I left this post open in a tab for a while, and then in some crash/restart lost it, but somethings linger in the mind as open tabs too. Still open for comments? Yep.

I notice right away the overlap of ill-defined problems and an attempt to codify creativity in a series of steps, lessons. Much of the barrier to overcome here are our individual conception of creativity in a artistic or what is lumped into a box labeled “unique” or even it being something people “more famous” do mixed with most people’s reflect to downplay what they do as creative.

I recall many conversations with teachers who would start this conversation with a “I am not creative” disclaimer, but if you opened up the door to listen to how they crafted a lesson or activity you wanted to point out how they contradicted themselves- the replay of Derek Sivers “Obvious to you, amazing to others” https://sive.rs/obvious

I too think something is lost in focus on the product of creative teaching versus the craft of making it, something I think of you doing in your wood work or building in the basement. I flip back to the idea that went into the book Shop Craft as Soul Craft https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/shop-class-as-soulcraft in that the craft of teaching, much of which seems almost invisible or left behind because it’s not flashy or maybe just not how we see our own craft of teaching as we compare ourselves to others. But also that the creative work in teaching happens once we develop our own sense of craft rather than trying to work the craft of others. That takes time and practice and developing some degree of owning our own skills.