Many teachers are struggling trying to keep social media, like Facebook and YouTube, out of their classrooms. But they could be missing out an innovative and effective classroom learning experience.
-
Ebook now available on Amazon!
-
-
-
-
Category Archives: Creativity
Channeling Anger into Artistic Energy
October 27, 2010 – 8:30 pm
As artists, we are passionate people full of raw emotion and creativity. But we can channel our anger into a burst of creative thinking. Here are a few ways I have learned to turn my anger into creative problem solving:
Creating Revolutions, Reinventing a City, and My Story
October 26, 2010 – 9:02 am
You never know who you’re going to meet on a daily basis or when your life will drastically change in the blink of an eye. As I mentioned on Sunday, I had an amazing time in Detroit while speaking at the 140 Characters Conference. I met so many amazing people during this trip. From Couch surfing Ori Bengal to Ted, one of the homeless guys I spoke to Wednesday morning-this was a very humbling experience. Though I have been on my book tour for the past three weeks, this trip was different. This was the first time I had agreed to share some of my history, my story with the public. Since I have young siblings still back home, I try to keep my past as private as possible. However, a conversation at the 140 conference in Boston, changed all that. A select few convinced me that I had to start to tell my story. You know who you are and thank you. Feel free to watch the video and let me know what you think. Connect with Ja-Naé on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook ______________ Looking to start a business or own a small business? Please consider buying my book, How [...]
Who’s Designing Your Powerpoints?
October 12, 2010 – 1:01 pm
For business owners, the need for excellent Powerpoint presentations while soliciting partners is crucial for success. As entrepreneurs, we need to know our audiences before creating presentations to address them, and then we must create a show that will actively engage them. While many of us may display the creative drive to make an interesting Powerpoint, finding the right images, organizing them, and tailoring them to each specific you are trying to reach can be time consuming. As I mention in my book, “How to Start Your Business with $100”, this may be one of those areas it’s best to outsource. Listen to “Who’s Designing Your Podcasts?” for suggestions on creating the best professional Powerpoints you can. So, who will you have design your Powerpoints? Leave your recommendations below! Connect with Ja-Naé on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook ______________ Looking to start a business or own a small business? Please consider buying my book, How to Start Your Business with $100 because it will save you thousands of dollars and you should find what you’re looking for.
How a To-Do List Can Save Your Life
October 4, 2010 – 3:04 pm
Coming to the rescue of the over-ambitious, over-stretched is the simple to-do list. With just a pen and paper you can break down your meaty aspirations into small, digestible bite-size chunks.
Back to School Tips: How to Create Your Own College Major
August 23, 2010 – 12:59 pm
When starting college, we think about how we can make the most of our education and learn what really excites us. Otherwise, what’s the sense? What most colleges don’t tell you is that you can create your own college major. When I was doing my undergraduate work at Northeastern University, I stumbled upon this hidden gem. It totally changed my education and how I look at life. Here are some back to school tips to do the same, including a step-by-step approach. Tell me what you think. Bonus: If you’re looking for phone apps to make your back to school activities easier to manage, then check out this great post, “10 Apps to Make You Awesome at College” by BostInnovation. Are you happy with your college education? What would you do to improve it and make it more fun (and worth your time and money)? I would love to hear from you! Connect with Ja-Naé on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook ______________ Looking to start a business or own a small business? Please consider reading my book, How to Start Your Business with $100. You should find what you’re looking for.
How Foursquare Will Win the Battle Against Facebook
August 20, 2010 – 10:35 am
We all like a challenge. When you’re starting a business it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the competition. When you are a VC funded startup who happens to be dominating the scene, there can be a tendency to sit back and allow yourself to breathe for a moment. That is, until a mega brand such as Facebook joins the the game. Then the fun begins. Foursquare, who has been dominating the location-based services arena now has some heavy competition since Facebook launched Places. As ReadWriteWeb writes, the day after Facebook launched Places, Foursquare reported record signups. However, with such steep competition, everyone is wondering: How can Foursquare even stay in the game, yet alone win? Sounds like the typical David and Goliath, right? In Malcolm Gladwell’s “How David Beat Goliath,” Gladwell asks the question: How do underdogs beat superior opponents? Within the article, he attributes the underdog’s success to two basic principles: Operate in real time, much faster than the established powers; and Replace ability with effort — especially effort targeted at the overdogs’ weakest points. He goes on to write, “We tell ourselves that skill is the precious resource and effort is the commodity. It’s the other way [...]
Looking for the Next Big Idea? Einstein’s Secret
August 9, 2010 – 8:51 am
People are always looking for the next big THING; the idea that will change the course of mankind; the thing that will change life as we know it. Most innovation comes from creativity. I would actually argue that all innovation comes from creativity. In today’s world, generating new fresh ideas is essential to survival. Whether you’re coming up with an integrated marketing campaign, the next Google or just looking for ways to innovate your life, here are 3 simple ways to feed your brain and get those creative juices flowing: 1. Lumosity is a site full of games to increase your attention span, improved your memory, and better your concentration. The site allows you to create a training course based on the areas that you are looking to improve upon. 10 minutes a day will do wonders. I love this site and cannot say enough about it! 2. Daydream Believer: Einstein did some of his best work while daydreaming. He would sit and stare out the window for hours. It was the secret to his revelations. If you have an idea that you are working out or trying to solidify, why not daydream about it? Write down your problem or [...]
Creativity is a Two-Way Street
July 22, 2010 – 10:21 am
I was so pleased to read Talent Culture contributor Mike Brown’s list of recommendations for leaders seeking to foster creative strategy and build creative minds amidst their team members! I’ve experienced tons of trial and error regarding this very subject, especially because I deal with teams in so many industries, including the small business, freelance, social media, consulting, and life coaching sectors. The core of Brown’s advice turns a leader’s questioning gaze inward, to ensure a level of accountability that sometimes gets ignored when a manager assumes that the root of a team’s deficiency is the result of individual deficiency. Speaking of accountability, I love how one of Brown’s strategies is to up the ante of accountability for EVERYONE, not just for the boss. Long story short, creativity is a process of give and take, and that should be mirrored in the collaborative process between managers and staff. Take a look at these strategies and let us know what you think. How do you build creativity on your team? How do you encourage your staff to think outside of the box? Any anecdotes from the field? Any tips to add to Mike’s list? Like this article and want to read [...]
Creative Strategy: Learning the Benefits of Travel and Living Abroad
July 11, 2010 – 10:34 pm
My surrogate sister, Sara, has been over in China studying and teaching for about a year and a half now. Her experience of acclimating into another culture made me curious to see what creative benefits there are to living aboard. In Psychology Time’s article,”Can living abroad make you more creative,” Art Markman asks just that: The idea here is that when you go to a different culture, there are often subtle differences that you have to learn about. For example, in the US, if you go to someone’s house and they offer you a drink or snack, you respond “Yes” or “No” depending on whether you want a snack. In Russia, though, it is impolite to say “Yes” the first time something is offered, and so you refuse the first request. The host asks again, and after a brief negotiation, you may settle on having a snack. A Russian visiting the US for the first time might refuse the offer of a snack, only to be surprised that she is not asked a second time. Eventually, she must learn that the practices are different. To read the entire article, click here. What are your thoughts? Have you ever lived abroad? [...]
