out of it when I was doing it at work, but I have to say when I did it, what a sigh of relief. I really enjoyed myself. Even though I was getting paid for it. I was like, "Wow, this is fun." So just do it. That's the first tip.If you can't do something, don't worry. Find another way. Be open to trying something different. And if you're struggling with your sketch note, listen to the podcast. Listen to the different interviews with different sketchnoters, find out how they're using it, and especially make note of their tips. What are they doing that? And just try it.Next one is share your work. I am not online at present, but I will be. So, share it at work. Share it with friends or even just sketch note in a diary or something. But yeah, share it with other people. Experiment especially with the layout of the sketch note. Find what works for you. Actually, this is way more than three. I'm gonna give you a few more.MR: Okay. Go for it.MA: Collaborate with your colleagues. That is golden. Collaborate with your colleagues 'cause then you get to make really meaningful connections with colleagues. I know working with people that I wouldn't have an opportunity to work with or our path and way not have crossed, but sketch notes has kind of opened the door for that. So, collaborate.Ask for feedback. Another golden one. Because that is how you're going to improve. If I had sketchnoted and sketchnoted and sketchnoted and nobody saw it, how could I improve? I might have improved, but maybe a lot slower. So definitely ask for feedback.Tell someone your goal. If this is something that you wanna start doing, share that with someone. Because what really helped me, what was so pivotal, was that teacher. He encouraged me because, you know, my very first sketch note, I have it in the classroom that I did it, it's not wonderful.I thought he was gonna laugh, but he just encouraged me. And that kind of helped me to be accountable because I've told people, this is something that I wanna do. So be intentional and tell people about it. If it's a New Year's resolution say, you're more likely to keep it if you've told people you're gonna do it.I'll give you a bonus tip. Don't give up. Be patient. Be patient because when you sketch note, say for example at work, people may not understand what you're doing at first, they might think it's a bit strange, they might wonder why you're doing it, they might actually tell you to stop doing it. Nobody told me to stop doing it. But just say somebody might, don't let that determine whether you do it or not. Keep going. Do not get discouraged. Just do it.MR: Well, those are fantastic tips. I'm glad that you added some additional ones because it seems to me like this is a great series of tips that you've shared with us and directly from your own experience.I can tie them all back to the story you told of how you began sketchnoting at work and, you know, with your students in mind. And next thing you know, you're collaborating with colleagues and sharing information with them and having an influence, right?This one little experiment led to influencing your whole college, it seems like, and probably leading in that direction, which is pretty cool. So, thank you so much for the tips and offering them to us.MA: Thank you.MR: This is the part where we typically ask where we can find you. And as we chatted just before we began recording, you're in the middle of developing probably a website and working out social media stuff. So, if you don't have anything yet, that's okay. We will put that in the show notes if it's available when we come to this.Maybe in lieu of doing that since we'll just do that in the show notes. If you're listening, just peek in the show notes, and if Mawusi's got some information, we'll put it in there for you so you can find her.I just wanted to let you know that I'm so impressed with your story and how you've just moved yourself forward with a servant attitude serving your students and how this led you to where you're going and you continue to serve. I think you just a really great example of our community.You really represent our community, and I'm really proud to have you as a representative where you are and so encouraged by your story. Thank you so much for taking time and spending time to share it with us. And I'm so excited to hear how this will influence the next person who hears it and all the influences you're gonna have in the place where you are. So, thank you so much, Mawusi.MA: Can I say a big thank you to you?MR: Sure.MA: You have encouraged me so much. You didn't know that I was listening to all of your episodes. You didn't know that I attended your workshop online. When I went to the sketchnote camp that was online, you could only see my illustration. I wasn't visible. I did all those things quietly and, you and your community has encouraged me so much, even when I was doing this by myself. So, thank you so much.MR: Well, thank you.MA: I'm forever grateful.MR: Well, it's an honor. It's an honor to serve, so thank you. Sounds like we're in a good place and we continue to have our influence. Sometimes it doesn't seem like you are, but you are having an influence. So, keep going. Just as Mawusi said in her tips, keep going.Well, this has been so much fun. It's been so enjoyable to talk with you and hear your stories, and I'm just excited to see where this all goes for you and how you're gonna fit into our community. For everyone who's listening to the podcast, this wraps another episode of "Sketchnote Army Podcast”. Until the next episode, this is Mike and Mawusi signing off for today. Talk to you soon.

This week, Faigie Kobre joins Eric on the podcast for a discussion on reigniting creativity.  Faigie is a creative coach for people who don't feel artistic but love art!  She works with people who have creativity scars and think they “aren't creative” because they can't draw.  She has a passion for reconnecting people with their inner creativity to bring calm, color, and joy into their lives.   In this conversation, you'll hear about Eric's journey with music, why people stop tapping into their creativity, why Faigie is trying to bring art back to everybody who wants to come back to it, and her start as an early childhood educator.  Then, you'll hear about creativity scars, comparison, perfectionism, the healing and sensory benefits of creativity, and how anyone at any age can tap into their creativity. Get in touch with Faigie, reignite your creativity & take her micro-course at CreativityReignited.com!    Questions/Topics:  [00:01:45] “Everybody is born creative.” - Faigie [00:04:52] “There's so many ways to do art where you don't have to know how to draw.” [00:05:19] What was it that drew Faigie to not just creativity and art, but also using creativity and art to connect with others and help other people?  [00:07:26] Faigie gets hooked on mixed-media art and getting people back to their childhoods  [00:08:45] A discussion on play in the realm of creativity and allowing it to flourish  [00:11:33] An intersection between being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and interest in artwork [00:12:59] What is T.A.B.? (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) [00:13:42] “In schools [...] it's more about how the art makes the teacher look” and being punished for the expression of an idea [00:18:13] What are creativity scars?  [00:20:28] “Comparison is the thief of joy,” learning to create, and enjoying the process [00:21:51] Eric shares his journey with painting and a discussion on cleaning up after an art session  [00:24:08] Using an art journal and how general creativity can help someone combat perfectionism [00:26:01] Faigie shares five mediums of art that have tremendous opportunities for creativity  [00:27:47] Eric asks why art is such an impactful medium for people with ADHD: “How is this helping us?”  [00:34:23] A discussion on getting started when we don't know where to start [00:38:48] Eric asks, “As an artist with ADHD, how do you know when a piece of work is done?”  [00:40:09] Color schemes and color wheels [00:45:17] Closing thoughts Resources: Book - The Creativity Cure by Carrie Barron and Alton Barron Book - Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelly and David Kelly Book - Healing the Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families by Charles L. Whitfield Book - Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child by John Bradshaw Book - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Video - Do Schools Kill Creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson Website - Sir Ken Robinson at SirKenRobinson.com   Website - Danny Gregory at DannyGregory.com   Website - Sketchbook School by Danny Gregory at SketchbookSkool.com   Website - CreativeConfidence.com   Article - Johari Window on CommunicationTheory.org Honorable Mentions: “...so many adults feel non-creative because of how they were squashed when they were kids.” “Comparison is the thief of joy.”  “The idea of play is that you're doing it for no purpose other than the enjoyment of it.” 

Hi friends, This week's episode is all about the rollercoaster of life and business. The highs and the lows. The triumphs and tribulations. The white-knuckling and the "when to call it quits". Yes, this is the experience every single one of us goes through. We are compelled to follow our calling, but at what cost. It is in the "lows" where we figure out who we truly are and we realize that we always make it through. Hopefully this episode inspires you to say yes to your intuition. Because, when it comes down to 2020 hindsight, I promise you, you will look back and be appreciative that you played it through. Get ahead for the next Quantum Business Book Club Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley & David Kelley (https://bookshop.org/books/creative-confidence-unleashing-the-creative-potential-within-us-all/9780385349369) Relevant to this episode The Dip by Seth Godwin (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/324748.The_Dip) The Relatables | This Plus That (https://open.spotify.com/episode/3HbY2mrrGhrVoSIeEXHCKC?si=1e94d7adc9d542f7) Blog: A Plan For Success In Unsuccessful Times (https://nicolebz.com/2022/01/29/plan-for-success/) Blog: Undo Unhappy Endings (https://nicolebz.com/2021/07/02/undo-unhappy-endings/) More BZ Sign Up for the Loop: My monthly newsletter on all my favorite happenings ---> https://bzcoaching.ck.page/ae98d50df3 Instagram: @thebzchannel (https://www.instagram.com/thebzchannel/) Twitter: @thebzchannel (https://twitter.com/thebzchannel) LinkedIn: @nbzcoaching (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nbzcoaching/) Work with Me nicolebz.com (https://nicolebz.com/) Credits Production: Shannon Kuehl https://www.instagram.com/shannonsvirtuallife/ Cover Art: Beau Stanton https://www.instagram.com/beaustanton Podcast Artist: Amanda No https://www.instagram.com/mythstruck/ Music by Micky Four: https://SoundCloud.com/mickyfour

Colors and shapes are all around us. How can we harness the power of color to make our learning more effective? Misty Minna - graphic designers, photographer, and instructional designer - is here to discuss how we can upscale our training programs, job aids, and graphics through a basic understanding of color theory and the impact that color has on how we learn. Have a question for the host or guests, want us to cover a certain topic, or just feel like you have feedback for us? Email Mike Haynes at president@detroitatd.org Learn more about ATD Detroit events and membership benefits at http://www.detroitatd.org Learn more about the national ATD organization at http://www.td.org Episode Notes: Guests: Misty Minna, Instructional and Graphic Designer Hosts: Michael Haynes, ATD Detroit Chapter President, and Jenny Ertman, Lead Programming Volunteer Adobe Color https://color.adobe.com/create Understanding Color Gamut https://www.viewsonic.com/library/photography/what-is-color-gamut/ The Sessions College Color Calculator https://www.sessions.edu/color-calculator/ Coolors Color Generator https://coolors.co/ This month's featured book is Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom and David Kelly Special thanks to Production Consultants Matt Nadolny and Nick Harman Music Credits: Aerosol Of My Love by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7013-aerosol-of-my-love License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Wide Open Road by Claus Appel Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4703-wide-open-road- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Hopeful And Positive by chilledmusic Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7040-hopeful-and-positive- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

What does creativity have to do with sharing the message of Jesus? Well, everything really. It's literally how we're created and it's the model we're shown in the Bible. Follow us on Instagram: @madealivepodcast Email us: madealivepodcast@gmail.com We aim to bring transparency to leadership to help enable the next generation of leaders to thrive. Resources mentioned in the episode: Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley and David Kelley The Medici Effect: What Elephants and Epidemics Can Teach Us About Innovation by Frans Johansson Music Used: Intro/Outro: Dorian by Andrew Langdon Transitions: I'll Follow You by Density & Time Bubblegum Treetops by MoreThanSeth --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Episode 4 - “Your career is also a research & development process, if it doesn’t work out, you can use your learnings for the next one.” Adam Yee started out his My Food Job Rocks podcast as a passion project while working at a 9-5 and has now turned it into his main career. In this episode of Asians Redefining Their Success, you’ll hear about how Adam gained enough confidence to pursue food (hint: he cooks a delicious duck and would make food for his friends every week in high school), how he developed a mindset to get past the fear of ‘failure’, and how he has redefined success for himself after quitting a startup founder role.We also talk about the best way to find our mission in life, how to make time for side projects and the different ways you can get started right now no matter what career you want to go into next.   This framework is really GOLD, don’t miss it :)Resource Links:A Beginner’s Guide to Food Science On Failure: What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars book  Career Book Recommendations:Be So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport Anything You Want by Derek Sivers Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley Adam’s book recommendations list  Reach out to Adam:WebsitePodcastLinkedinEmail: podcast@myfoodjobrocks.com Quotes:“Taking action towards building up your dream career is very much like planting a metal rod in the desert everyday and hoping lightning strikes”. With one rod, you have a less of chance. But thousands of rods? There’s a high chance that lightning will strike one of them.”

I'm joined by Fred Leichter, the Founding Director of the Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity. We'll talk about what Fred learned and led design during his 25-year career at Fidelity Investments, how he's applying that experience at Claremont Colleges, and the promise and potential of human-centered design and design thinking in undergraduate education. In 1996, Fred worked on designing Fidelity's first website, which was a huge breakthrough in the industry. He was in the right place at the right time as the industry transformed, so he was able to see a major paradigm shift happening, and observed that design was at the center of it. In 2006, Fred discovered design thinking. From there, he took on a broader role as the chief experience officer at Fidelity, and used design thinking as the essence of what he did. In a large organization, Fred explains, the natural organization is to use the existing silos within the business. This looks something like passing something from market research to product development to detailed design to specifications to technology to legal and compliance, and finally to production. As a result, it took a fair amount of work to get into a position to prototype products and services, and use manual workarounds before building the technology. Fred will discuss how he approached building out the Hive, which started with trying to engage students at a progression of levels. At the first level, he ensured there was an invitation to make something with a variety of crafting materials. The next level up involved workshops around design thinking, empathetic listening, or making friends with everyone. At the next level, they started offering pop-up classes usually taught by faculty. Finally, they offer semester-long courses for credit. Tune in to hear Fred talk about resisting the urge to rush to a solution by putting alternatives in front of the customer, why we should look at a project expecting to be wrong instead of expecting to be right, the convening that he hosted, the ways in which colleges and universities can be more rigid than large organizations, and much more. Learn More About Today's Guest The Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity Fred Leichter at Harvey Mudd College Fred Leichter on LinkedIn The Hive at the Claremont Colleges on Facebook hive_5c on Instagram In This Episode [01:10] — Fred talks about how he arrived at “the Hive,” or the Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity at the Claremont Colleges. He takes a moment to describe the schools and points out how highly ranked they are. [07:01] — What were some of the experience that helped Fred see and feel his love for teaching and design thinking? [09:43] — When Fred did the first design on Fidelity's website, he didn't call himself a designer, but he realized that he was interested in the topic and trained himself as a designer. [12:02] — Fred studied the unmet needs of people with aging parents and issues around intergenerational finance when he was at d.school. [15:02] — At the point Fred was describing, was he still using design workshops to help people internally understand and explore the concept? [16:35] — We hear about how Fred set up and built design teams. [18:23] — What tips would Fred offer to someone facing a similar challenge in a large organization? [21:50] — Fred talks about ways to resist the urge to rush to the solution. He also discusses whether he shifted the way people were rewarded organizationally for failing, finding things, and testing things. [24:29] — We learn about Fred's move to the Hive, and why he felt like he would be crazy not to take the opportunity. [28:28] — Fred discusses his approach in building out the Hive, and the various levels offered to the students. [33:17] — Dawan invites Fred to talk about the convening that Dawan attended and Fred hosted. [36:44] — We hear two of the largest impacts that Dawan got from the convening that he and Fred have been discussing. [40:53] — Fred talks about how he sees roles in directing or leading design thinking evolving or changing over time. [44:06] — What are some of the resources for someone, particularly a student, interested in getting into design thinking? [46:19] — One of the best resources that Fred gives to students is a blank notebook and a pen. [47:17] — Where can people find out more about Fred and the Hive? Links and Resources The Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity Fred Leichter at Harvey Mudd College Fred Leichter on LinkedIn The Hive at the Claremont Colleges on Facebook hive_5c on Instagram Stanford d.school Fidelity Labs Doreen Lorenzo Frog Design Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley and David Kelley Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon The Opposable Mind: How Successful Leaders Win Through Integrative Thinking by Roger L. Martin Protobot IDEO.org yes@designthinking101.com (Dawan Stanford)

I’m joined by Fred Leichter, the Founding Director of the Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity. We’ll talk about what Fred learned and led design during his 25-year career at Fidelity Investments, how he’s applying that experience at Claremont Colleges, and the promise and potential of human-centered design and design thinking in undergraduate education. In 1996, Fred worked on designing Fidelity’s first website, which was a huge breakthrough in the industry. He was in the right place at the right time as the industry transformed, so he was able to see a major paradigm shift happening, and observed that design was at the center of it. In 2006, Fred discovered design thinking. From there, he took on a broader role as the chief experience officer at Fidelity, and used design thinking as the essence of what he did. In a large organization, Fred explains, the natural organization is to use the existing silos within the business. This looks something like passing something from market research to product development to detailed design to specifications to technology to legal and compliance, and finally to production. As a result, it took a fair amount of work to get into a position to prototype products and services, and use manual workarounds before building the technology. Fred will discuss how he approached building out the Hive, which started with trying to engage students at a progression of levels. At the first level, he ensured there was an invitation to make something with a variety of crafting materials. The next level up involved workshops around design thinking, empathetic listening, or making friends with everyone. At the next level, they started offering pop-up classes usually taught by faculty. Finally, they offer semester-long courses for credit. Tune in to hear Fred talk about resisting the urge to rush to a solution by putting alternatives in front of the customer, why we should look at a project expecting to be wrong instead of expecting to be right, the convening that he hosted, the ways in which colleges and universities can be more rigid than large organizations, and much more. Learn More About Today’s Guest The Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity Fred Leichter at Harvey Mudd College Fred Leichter on LinkedIn The Hive at the Claremont Colleges on Facebook hive_5c on Instagram In This Episode [01:10] — Fred talks about how he arrived at “the Hive,” or the Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity at the Claremont Colleges. He takes a moment to describe the schools and points out how highly ranked they are. [07:01] — What were some of the experience that helped Fred see and feel his love for teaching and design thinking? [09:43] — When Fred did the first design on Fidelity’s website, he didn’t call himself a designer, but he realized that he was interested in the topic and trained himself as a designer. [12:02] — Fred studied the unmet needs of people with aging parents and issues around intergenerational finance when he was at d.school. [15:02] — At the point Fred was describing, was he still using design workshops to help people internally understand and explore the concept? [16:35] — We hear about how Fred set up and built design teams. [18:23] — What tips would Fred offer to someone facing a similar challenge in a large organization? [21:50] — Fred talks about ways to resist the urge to rush to the solution. He also discusses whether he shifted the way people were rewarded organizationally for failing, finding things, and testing things. [24:29] — We learn about Fred’s move to the Hive, and why he felt like he would be crazy not to take the opportunity. [28:28] — Fred discusses his approach in building out the Hive, and the various levels offered to the students. [33:17] — Dawan invites Fred to talk about the convening that Dawan attended and Fred hosted. [36:44] — We hear two of the largest impacts that Dawan got from the convening that he and Fred have been discussing. [40:53] — Fred talks about how he sees roles in directing or leading design thinking evolving or changing over time. [44:06] — What are some of the resources for someone, particularly a student, interested in getting into design thinking? [46:19] — One of the best resources that Fred gives to students is a blank notebook and a pen. [47:17] — Where can people find out more about Fred and the Hive? Links and Resources The Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity Fred Leichter at Harvey Mudd College Fred Leichter on LinkedIn The Hive at the Claremont Colleges on Facebook hive_5c on Instagram Stanford d.school Fidelity Labs Doreen Lorenzo Frog Design Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley and David Kelley Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon The Opposable Mind: How Successful Leaders Win Through Integrative Thinking by Roger L. Martin Protobot IDEO.org yes@designthinking101.com (Dawan Stanford)

"I'm ashamed to be a house cleaner or a maid.  I can't tell my friends about my blue-collar job issues. They'll be reluctant, hesitant or ashamed to hang out with me.  I want to grow my cleaning business but I'm sheepish. I'm great at cleaning but I'm ashamed to say morale is low and I'm ready to quit. Can I build my cleaning business if my job title sucks?" Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says there's no need to be sheepish or humble or shamed. House Cleaning is an honest profession and we'll cover tips in today's Ask a House Cleaner.  Show sponsors are Savvy Cleaner (House cleaner training). My Cleaning Connection (Hub for cool cleaning stuff). And HouseCleaning360.com (Referral network where you can find a good maid service.)   *** COMPLETE SHOW NOTES FOR THIS EPISODE *** http://askahousecleaner.com/ashamed-to-be-a-house-cleaner/     *** MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS *** Habits of People with Clean Houses - https://youtu.be/giYB57Uaqp0 Employees Who Love to Clean Houses - https://youtu.be/vcQddCj9joE Cleaning Gene - https://youtu.be/kWVTl-moarY Kicked Out of Facebook Group for House Cleaners - https://youtu.be/j6QNeFHblwE Mom Syndrome - https://youtu.be/HAwvNDiriOY Comparing Yourself to Other Maids – Who Wins? https://youtu.be/2nKE1MMnQLY Spousal Support for House Cleaners - https://youtu.be/rchSW8TAc6c MLM’s: House Cleaners Side Hustle - https://youtu.be/xjBpeFXyXeMs     *** RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE *** Building Your Team's Morale, Pride, and Spirit - http://amzn.to/2FV4JO5 Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All - http://amzn.to/2oJA2Ux Story Training: Selecting and Shaping Stories That Connect - http://amzn.to/2tjEnCM The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.  - http://amzn.to/2FXgDqw We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.     *** OTHER WAYS TO ENJOY THIS SHOW *** ITUNES - http://apple.co/2xhxnoj STITCHER - http://bit.ly/2fcm5JM SOUNDCLOUD - http://bit.ly/2xpRgLH GOOGLE PLAY - http://bit.ly/2fdkQd7 YOUTUBE - https://goo.gl/UCs92v     *** GOT A QUESTION FOR A SHOW? *** Email it to Angela[at]AskaHouseCleaner.com Voice Mail: Click on the blue button at https://askahousecleaner.com     *** HOUSE CLEANING TIPS VAULT *** (DELIVERED VIA EMAIL) - https://savvycleaner.com/tips     *** FREE EBOOK – HOW TO START YOUR OWN HOUSE CLEANING COMPANY *** http://amzn.to/2xUAF3Z     *** PROFESSIONAL HOUSE CLEANERS PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProfessionalHouseCleaners/     *** LOOKING FOR WAY TO PROMOTE YOUR HOUSE CLEANING BUSINESS? *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/HouseCleaning360/     *** FOLLOW ANGELA BROWN ON SOCIAL MEDIA *** https://Facebook.com/SavvyCleaner https://Twitter.com/SavvyCleaner https://Instagram.com/SavvyCleaner https://Pinterest.com/SavvyCleaner https://Linkedin.com/in/SavvyCleaner     *** WHAT IS ASK A HOUSE CLEANER? *** Ask a House Cleaner is a daily show where you get to ask your house cleaning questions and we provide answers. Learn how to clean. How to start a cleaning business. Marketing and Advertising tips for your cleaning service. How to find top quality house cleaners, housekeepers, and maids. Employee motivation tactics. Strategies to boost your cleaning clientele. Cleaning company expansion help. Time-saving Hacks for DIY cleaners and more. Hosted by Angela Brown, 25-year house cleaning expert and founder of Savvy Cleaner Training for House Cleaners and Maids.   *** DISCLAIMER *** During the shows we recommend services, sites, and products to help you improve your cleaning and grow your cleaning business. We have partnerships or sponsorships with these companies to provide you with discounts, and savings. By clicking on and buying from these links we may receive a commission which helps pay for the production costs of the show. Support the show so we can continue to bring you free tips and strategies to improve your cleaning and help you grow your cleaning business.  THANK YOU!     *** SPONSORSHIPS & BRANDS *** We do work with sponsors and brands. If you are interested in working with us and you have a product or service that is cohesive to the cleaning industry reach out to our promotional department info[at]AskaHouseCleaner.com   *** THIS SHOW WAS SPONSORED BY *** SAVVY CLEANER - House Cleaner Training and Certification – https://savvycleaner.com   MY CLEANING CONNECTION – Your hub for all things cleaning – https://mycleaningconnection.com

David Kelley doesn’t like to claim to have come up with the term design thinking, even though a most people would say he did. But regardless of who coined it, as founder of IDEO and the Stanford d.school he has been one of the most influential proponents of design thinking, and human-centered design in general. When it comes to bringing together engineering, product, and design teams early in the design process, and aligning those teams towards a common goal, design thinking has few equals, and should be part of the toolkit for every product driven company. In this episode, Eli and Aarron speak with David about what it takes to bring designers and engineers together, how our workspace influences our work, and how we can encourage creative confidence in our companies. Enjoy their chat with David, and thanks for listening.   David Kelley's Bio (via IDEO.com) David Kelley is the founder and chairman of the global design and innovation company IDEO. Kelley also founded Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, known as the d.school. As Stanford’s Donald W. Whittier Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Kelley is the Academic Director of both of the degree-granting undergraduate and graduate programs in Design within the School of Engineering, and has taught classes in the program for more than 35 years. Kelley’s most enduring contributions are in human-centered design methodology and design thinking. He is most passionate about using design to help unlock creative confidence in everyone from students to business executives. A frequent speaker on these topics, Kelley and his brother co-authored the New York Times best-selling book Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All. After earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, Kelley worked as an engineer at both Boeing and NCR. Drawn to design, he entered Stanford University in 1975, where he earned his master’s degree in Engineering/Product Design. In 1978, he founded the design firm that would become IDEO and, in that same year, began his teaching career at Stanford, receiving tenure in 1990. He also founded an early-stage venture-capital firm in 1984 called Onset, and was instrumental in starting a special effects firm called Edge Innovations, which creates unique Animatronics for the film industry. Kelley was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2000. He holds honorary PhD's from both the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth and Art Center College in Pasadena. He has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Chrysler Design Award and the National Design Award in Product Design from the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Robert Fletcher Award from Dartmouth, and the Edison Achievement Award for Innovation. Preparing the design thinkers of tomorrow earned him the Sir Misha Black Medal for his “distinguished contribution to design education.”

[UPDATE: Kellie Mullin is now a Head of School in the Bay Area] Kellie Mullin is our guest today and she teaches 7th and 8th grade science.  She does an amazing class project called the 20% Project.  The students find a real-world problem and develop possible solutions using the Design Thinking process. We talk about the challenge of teaching Empathy as part of Design Thinking process with middle school students–in particular the 7th and 8th grade girls. Kellie shares her best tech tips and advice that helps develop the creative confidence and growth mindset of teachers. Share and like this episode and let us know what you think! Transcript [Welcome to the Teaching Bites Podcast. Here are your hosts, Fred and Sharon Jaravata.] Fred Jaravata: This is the Teaching Bites Show where we connect you with people and ideas to take your teaching to the next level. I’m your host Fred Jaravata and today, we are featuring a special guest here on the show and her name is Kellie Mullin. She is a seventh and eighth grade science teacher and I worked with her for the past few years. I think – how many years is this? Kellie Mullin: This is my sixth year. Fred Jaravata: This is her sixth year, right, and we are glad to have you here to share your story so that we can inspire other teachers as well. OK. So real quick, I’ve been working with – I’ve known Kelly for the past six years and I’ve also worked closely with her with something called the 20 Percent Project and actually we’re going to be starting that real soon. I think this week and that’s going to be exciting and she’s going to share her story about that. Also I know she’s getting – going back to school at the University of San Francisco and she will be sharing a little bit of that also and Kellie, welcome to the show. Kellie Mullin: Thank you for having me. Fred Jaravata: Great to have you. OK, Kellie. So I gave you a little quick intro and that was a really quick intro. We want to hear you fill in all the gaps that I skipped and tell us your origin story. Kellie Mullin: So my father was a teacher, but he didn’t teach for most of my life. He actually had a landscaping business and when I was 16, he went back to school, got his specialist credential to teach special education and it was really inspired by the type of lifelong learner that he was. So I think that although I had watched my dad always read and see those things, I had a perfect model of what it meant to be a learner. So I always loved school. I loved reading and helping people. So when I went to Berkeley, I was able to do some tutoring. I worked with a disabled students program and I was able to take notes. So I just had a love of education. So when it came to what do you do after college, I found that passion and I went back to Berkeleyand I got my master’s and my credential there in developmental teacher education. So my passion for education really started at home. Fred Jaravata: Nice. OK, yeah, it’s very – like you, I come from a family of teachers and definitely it’s an inspiration. All right, Kellie. So what was the “aha” moment that you had, that you realized that teaching was for you? Kellie Mullin: I think that it took me a while to get into the rhythm of teaching. But when I did, I realized that I loved teaching because it’s so relational. For me, one moment, my first year at teaching in public school, I taught sixth grade math and science. I had a student come in to me before school started and the students were not supposed to come in. But she was really concerned that she was unsafe on the schoolyard. So that moment of realizing that although I taught her math and science, she felt comfortable enough to come in to me and to use that space just to feel safe. It was this moment of recognition that I was making a connection with her. So that was this moment. Fred Jaravata: Right. So what was the unsafe part? What was happening? Kellie Mullin: So I began my public teaching career in San Francisco. I only taught for two years in public school as a full-time teacher. But there’s just a lot of opportunity for unsafe things to happen. So she was a little concerned for her safety, some issues with some other students. Fred Jaravata: Wow. What grade is this? Kellie Mullin: It was sixth grade. Fred Jaravata: Sixth grade. Oh, wow, that’s unfortunate. OK. So you mentioned that you worked in the public school system for a couple of years, right? What helped you decide to get – go jump to the private school? Kellie Mullin: When I went to grad school, my intention was to stay in public school forever. I really wanted to dedicate my time to working with students from disadvantaged backgrounds and would have probably stayed in public school for much longer if it hadn’t been for budgetary differences between the city and the school district. Fred Jaravata: Yes. Kellie Mullin: It’s really hard to work and give your all to students every single day and not know whether or not you would have a job at the end of the school year. So every year I taught in public school, by the end of the year, we were given a warning we might not be rehired and it wasn’t because of our performance. It was just for budget reasons. Fred Jaravata: Right, right. So did you ever get the pink slips or just the warning? Kellie Mullin: I did. They were all rescinded but by the time I got this job here at this school, I had already made the site [0:05:11] [Phonetic]. Fred Jaravata: So how did that make you feel getting all that – like the pink slips? Kellie Mullin: It was really hard because I knew as a beginning teacher that I was giving my 100 percent and I was not the only one. The last year I taught at public school, I remember one moment. I was with several other teachers who were also getting their pink slip warnings and it had then turned into a pink slip at that point. We were sitting with our vice-principal in that room and he was just sharing how much love he had for us and how hard it was for him as an administrator to not be able to better support us and I remember he was this really tough man and I just remember him starting to cry in that room and realizing – you know, we had – even though we worked with really challenging students with lots of needs, we loved the kids, we loved each other and so that was what was really hard about leaving public school. Fred Jaravata: Right. What was the timeline? When would you get a pink slip? When would they decide to – hey, we will get you back? Kellie Mullin: You know, it really varies. I think – I remember it being in early spring when you would find out that you may potentially get this warning and then … Fred Jaravata: Like around February, March? Kellie Mullin: I think a little – March or April. Fred Jaravata: How can you teach when you have that hanging over your head? Kellie Mullin: That was really difficult and then by the end of the school year, you knew whether or not you would receive the full pink slip. But most of the time, it would – the intention was that it would be rescinded. Potentially though, they were discussing consolidating positions so that you might have a job. It just might not be at this school. Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: So that was the moment when I really started thinking about let’s see what other opportunities are out there. I’m so thankful that I did because I found a new kind of home here in the Catholic school world. Fred Jaravata: OK. And we’re glad to have you. OK, Kellie. Favorite quote or mantra, something to get you through your teaching school year, your teaching day. What’s something that you say to yourself? Kellie Mullin: So one thing that really – one quote that really stands out to me and has since graduate school is Plato and he said, “Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness. Direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the particular bent of the genius of each.” It really is something that I’ve had on my wall since I taught in public school. Just reminding myself that as easy as it is to create a lesson plan and decide this is what we’re learning today, this is what I want to teach, to really give opportunities to our students to find what they are passionate about so that they’re really learning. Fred Jaravata: Right. Can you share a moment in time in the past that – a challenging situation that you experienced in your professional career? Kellie Mullin: I think in terms of the project that I’m doing with my students now, which is design-thinking-based, one of the hardest parts of this project has been the transmission of what it means to be empathetic to my students. Fred Jaravata: Yeah. Your seventh and eighth grade students, right? Kellie Mullin: Sevenths and eighth grade students. So for me, a challenging situation has been what are different meaningful ways that I can help them to understand what empathy is. I don’t think I’ve necessarily overcome that yet. Fred Jaravata: Yeah. Kellie Mullin: I think it’s something that I’m challenged with every day. Fred Jaravata: Why is it happening you think? Kellie Mullin: I think that especially in middle school, it’s really hard to think beyond yourself and they’re very concerned with their own identity formation, comparing themselves to the people around them but not necessarily always able to see outside of themselves. Fred Jaravata: OK. Kellie Mullin: So I think part of it is developmental. But I think there might be more. Fred Jaravata: OK. Do you have any plans? I know you’re saying – you haven’t overcome that yet. Any plans or any things that you plan to do, hope to do, to figure that out? Kellie Mullin: So I think part of it is that I’ve used several different examples of how empathy has been used in the design process with my students all the way from looking at how MRIs can be redesigned to better suit the needs of children, so that they’re not as frightening. Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: To a host of other ideas. But I think showing them ideas, but then really giving them the opportunity to reflect upon situations where they’ve experienced empathy, where they have been empathetic to others in sharing that, but creating those opportunities really for them. Fred Jaravata: Right. OK. And I will be working with you in the 20 Percent Project and that’s going to be something we will be working on hopefully with these girls. Kellie Mullin: Yes, hopefully. Fred Jaravata: Hopefully it’s going to be a success and I think it will be. OK. So favorite books, movies or songs that you like that helps you again with your teaching career. Kellie Mullin: There are two books that really stand out to me. The first was a book that we as a faculty all ready which is Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom and David Kelleyand that book really stood out to me because I knew I was interested in creativity and innovation. But this term of “creative confidence” was something that was really new to me. Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: That this idea of believing in your ability to change the world and that it was something that can be fostered in people, I think that was – this book was the first opportunity that I had had to really hear – well, what are some ideas to actually do this? Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: So that’s one and I think – and it fits really seamlessly with the other book which is Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, how can we fulfill our potential by Carol Dweck. So looking at those two ideas together, the idea of growth mindset and creative confidence, just really fit in together. Fred Jaravata: Right. They go hand in hand and they’re – David Kelley, one of the authors and I think both of the Kelley brothers and Carol Dweck, they all are professors down at that school down South. Kellie Mullin: The other school that’s not Berkeley. Fred Jaravata: Yeah, they wear that reddish thing. OK. You follow Cal Sports [0:12:29] [Phonetic] right? Kellie Mullin: I do. Fred Jaravata: Yeah, you do. Kellie Mullin: Hopefully our football team will get better. Fred Jaravata: Will get better, yes. OK. So tech tools, I like to ask teachers about favorite tech tools or web resources, so that other teachers can check those out. Kellie Mullin: Yeah. Fred Jaravata: What are you liking and what’s helping you? Kellie Mullin: Well, I love all of the Google Education apps. I love the world of Google for education specifically because of the collaboration that you’re able to do. So when students are working on a presentation, they can all work on the same presentation on different devices at the same time. Fred Jaravata: Right, different devices. That’s the key thing. Kellie Mullin: Exactly. You no longer have to have students all around one or one computer. Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: And you don’t have four students who are doing nothing, while one student is doing all the work. You can even have students in different places. So I’ve been able to have groups of students working together that aren’t even in the same class. But because of the collaboration and the sharing aspect of Google, we’re actually able to make new groupings possible. Fred Jaravata: Right. I love Google’s stuff too. But now let me ask you this question about the whole Google Apps for Education, the GAFE stuff. In the groups especially, how do you make sure – when you have a group of kids working together, how do you make sure the other kids are doing equal work? Kellie Mullin: I think that’s always – that’s the age-old question of group work. Part of it is only allowing group work to occur when group work needs to occur. I think sometimes as teachers, we put kids into groups and we assume they will distribute the work. But really it was not an assignment that ever needed a group. Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: So of course you get students who aren’t doing what they need to be doing because they didn’t really need to have that role. Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: So I think part of it is really making sure that each person has an individual task but also giving students the opportunity to give feedback at the end. I think when students know that they have the opportunity to reflect upon how they behaved in their group but also how – you know, allowed their teammates to evaluate in a non-grade-related way. It does kind of inspire them to get the work done, but making it more meaningful. I mean I think that’s really the most important piece. Fred Jaravata: Now we had been using Google apps for the past three, four years now. How are the girls liking it right now? Kellie Mullin: I think that they really like it because they are able to – instead of one person holding the document for a group, if someone is absent, if they’ve all shared it, then they’re able to access it. Things like that are wonderful and as they’ve added new templates for the Google presentations, the Google slides, it has become more and more interesting to them. Fred Jaravata: Nice. Yes, another plus one for Google Apps for Education. Kellie Mullin: Yeah. Fred Jaravata: OK. So how do you get through the teaching day? How do you avoid burnout? Kellie Mullin: I think another quote that stands out to me is from Mother Janet Erskine Stuart. Fred Jaravata: Yes. Kellie Mullin: And it’s about that it’s better to begin a great work than to finish a small one. I think I remember that quote a lot because we expect finished products at the end of the day sometimes or even literally at the end of a class period. But realizing that the work that we’re doing with students, sometimes we’re just planting seeds and realizing that I don’t need to get it all accomplished in one school year or in one day or in one hour with students. Fred Jaravata: You don’t have to do that? Kellie Mullin: I know. Fred Jaravata: Really? Kellie Mullin: It’s a relief to know that the work that we’re doing and that we’re investing in students is – it’s a beginning. It’s not an end. Fred Jaravata: Right, it is the beginning. Yes. I love that quote too. I love Janet Erskine Stuart. I love her philosophy with that of schools and that’s definitely a quote I really take heart to as well. OK. So Kellie, so tell me – tell the listeners what do you want to learn more about and why. Kellie Mullin: So I am fascinated with this idea of creative confidence and the idea of innovation. So I’ve gone back to school. I’m working on my doctorate in Catholic education leadership and the reason why I’m interested – I began in the master’s program and I decided to shift into the doctoral program because I – I really believe that when we talk about the needs of society today, creativity is one of those most important skills that we’re hearing company after company mention that we need. But why are we not creating those opportunities for our students to really become creative thinkers and innovative thinkers? So I’m really interested in learning how and – you know, considering writing my dissertation on something along the lines of how can we set up a culture of innovation amongst our faculty that inspires that creative confidence and – in faculty members but also in the students who they’re teaching. Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: So I think I’m just fascinated in learning – continuing to learn more about how can you foster a growth mindset in students and in people that are coming with a fixed mindset about themselves and their abilities. Fred Jaravata: Now, that’s a really good point. I think that goes hand in hand with not just in the school setting but also outside, right? Now I know – I peeked into your LinkedIn profile just before you came in. Kellie Mullin: Excellent. Fred Jaravata: I knew this a couple of years ago that you are also a curriculum consultant. Is that true? Kellie Mullin: It is, yeah. Fred Jaravata: Can you speak about that a little bit, please? Kellie Mullin: So I’ve done some work with different organizations and also with individual teachers. Fred Jaravata: Right. You founded this, right? Kellie Mullin: Yes. Fred Jaravata: Yes, OK. Kellie Mullin: To help them not only look at just lesson plan formatting but also to do some of that integration of innovation and creativity into their lesson planning, so that you’re not just lecturing but finding opportunity – I really try and focus on finding opportunities to integrate design thinking, hands-on, student-centered experiential opportunities into lesson plans and ideas that are kind of very old school. Fred Jaravata: OK. So Kellie … Kellie Mullin: Yes. Fred Jaravata: … what are you most proud of? Kellie Mullin: I think that I’m most proud of the relationships that I form with my students and with the people with whom I work. I think Maya Angelou’s quote of, “People will remember how you make them feel,” is something that has stuck with me for most of my life because in the classroom, every lesson feels so important. But really what matters the most aside from the – you know, the lifelong love of learning I hope I’m instilling in my students is that they come into my room and they know that they are known and cared for and that they feel safe and that they’re able to be open to learning. The same with the people who I’m working with. I hope that they know that I’m supportive and that I’m available to be there and help them continue to grow just like I know that they’re here to help me grow. Fred Jaravata: Right. Yes, I agree with you there. We appreciate that. I know we talked about the 20 Percent Project earlier. We just glossed over that a little bit. But before we get to that, my next question is, “How do you inspire your students? Would that include the 20 Percent Project?” Kellie Mullin: I think – I hope so. I mean that’s … Fred Jaravata: Can you speak about that a little bit? Yeah, of how you inspire students. Kellie Mullin: I think that the process of coming to bring a project like this into my classroom has … Fred Jaravata: Can you explain real quick – sorry to interrupt. Can you explain the 20 Percent Project for those who do not … Kellie Mullin: Yes, I will. I think it began with this desire to really give my students an opportunity to learn what they’re passionate about, but also to learn how to find a passion. If you ask anyone to think about, “Well, what are you passionate about?” Fred Jaravata: That’s hard. Kellie Mullin: It’s really hard and to ask a seventh or an eighth grader what you’re passionate about. Fred Jaravata: Even for some adults, it’s hard too. Kellie Mullin: Right? That’s not in the mainstream media. It’s difficult and so the 20 Percent Project is an opportunity that I give my students based on the ideas of certain companies like Google that gave their engineers 20 percent of their work week to work on a project of their choice. It was related to what their job was. So this is my third year doing this project and what we do is I give them one day a week and there are parameters around this. But what I’m asking them to do is I’m asking them to find something that they are passionate about, some problem that they want to be involved in solving. Then we work through the design thinking process. We begin looking at the different states of design thinking with empathy, going to the process of ideation, creating ideas and it’s a little more than just brainstorming. It’s creating ideas that are different than what we already have today. Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: And then continuing through this process of looking at these ideas, choosing one idea that they really want to develop and then moving forward to prototyping and testing and then going through that process again potentially. Fred Jaravata: Yes. Can you name a project that you liked so far or a couple that you liked so far that the girls have made? Kellie Mullin: You know, I’m really excited about all of the projects this year. It has taken a while to get to a place where I could inspire them to choose projects that were big enough, that they felt like moonshot ideas. Fred Jaravata: Moonshot ideas. Kellie Mullin: That I really focus on this idea of constructive failure that it’s – I want them to think big. But I’m allowing them to think big in a safe environment. So thinking of some topics of – there are a lot of students who are really interested in food in terms of the waste that goes into agricultural production, the amount of food waste that we have that potentially could be going to better uses, all the way to projects where students are worried about how can we better support body image in young women. How can we support students that are dealing with cancer and students with – children dealing with cancer and hair loss and things like that? Fred Jaravata: Right. Kellie Mullin: So there’s a wide gamut of ideas. Fred Jaravata: Now, it’s a great thing you’re doing and you’re in your third year and it’s amazing. So I think one of the shining projects in our schools. Kellie Mullin: Thank you. Fred Jaravata: How do you find the time to do this besides your curriculum, your regular curriculum that you’re doing? How do you find time to do this project? Kellie Mullin: So that’s a good question. Part of what I’ve been experimenting with – Fred Jaravata: Experimenting, keyword, right? Kellie Mullin: Exactly. I think of it as almost my own 20 Percent Project. How do I … Fred Jaravata: Your own 20 Percent Project. OK. Kellie Mullin: So it has taken a lot of time outside of what I would normally spend on grading papers and creating lesson plans. Fred Jaravata: But you don’t have to do this, right? Kellie Mullin: I don’t have to do this. Fred Jaravata: But you want to do this. Kellie Mullin: I’m just passionate about it. One of the things that I’ve tried doing with my science class is I’ve actually tried flipping the classroom. I read a lot of research about how it had worked really well and continues to work really well at the university and the high school level. But I really hadn’t found much about how it impact – you know, how does it work for middle school students? So far, it has been pretty positive. I see a lot of the students there responding well to the flipped classroom model where I am recording videos that they listen to and take notes from and do some questions. Then that makes our in-class time and lab time much more active, so that we’re able to have that time to still do the 20 Percent Project. Fred Jaravata: OK. That’s really cool. All right. So you found a time to do this. OK. Can you share with us, share with the listener, the teachers out there, a time-saving tip? Kellie Mullin: Time-saving tip. Fred Jaravata: Yeah. Kellie Mullin: I really do think that Google – all of the education apps are time-saving because when you know where your documents are, they’re in the drive. I don’t have to have my laptop with me. I don’t have to have – I can have any device. That’s a time-saving tool for me. Keeping my drive organized which is really difficult. But making sure that I’m labeling all of my documents, those little things, taking notes. I save time by taking a little extra time when I’m creating documents and when I’m saving documents. Fred Jaravata: Right now. You’re doing it right then in the moment. Kellie Mullin: Right. Fred Jaravata: So that you’re trying to save time for your future self. Kellie Mullin: Uh-huh, versus recreating a worksheet that you know you have. You just can’t find. In the long run, it takes a lot longer than the two extra seconds it takes to name it appropriately. Fred Jaravata: And saving them all in Google Drive, right? And not just on the computer where the computer can go missing or can crash and burn. Kellie Mullin: Exactly. Fred Jaravata: That’s a great tip. OK. So Kellie, these two next questions are the last couple of questions about advice. Can you share with us the best advice that you received and what is the advice – it may be the same – best advice you want to give teachers out there? Kellie Mullin: I think some of the best advice that I’ve received from anyone is about always trying to grow. So I’ve gone to some professional developments and really been struck by the ideas of failure as a first attempt in learning and … [Crosstalk] [0:27:52] Kellie Mullin: Exactly, and constructive failure being – you know, not allowing ourselves to be paralyzed with fear by failure. But to see opportunities for growth and how to learn from things that don’t work exactly the way they are. So I guess the advice is just that the word “failure” and “fail” isn’t negative. It’s only negative if you live in the failure, if you live in the things that don’t work rather than to use them as inspiration to become better. Fred Jaravata: To become better. All right. OK, Kellie. So, that is all I have for you. We like to give teachers a way to – our listeners a way to contact you. They can either contact me directly or they can contact you directly. Is there an email, a website that you would like listeners to get in contact with you? Kellie Mullin: There is. There is an email. I’m happy to communicate with anyone who’s interested in bringing the 20 Percent Project into their own classroom or is interested also in creative confidence or the culture of innovation. I’m definitely looking for classrooms and schools that feel like they are successful at bringing the culture of innovation to fruition, as I’m embarking on my dissertation process. So I definitely encourage people to contact me. Fred Jaravata: OK. Kellie Mullin: Should I spell it right now? Fred Jaravata: Yeah, you could do it right now. Go for it. Kellie Mullin: All right. Great! So my email address kmullin@straymond.org. Fred Jaravata: All right. Miss Mullin, thank you so much for joining our show and keep up the good work that you’re doing. Kellie Mullin: Thank you so much for having me. It had been a lot of fun. [Thank you for listening to the Teaching Bites Podcast at www.TeachingBites.com]

November 19 is World Toilet Day. Why? Because globally, about 2.4 billion people, about one-third of the world’s population, do not have access to a basic toilet. Sanitation-related illnesses kill over a thousand children per day. This problem is compounded by the concentration of informal housing in urban setting. This week we are bringing you two stories of hygienic sanitation, starting with David Auerbach and Sanergy. David’s mother was a psychologist and social worker. His father was an economist. It seems to him, that he has always been thinking of social justice. When David was a teacher in rural China, he saw first-hand a lack of hygienic sanitation. In 2010, David and his cofounders participated in the Development Ventures class at MIT. The team quickly settled as hygienic sanitation (read that toilets) as the problem that they were going to tackle. In January 2011, they traveled to the urban slums near Nairobi, Kenya where they researched and confirmed their ideas. What they found when they arrived was pit latrines, not much more than a hole in the ground with some tin and wood tacked up for privacy. Otherwise, people would use what are euphemistically called “flying toilets,” which were simply plastic bags that are subsequently discarded in the roads and waterways. In fact, over 90% of the waste is never treated and ends up in the waterways, spreading disease. In 2011, the team started Sanergy, a social enterprise that is working to improve access to hygienic sanitation for residents of urban slums, starting in Nairobi, Kenya. Sanergy built and launched their first toilet on World Toilet Day in 2011. Sanergy has developed an aspirational brand, Fresh Life, which they distribute in a franchise model. Sanergy uses a full value-chain approach: build, collect and convert. They sell the toilets to franchisees who are residents of the community. The franchisee charges a few cents per use. Sanergy provides training, branding, marketing, government & community relations. They collect, process and treat the waste. The waste is then converted to nutrient rich fertilizer. Sanergy is creating jobs. 93% of their employees are Kenyans and 60% are from the informal housing community. In this episode of the Social Entrepreneur podcast we discuss: Where the idea for Sanergy came from. Their business model. The importance of picking the right co-founders. Using aspirational branding to change behavior. David ends by giving advice to Social Entrepreneurs. He challenges us to use systems thinking to solve really big challenges. Resources: World Toilet Day: http://www.worldtoiletday.info/ Sanergy on the web: http://saner.gy Email: info@saner.gy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sanergy/ Kiva: http://www.kiva.org Development Ventures at MIT: https://d-lab.mit.edu/courses/development-ventures Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation http://amzn.to/1N2tFnt Make Space: How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration http://amzn.to/1Sqm5B1 Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All http://amzn.to/1QmMYIy

They designed the first Apple mouse and created one of the first educational iPad apps. They developed a heart defibrillator that gives voice and visual instructions on how to use it. They're helping improve access to safe drinking water in the developing world. And now they've written the book "Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All." At this Milken Institute Forum, David and Tom Kelley - brothers who are the driving force behind the storied design firm IDEO - will discuss their book, their human-centered approach to design and the genesis of some of their favorite projects. In "Creative Confidence," these innovators argue that there's no such thing as haves and have-nots when it comes to creativity. Often squelched in childhood, creativity can be coaxed from adults if approached the right way. "Creativity is something you practice, not just a talent you're born with," the authors say. "The process may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but ... the discomfort quickly fades away and is replaced with new confidence and capabilities."