In February 2011, The Bucket Brigade submitted these ideas as part of the No Right Brain Left Behind competition.

1. DESIGNING FOR
CREATIVITY
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE BUCKET BRIGADE
ENTRIES FOR ‘NO RIGHT BRAIN LEFT BEHIND’ (http://rightbrainsare.us)
FEBRUARY 2011

2. BRIEF
PROVIDE THE U.S.A’S EDUCATION SYSTEM WITH SOLUTIONS THAT WILL
OVERCOME CURRENT CONVENTIONS
EMPOWER EDUCATORS WITH NEW WAYS OF NURTURING CREATIVITY
NURTURE CREATIVITY IN CHILDREN THROUGH INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS
THAT REIGNITE THEIR PASSION FOR LEARNING

3. “CREATIVITY IS THE PROCESS
OF HAVING ORIGINAL IDEAS
THAT HAVE VALUE.”
– http://bit.ly/educationbrilliantlyput
SIR KEN ROBINSON

4. WHY DOES CREATIVITY MATTER?
CREATIVITY IS
THE MEASURE
OF OUR RESILIENCE.
IN A WORLD WHERE THE
FUTURE IS NOW MORE
UNPREDICTABLE THAN EVER
BEFORE, CREATIVITY IS AT
THE CORE OF OUR ABILITY TO
WEATHER UNFORESEEN AND
DISRUPTIVE EVENTS.

5. THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON OUR ABILITY TO DEVELOP
A NEW CROP OF CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVERS.
NOWHERE IS CREATIVITY
MORE CRITICAL OR IN
GREATER CRISIS THAN
TODAY’S CLASSROOM.

6. FROM 150+ IDEAS SUBMITTED BY THE MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY
OF THE BUCKET BRIGADE, WE MERGED AND REFINED THEM INTO 14

7. VISIT THE FUTURE

8. SCHOOLS RARELY TELL KIDS TO THINK
CREATIVELY ABOUT THE FUTURE - THEY
ARE NOT BEING DIRECTLY TOLD IT IS THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY TO.
VISIT THE FUTURE IS A PROJECT TO GET
KIDS TO THINK BEYOND THEIR ACADEMIC
CAREER, TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO THINK
CREATIVELY ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO BIG
PROBLEMS.

9. AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY YEAR, ASK STUDENTS
TO MAKE 10 PREDICTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE WORLD
WILL BE LIKE WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH
SCHOOL.
POOL THOSE PREDICTIONS TOGETHER, NATIONALLY,
AND IDENTIFY THE BIGGEST CONCERNS. THEN TURN
THOSE BACK TO THE KIDS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO
WORK TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
GROUP KIDS BY CONCERNS AND GEOGRAPHY, NOT
JUST AGE GROUP.
CREATE A VIRTUAL SCIENCE FAIR FOR THEM TO
PRESENT BACK.
PARTNER WITH UNIVERSITIES TO GIVE
SCHOLARSHIPS TO WINNERS.

10. SCHOOLS FOR SOLUTIONS

11. THE BEST WAY TO CHANGE A SYSTEM IS
TO QUESTION ITS PARADIGMS. THE BEST
WAY TO GET KIDS TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM
THEY ARE A PART OF IS TO ENCOURAGE
THEM TO WORK TO SOLVE REAL-WORLD
PROBLEMS IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
SCHOOLS FOR SOLUTIONS IS A PROJECT TO
FOSTER CURIOSITY IN KIDS AND SHOW
THEM THAT THEY CAN HAVE AN IMPACT
ON THE WORLD.

12. SCHOOLS HOLD ASSEMBLIES WHERE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SHARE A FRANK
ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT CHALLENGES.
STUDENTS SELECT PROBLEMS THEY ARE INTERESTED
IN AND WORK WITH TEACHERS WHO GUIDE THEIR
PROCESS OF INVESTIGATING, IDEATING, DESIGNING
AND IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WOULD RATE THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH SOLUTION.
CREDIT: MICHAEL ST JAMES

13. KIDQUORA

14. “QUORA IS A COLLECTION OF QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS COLLECTED, EDITED AND
ORGANIZED BY EVERYONE WHO USES IT.
THE MAIN GOAL IS TO BE THE BEST
POSSIBLE RESOURCE FOR SOMEONE WHO
WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT A SPECIFIC
QUESTION”.
KIDQUORA IS OUR SUGGESTION FOR
QUORA TO CREATE A SAFE-FOR-SCHOOL ,
NOT-FOR-PROFIT MODEL OF THEIR
BURGEONING PLATFORM FOR AMERICA’S
SCHOOLS.

15. STUDENTS POSE QUESTIONS AND OFFER POTENTIAL
ANSWERS.
TEACHERS HAVE A ROLE IN ANSWERING OR ASKING
QUESTIONS THEMSELVES.
TEACHERS TRACK WHAT QUESTIONS THEIR
STUDENTS WERE ASKING, THEREBY GAINING A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR INTERESTS AND
PASSIONS, WHICH THEY CAN USE TO MODEL
LESSONS ON OR SIMPLY TO FOSTER A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR STUDENTS.

16. RIGHT BRAIN BALANCE

17. TODAY’S TEACHERS HAVE BEEN
PRESSURED INTO TEACHING TOWARDS
TEST RESULTS.
RIGHT BRAIN BALANCE IS OUR
SUGGESTION FOR TEACHERS TO CREATE A
LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT IS MORE
DEVELOPMENTALLY BALANCED THROUGH
CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING.

18. EXAMPLES:
SCIENCE: THE ELEMENT X HAS THREE PROPERTIES X,
X AND X. IF YOU WERE A SUPERHERO, WHAT ARE
THREE THINGS YOU COULD DO WITH THIS ELEMENT’S
POWERS?
HISTORY: THE PAINTING ‘X’ BY RENAULT DEPICTS A
SCENE FROM THIS HISTORICAL EVENT. WHAT CAN
YOU SEE HAPPENING IN THIS SCENE THAT WAS OR
WAS NOT DEPICTED IN THE OVERVIEW GIVEN IN
YOUR HISTORY BOOK?
ART: MUCH OF THE WORLD STRUGGLES TO FIND
ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER. CREATE AN
OUTDOOR SCULPTURE THAT WILL REDIRECT FALLING
RAINWATER TO A HOLDING PLACE.
CREDIT: RICK LIEBLING

19. KIDSTARTER

20. CREATIVE SOLUTIONS ARISE FROM BEING
EMPOWERED TO PURSUE THE BEST
POSSIBLE ANSWER, NOT BY FOLLOWING
STEPS TO A PRE-DEFINED CONCLUSION.
KIDSTARTER IS OUR SUGGESTION FOR THE
PLATFORM KICKSTARTER.COM, WHICH
ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO RAISE FUNDS
FROM OTHER INDIVIDUALS FOR CREATIVE
PROJECTS, TO OFFER A SCHOOL STUDENT
MODEL OF THEIR PLATFORM. THE GOAL OF
THIS IS TO MAKE CHILD-DRIVEN
EDUCATION A REAL PART AND
CONSISTENT PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT.

21. STUDENTS USE THE SITE TO DEFINE CHALLENGES,
THINK THROUGH WHAT IS NEEDED TO SOLVE IT, AND
THEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION FROM THEIR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.
OTHER STUDENTS COULD VOTE ON PROJECTS AND
SIGN UP TO OFFER THEIR TIME AND PASSION TO
SEEING THE PROJECT MOVE FORWARD.
SCHOOLS COULD ALSO USE THE PLATFORM TO RAISE
FUNDS FOR MORE TRADITIONAL NEEDS: UNIFORMS,
SPORTS EQUIPMENT, ETC.
CREDIT: DAN WEINGROD, LISA RADIN, ADAM BUTLER
CREDIT: RICK LIEBLING

22. CREATIVE MORNINGS

23. HOMEROOM, THE FIRST PERIOD OF THE
DAY FOR MOST STUDENTS, IS A 15-MINUTE
CLERICAL DRUDGERY WHERE TEACHERS
TAKE ATTENDANCE AND TRY TO CALM
THEIR STUDENTS DOWN BY HAVING THEM
WATCH TELEVISION. IF THE OBJECT OF
SCHOOL IS TO INSPIRE LEARNING, THEN
RUNNING IT LIKE A FACTORY SEEMS AN
ODD WAY OF ACCOMPLISHING THAT GOAL.
CREATIVE MORNINGS AIMS TO TAP INTO
THE ENERGY AND SOCIAL BUZZ INHERENT
TO THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF CLASS
TIME, LAUNCHING EACH DAY WITH QUICK,
COLLABORATIVE, LEARNING PROJECTS.

24. AS STUDENTS ENTER THE SCHOOL, LET THEM GATHER
IN GROUPS AS THEY NATURALLY WANT TO.
BRIEF THE STUDENTS ON A SINGLE CREATIVE
EXERCISE, SUCH AS WHO CAN THINK OF THE MOST
USES FOR A PAPERCLIP, OR HOW WOULD YOU DESIGN
A DESK, AND LET THEM WORK IN THEIR SOCIAL
CIRCLES FOR THE FIRST 15 MINUTES OF THE DAY.
TAKE ATTENDANCE BY HAVING THEM TURN IN THEIR
SOLUTIONS OR SIMPLY BY HAVING THEM SWIPE
THEIR ID CARDS AS THEY LEAVE THE ROOM.
CREDIT: DAN WEINGROD,DERRICK BRADLEY BUTLER
JOSH CARLTON, LISA RADIN, ADAM
CREDIT: RICK LIEBLING

25. CREATIVITY CAMPAIGN

26. IN TODAY’S WORLD, ‘CREATIVITY’ HAS
BECOME A SYNONYM FOR ‘ARTIST’, ‘WHITE
COLLAR CAREER SABOTAGE’, AND ‘NOT
MEASURABLE IN TESTING AND THEREFORE
JUST A LUXURY’. BUT CREATIVITY POWERS
THE ECONOMY AND SOLVES PROBLEMS
THAT WOULD STUNT THE HUMAN RACE.
WE NEED TO RE-EDUCATE AMERICA ON THE
TRUE MEANING, VALUE AND UNIVERSAL
ACCESSIBILITY OF CREATIVITY.
CREATIVITY CAMPAIGN IS A NATIONAL,
MULTIMEDIA, PUBLIC SERVICE CAMPAIGN
TO EDUCATE AMERICA ABOUT CREATIVITY,
AND TO CALL AWARENESS TO THE
PRESENT DECLINE IN CREATIVITY LEVELS,
PROVOKE THOUGHT AND INSPIRE CHANGE.

27. MULTIMEDIA AD CAMPAIGN (PRO-BONO)
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND
SPOKESPEOPLE: OPRAH, STEVE JOBS, ELON
MUSK, MICHELLE OBAMA, GATES
FOUNDATION, MINORITY GROUPS,
TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONS.
EVENTS: TED-UCATION, COMMUNITY-
ORGANIZED EVENTS (OPEN SOURCE
FORMAT, INSPIRED BY IGNITE AND PECHA
KUCHA EVENTS), POLITICAL RALLIES
PUBLIC RELATIONS
CREDIT: BUD CADDELL, CARMEL HAGEN

28. LAUNCHPAD

29. MANY OF TODAY’S HOT WEB STARTUPS
ACTUALLY BEGAN WHEN THEIR
FOUNDERS WERE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
HOW CAN SCHOOLS UNLEASH MORE
CREATIVITY AND BENEFIT FROM THEIR
ECONOMIC GAINS?
LAUNCHPAD IS A PROJECT FOR SCHOOLS
TO BECOME INCUBATORS OF CREATIVITY
AND INNOVATION

30. HIGH SCHOOLS SHOULD OFFER
ENTREPRENEURIAL WORKSHOPS TO TECH-
OBSESSED STUDENTS TO ARM THEM WITH
THE BUSINESS SAVVY AND TECHNICAL
KNOW-HOW THEY NEED TO GET UP AND
RUNNING WITH THEIR IDEAS.
LOCAL VC’S COULD GET THE HIGH SCHOOL’S
FUNDING PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND (WITH
TRULY MINIMAL ENDOWMENTS) IN THE
HOPES OF MAKING IT A SUSTAINABLE FUND.
TO INVOLVE YOUNGER KIDS, ONE AIM
SHOULD BE FOR 30% OF PRODUCTS TO BE
TARGETED AT TWEENS OR YOUNGER
AUDIENCES.

31. METHOD DECK

32. AN IMPORTANT PART OF CREATIVITY
REQUIRES EMPATHY, FOR THE THINKER
TO EMBODY THE MINDSET, THE PERIOD
AND THE CUSTOMS OF THE
INDIVIDUAL(S) IN QUESTION. IN
THEATER, THIS IS CALLED METHOD
ACTING.
METHOD DECK, INSPIRED BY IDEO’S
METHOD CARDS, AIMS TO ENCOURAGE
STUDENTS TO TRULY BE INSPIRED BY
HISTORY.

33. STUDENT IS ASSIGNED A HISTORICAL FIGURE
AND GIVEN A METHOD DECK, WHICH
CONSISTS OF A FEW DOZEN CARDS. THEY
TEACH THE BARE ESSENTIALS OF METHOD
ACTING AND ASK THE STUDENT TO STEP INTO
THE SHOES OF THE HISTORICAL FIGURE.
STUDENT SPENDS TIME RESEARCHING THE
FIGURE TO GAIN A GREATER UNDERSTANDING
OF THEIR CHARACTER.
STUDENT COMES TO CLASS THE NEXT DAY (IN
CHARACTER IF THEY CHOOSE) TO BE
PRESENTED WTH A SERIES OF REAL-WORLD
PROBLEMS THEY CAN DISCUSS HOW TO SOLVE
WITH THE CLASS.
CREDIT: LISA RADIN

34. STUDY US

35. IN VIRTUAL WORLDS, KIDS FIND THE
FREEDOM TO TAKE RISKS AND COURAGE
TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, WHEREAS IN REAL
LIFE THEY ARE TAUGHT TO BE PASSIVE.
VIRTUAL WORLDS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO
UNLOCK NEW LEVELS OF CREATIVITY IN
KIDS - IT MAKES SENSE TO INTEGRATE IT
INTO THE CLASSROOM.
STUDY US HOPES TO BRING JUST ENOUGH
OF THE VIRTUAL WORLD INTO THE
EDUCATION SYSTEM TO MAKE KIDS FEEL
SAFE TO TAKE RISKS AND PROUD TO
SHARE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.

36. AS A CHILD BEGINS THEIR EDUCATION, AN
AVATAR IS CREATED FOR THEM INDIDE THE
STUDY-US WORLD.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE REAL WORLD ARE
TRACKED IN STUDY-US AND CAN BE TRADED
FOR SOCIAL SKILLS (LIKE MESSAGING
BETWEEN AVATARS) AND VIRTUAL GOODS
LIKE CLOTHING.
AS KIDS BEGIN TO GROOM THESE ONLINE
IDENTITIES, REAL WORLD PROBLEMS BEGIN
TO BEFALL THE STUDY-US WORLD, AND
STUDENTS HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO
SOLVE THEM. THEY CAN ALSO WORK WITH
DEVELOPERS TO SUGGEST NEW GOODS OR
PROBLEMS TO INTRODUCE INTO THE
ENVIRONMENT.
CREDIT: LISA RADIN
CREDIT: ANJALI RAMACHANDRAN, MIKE ROZYCKI, LISA RADIN, JAMES

37. PROBLEMS PERIOD

38. PROBLEMS PERIOD IS A PERIOD OF CLASS
TIME DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE FREE-
FORM CONSTRUCTION OF CREATIVE AND
COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS TO
EVERYDAY OR POTENTIAL PROBLEMS.
RATHER THAN TEACH SOLUTIONS TO
PROBLEMS, THE TEACHER OF THIS
PERIOD DELIVERS A PROBLEM, THEN
MERELY ACTS AS A FACILITATOR FOR
CHILD-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS IDEATION AND
EXECUTION MAPPING.

39. PROBLEM CONCEPTS:
HISTORICAL PROBLEMS: ASSIGN INDIVIDUAL
STUDENTS A ROLE IN A HISTORICAL EVENT.
THROUGH ROLE-PLAYING, RE-ENACT AND RE-
SHAPE THE EVENT USING PERSONAL
DECISIONS OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS.
INDUSTRY PROBLEMS: INVITE LOCAL
BUSINESS LEADERS AND THOUGHT LEADERS
TO PRESENT A PROBLEM THEY FACE TO THE
CLASS, TASK STUDENTS WITH DEVELOPING A
SOLUTION.
EVERYDAY PROBLEMS: PRESENT A REAL-LIFE
OR INTERPERSONAL PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES
A SOLUTION, E.G: ASHLEY LIKES RED
FROSTINGRADIN CUPCAKES BUT IS ALLERGIC TO
CREDIT: LISA
ON
READ FOOD COLORING. HOW CAN WE MAKE
THE FROSTING RED? MIKE ROZYCKI, LISA RADIN, JAMES
CREDIT: ANJALI RAMACHANDRAN,

40. UNFINISHED STORIES

41. CREATIVITY DEMANDS EMPTY SPACE TO
BE FILLED, UNANSWERED QUESTIONS TO
BE ANSWERED.
UNFINISHED STORIES AIMS TO GET KIDS
TO TAKE THEIR FIRST STEPS IN CREATIVE
WRITING.

42. THIS IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM WHERE PUBLIC
DOMAIN WORKS LIKE ‘PRIDE & PREJUDICE’
ARE RE-PRINTED (PERHAPS SHORTER FOR
FASTER READING, DEPENDING ON STUDENTS’
AGES) AND LEFT BLANK AT THE CLIMAX.
STUDENTS WOULD JOIN READING GROUPS
THAT FOLLOW ONE STORY AND THEN THOSE
STUDENTS WOULD BE ASKED TO FINISH THE
STORY THEMSELVES.
THEIR STORIES ARE SHARED IN THR GROUP
AND ONLINE (WHERE THEY CAN BE VOTED ON
AND DISCUSSED). FINALLY, THE STUDENTS
WOULD READ THE ORIGINAL ENDING AND
DISCUSS.
CREDIT: LEAH PANT

43. BAN THE BOOKS

44. ONE OF THE EDUCATIONS SYSTEM’S
LARGEST EXPENSES IS TEXTBOOKS. TO
COMBAT THIS, MANY SCHOOLS NOW
REQUIRE STUDENTS TO PURCHASE
TEXTBOOKS, PUTTING LESS FORTUNATE
STUDENTS AT AN IMMEDIATE
DISADVANTAGE. MOREOVER, TEXTBOOKS
TELL KIDS THERE ARE RIGHT SOLUTIONS
TO EVERY PROBLEMS. TODAY
INFORMATION IS FLUID AND FREE BUT IN
SCHOOLS THEY ARE BOUND AND
CONCRETE.
BAN THE BOOKS IS A PROJECT TO GET
TEACHERS TO DESIGN THE CURRICULUM
WITH STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO THEIR
REAL-TIME INTERESTS.

45. SAVE SCHOOLS MONEY ON EXPENSIVE AND
OUTDATED BOOKS.
INSPIRE STUDENTS TO GET CREATIVE IN
DESIGNING THEIR OWN EDUCATION (WHICH
GIVES THEM CONTROL).
FORCE TEACHERS TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES
AND IDEAS VIA WIKIS OR OTHER KNOWLEDGE
SHARING PLATFORM.
ENABLE STUDENTS TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS OR
FEEDBACK ON THE CURRICULUM.
CREDIT: DREW WEILAGE, WILLIAM SCOTT

46. FROM CLOSE TO 300 IDEAS SUBMITTED BY 115 TEAMS
ONE OF OUR IDEAS MADE IT TO THE SHORTLIST OF 12

47. STAND-UP DESK

48. THE VERY DESIGN OF THE CLASSROOM IS
PREDICATED ON AN ANTIQUATED MODEL
OF PEDAGOGICAL AUTHORITY AND
CONTROL, ONE WHICH FEW KIDS BUY
INTO THESE DAYS. ALSO, INSTALLING A
TEACHER AT THE HEAD OF A CLASS
REINFORCES THE NOTION THAT CHILDREN
ARE THERE TO SIT QUIETLY AND ‘RECEIVE’
KNOWLEDGE.
THE STAND-UP DESK WILL ALLOW KIDS
TO BE MORE CREATIVE AND
PARTICIPATIVE BY PROVIDING AN
ENVIRONMENT THAT MOTIVATES THIS
BEHAVIOR.

49. ALLOWING DESKS TO BE MOVABLE
ENCOURAGES CREATIVE DISCUSSION. BUILD
ON THIS AND DESIGN A DESK THAT FLIPS THE
TEACHER-STUDENT DYNAMIC.
THE DESK FEATURES A WHITEBOARD TOP
THAT CAN BE FLIPPED UP TO BE USED AS AN
EASEL, SO THAT EACH STUDENT COULD LEAD
THE CLASS IN A DISCUSSION, SHARE AN IDEA,
OR PRESENT A SKETCH. STUDENTS COULD
ALSO USE THE DESK TO STAND UP AND
MAKES NOTES ON DURING GROUP TIME.
OVERALL, IT ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO RE-
THINK THEIR PLACE IN THE SCHOOL
ENVIRONMENT, FROM PASSIVE LEARNERS TO
ACTIVE EXPLORERS.
CREDIT: JAKE THOMAS, SKETCH: CLAY PARKER JONES