Creating Colorful Collaborations, One Sticker at a Time

The ability to create is one of the best gifts we can give our students. Harnessing the power of creativity in the classroom opens students’ minds to their learning possibilities. From ELA to STEAM, students need to be supported with tools that open up their creativity and nurture their skills. However, when most educators think of creativity, they think of art, music, reading, and writing. The vital creative skills of technology and engineering are often overlooked. As we see an increase in STEAM investment across K12, how can we increase students’ engagement with STEAM-based creative learning? How can we support our students to engage in collaboration and create together? 

Collaboration and Creativity

In this episode of Conference Connections, an interview series with K20 thought leaders, we chat with Sylvia Stein, President of StickTogether Products. The edCircuit team caught up with Sylvia at TCEA 2023. The topic of this discussion was group learning, STEAM creativity, and connection. 

“When you look close up, it’s all about the interaction of other people… but when you step back, the image really pops, there’s a magic to it… Our mission is to create experiences that celebrate making together and the power of personal connection. I’m not really selling a poster with stickers, i’m selling valuable, quality, inclusive time together.” 

A Foundational Access to Creativity

At the beginning of this conversation, Sylvia explores the founding of StickTogether. The founding, like the mission of the organization, was born out of the necessity for creativity in STEAM. She made a deconstructed pixelated image at a Maker Fair, and people at the fair created an image out of the pixelation. After that, Sylvia worked with educators nationwide to introduce the product and its group activities for students in the classroom. 

As a STEAM-based company, they have found a niche in combining creativity, maker spaces, and social emotional learning into one activity. Sylvia started with a physical product; however, due to the pandemic, they shifted to a digital tool with more accessibility and opportunity for larger group collaboration. 

After its initial success, StickTogether is growing and adapting to make the product as accessible and exciting as possible. Sylvia explained how they are growing and adapting to fold into the curriculum and expand the academic excellence they can support. 

Supplementing Learning and Student Excitement

In the second half of the conversation, Sylvia explores applicability in the classroom. For example, their digital program can supplement learning after or before a lesson. Providing visuals, particularly in early childhood learning or elementary classrooms, can excite students to learn or provide an educational and fun experience once the lesson is over to celebrate learning achievement. 

Creativity is Not Limited to the Classroom

The conversation closes with a discussion of how StickTogether has expanded outside of the classroom. The collaborative nature of their tools makes it possible to implement in organizations like afterschool programs and for students who may need additional social emotional, or creative help like children’s hospitals, group therapy, group homes, and more. In their workshops and events, they have often found that it is a great activity for students with additional needs. 

Overall, this conversation highlights how creativity is important to learning and how a fun exercise can supplement and bolster collaborative learning. 

To learn more about StickTogether, visit their website and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

For more episodes on Conference Connections, visit edCircuit.

Learn more about the participants below.