Our Mission

The Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning and Creativity (RCTLC) encourages creativity and innovation in teaching and learning. Founded in 2009 by creativity champions and award-winning authors, Paul and Peter H. Reynolds, we are dedicated to ensuring that all learners develop the vision, confidence, knowledge and skills needed to move their own lives forward, and to use their talents, strengths and energy to move their communities and the world to a better place.

To that end, RCTLC bridges traditional silos in education, schools, research, philanthropy, and business to incubate, deploy, test and share innovations in pedagogically progressive uses of educational technology. We enjoy the support of a staff with deep experience in education, edtech, digital media, R&D tool development, as well as dissemination and research. RCTLC also has an active Board of Directors from business, education, legal, and government.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

Fab@School STEM program

One of the Reynolds Center’s signature accomplishments is the Fab@School STEM program, which is designed to bring meaningful STEM education to young learners (K-8). We are part of a consortium of organizations spearheaded by University of Virginia, which also includes the Smithsonian, Princeton, and Noyce Foundation, as well as the Early Childhood Fab Lab Partnership led by the Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES) and MIT Fab Foundation.

The Reynolds Center’s specific contribution was to design, test and implement the Fab@School software (FabMaker Studio), which is a web-based application working in conjunction with low-cost digital fabricators. We also provide virtual training/webinars for educators, staff and volunteers throughout the year. The 24/7 anytime/anywhere nature of our solution is key to our scaling mission.

Our goal is to help close gaps in student STEM learning, and increase career readiness and interest in STEM sector fields. Our eventual goal is to leverage web-based tools to reach 17 million economically-challenged students across the nation - and around the world - by 2025.

International Dot DAy

The Reynolds Center’s other key achievement is International Dot Day, which has now attracted almost 27 million participants in 200 countries. Inspired by Reynolds Center’s founder Peter H. Reynolds acclaimed picture book The Dot, Iowa educator Terry Shay and his students decided to celebrate creativity and courage on Sept. 15.

“The Dot” is the story of a perceptive and caring teacher and a reluctant student who thinks she can’t draw. Vashti’s teacher encourages her to trust in her own abilities and be brave enough to “just make a mark and see where it takes you.”

Exploring the themes of creativity, bravery, and self-expression, The Dot has been translated into many languages, including Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, French, Spanish, and even Braille.

HUTCH Magazine

RCTLC also oversees HUTCH Magazine, an annual arts/educational program that produces a publication written by kids for kids - featuring submissions from children from all around the country. The 40-page magazine is published 2x a year in a high-gloss professionally-printed format as well as digitally.

The Word Collector

Most recently we launched The Word Collectors, an online resource hub celebrating Peter H. Reynolds’ book “The Word Collector.” The site was made possible through support from literacy champion Brigid Huberman at the nonprofit Children’s Reading Connection. Along with providing free, downloadable resources, the site will now serve as the official HQ for The Word Collector book - with spotlights on educators and students who are celebrating the book all across the nation.