We've Been Thinking...
- Creative Disruptors
- May 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 5
Welcome to Creative Disruptors: A Space to Rethink Education
We’ve been thinking. Thinking, rethinking… and, if we’re honest, probably overthinking (okay—definitely overthinking). But after years of deep reflection and learning, we’ve decided it’s time to stick our necks out, get a little uncomfortable, and share our thinking out loud.
Because if there’s one thing we’ve always been comfortable with, it’s disruption.
As three experienced educators with full careers under our belts, we’ve spent decades in classrooms and school communities asking hard questions and challenging the status quo. We’ve seen educational trends rise, fall, and circle back again. We’ve weathered shifting system priorities, changing expectations, and countless initiatives. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: our belief that education must evolve to truly serve students.
We’re not here to add to the noise. We’re here to contribute thoughtfully to a larger conversation about the future of learning—one grounded in experience, curiosity, and—above all—hope.
Why Disruption? Why Now?
As our fast-paced world changes in ways we can barely comprehend, traditional models of teaching and learning remain largely unchanged. What’s different now is the context. Teachers are competing for students’ attention in a world that delivers instant gratification at every click. Social media algorithms trap us in echo chambers, serving up a continuous stream of content that simultaneously feeds and numbs us.
We are living in a divided world of AI, misinformation, and overstimulation. And our students are feeling it.
They tell us, directly and indirectly, through their words, behavior, and body language: they’re not okay. They’re overwhelmed, distracted, and disengaged. Many openly say their mental health is suffering. And many quietly show us the same through silence or resistance.
Today’s students are growing up in a world that is hyper-connected to devices and increasingly disconnected from each other. They don’t need more information they need the thinking skills to sift through it. They need tools to discern what’s true, to ask better questions, and to make informed decisions about their world.
As educators, our job isn’t just to get students to the next grade. It’s to prepare them for an uncertain, ever-changing future. That means shifting from rote memorization to critical thinking, from passive learning to active curiosity, from performance to process. It means letting go of the parts of school that no longer serve students—and being brave enough to try something different.
And let us tell you, publishing these thoughts? It feels risky. Teaching moody middle schoolers is one thing. Putting your beliefs out there for the world to read? That’s a whole new level of discomfort. But if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that honest conversations are where real change begins. We’re ready to start one.
Why We’re Here
We believe every student deserves the opportunity to learn in a creatively disrupted classroom.
Some of our most powerful work has happened in the classroom side-by-side with students. And while we recognize the role of standardized tests, data, and grades within the system, we don’t let those measures dictate our practice. We’re guided by something else: engagement. We watch how students think, listen to what they wonder about, and follow their questions. Their thinking not their scores shapes our next steps.
As Creative Disruptors, we’re here to share our learning, question outdated practices, and amplify bold new ones. We’re here to connect with others who also believe school can be more: more relevant, more joyful, more responsive, and more human.
A Few Things We’ve Come to Know for Sure
Inquiry Learning & Design Thinking Build Transferable Skills
These frameworks help students become stronger collaborators, communicators, innovators, researchers, and global citizens. They learn how to learn and how to make an impact.
Failure matters - Students have to feel they belong to a safe community in order to take risks and fail. In different contexts and with different learning experiences, they need this revisited over and over again. Exposing students to brain science, and providing opportunities to struggle helps build resilience and confidence. And they need to see it modeled by their educators.
Big Ideas lead to the curriculum - A compelling question has the power to connect across subject areas. If the idea is big and meaningful enough, the curriculum naturally follows.
Everyone has Superpowers and Kryptonite - Students need space to reflect on their strengths and challenges, to set goals, and to grow. Knowing who they are as learners builds agency and purpose.
Student thinking must be visible - When even the smallest idea is captured on a sticky note, students begin to believe their thinking matters. Build walls of thinking. Make learning visible. Make it messy.
The “work” of school doesn’t have to be a “worksheet”. - Students will do what we ask—but they won’t be inspired by it. Worksheets rarely ignite joy or curiosity. We want to design learning that sparks wonder, invites questions, and fuels deeper understanding.
What If…
What if we could untether ourselves from the parts of teaching we feel we have to cling to?
What if we loosen our grip on the things that no longer serve students?
What would teachers let go of if they didn’t feel so handcuffed?
What would they love to try if they had the space to dream big?
What could students do—what could they learn—if we gave them room to think wildly, bravely, and creatively?
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