Nurturing Young Innovators: Cultivating Creativity in the Classroom, Home and Community

This book offers elementary teachers practical tools and ideas to foster risk-taking, curiosity and creative thinking in their students, helping them succeed as lifelong innovators.

Today’s students need broad skills to help them think creatively, work collaboratively and implement innovations in our complex and global society. These skills must be taught early to ensure success.

In Nurturing Young Innovators, PK-5 teachers will learn how to engage families and communities in activities that create environments where creativity, innovation and collaboration are fostered and valued, and where technology is used to redefine learning and promote responsible risk-taking.

This book includes:

• Examples of how teachers can collaborate with students, parents and the community to support student success and innovation.
• Practical tools, including sample projects, reflection questions and exercises to drive student learning.
• An action plan to help you track the steps you’re taking to facilitate creativity in students, and a Resources section to support the content in each chapter.

Written by two experts who are passionate about supporting early learners through effective uses of technology, this book is a singular source for learning how to encourage innovation and creativity in early learners so they can develop the skills they need to thrive.

Laura McLaughlin Taddei is an associate professor of education at Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania, and a professional development speaker in higher education and PK-12 settings. She is dedicated to teaching and modeling the use of innovation, creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration both within the classroom setting and beyond.

Stephanie Smith Budhai is an associate professor and director of graduate education at Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania. She developed and oversees a state-approved program to prepare K-12 teachers to design, deliver and assess learning in online modalities, and has published several books and articles about instructional technology. She serves as the Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communications and Technology southeast region treasurer.