This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Catherine Thimmesh discusses why creativity is an essential tool for today’s students, and how teachers can easily encourage and foster the development of creative thinking skills. Along the way, she dispels some commonly held myths about what creativity is or is not, suggests some concrete prompts that can be used quickly in any classroom, and bemoans the fact that she still doesn’t have a jet pack!