Creativity in the Classroom!

"Show students that you value creativity,  that you not only allow it but also actively engage in it." - Beth Hennessey (1997)

 

I personally adore creativity and am always encouraging pupils to be as creative as they can with what we are learning. One of the ways I encourage this is allowing pupils a range of options of how to present their final assessments – based on the success criteria, they can fulfil these requirements in whatever modes they see fit! Could be word, powerpoint, audacity, movie maker, drama, singing, solo / duet, ensemble, rap, dance – combinations of these elements, whatever meets the success criteria, they can choose!

The NDT Resource Centre strongly advocates creativity in the classroom:

“Students need to understand that there is usually multiple paths that lead to understanding. They should be encouraged seek out and experiment with new things or ideas. They should be taught to ask questions and investigate when things do not make sense. The need to learn to view mistakes as an opportunity for leaning rather than something that was unsuccessful. Students should also follow their interests and think "outside the box" whenever possible. It is also valuable for them to be open to other's ideas so that they can learn how to build upon and reconstruct their own conceptual knowledge.” http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/ClassroomTips/Encouraging_Creativity.htm

 

Mike Fleetham, an education consultant and trainer outlines 12 principles of creativity:

• A belief that creative potential is inside everyone and can be found everywhere

• A belief that creativity can change things and improve things

• A belief that mistakes are to be celebrated, learned from and used

• A belief that creativity can be a natural response to pain, suffering and boredom

• An attitude of positivity towards surprising and unexpected events

• An attitude of openness to new ideas and experiences when they appear

• An attitude of ‘smart risk-taking’

• An attitude of non-judgement

• An ability to actively seek out new ideas and experiences

• An ability to see familiar things in new and different ways

• An ability to use both analytic and holistic thinking

• An ability to make, think or do things that haven’t been made, thought or done be

http://www.thinkingclassroom.co.uk/ThinkingClassroom/Creativity.aspx

 

Iowa State University, a Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching very rightly remind us that we cannot expect creativity from our pupils if we are not teaching in a creative manner ourselves:

‘In order to teach creativity, one must teach creatively; that is, it will take a great deal of creative effort to bring out the most creative thinking in your classes.’ This site has lots of methods of how to add a little twist to the common tasks in the classroom with Assumption Busting, Brainstorming, Concept Mapping, Role Playing, Story Boarding, DO IT, Random Input, Decision Tree, Laddering and many many more techniques, worth a look! http://www.celt.iastate.edu/creativity/techniques.html

 

I will continue to be creative and provide opportunities for my pupils to do the same! Will you?

A :) x