The Creative Classroom with John Spencer Susan M. Riley on the Power of Creativity in the Age of AI
Jan 28, 2026
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From Music Teacher To Founder Of An Arts Institute
- Susan Riley began as a K–5 music teacher, piloted arts integration in her master's program, then became a county arts integration specialist.
- Her blog Education Closet grew into the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM founded in 2008.
Creativity Is The Human Edge Over AI
- Creativity is the competitive edge humans retain in an AI-driven world because AI cannot replicate asking the right questions, framing problems, or discerning what truly matters.
- Susan Riley argues standardized metrics made schools value what can be measured, but AI now performs those measurable tasks faster, shifting importance to creative judgment and context.
Measurement Pushed Creativity To The Margin
- Standardized testing narrowed creativity by prioritizing measurable outputs, treating creativity like a dessert rather than core instruction.
- Susan Riley traces testing's rise to 1960s policy and says obsession with measurement displaced creative practices.