What Does Teaching Creativity Look Like?

[geardaddy]

Do you see yourself as a creative person? Our current standardized approach to teaching and learning tends to slot students students into silos—art-school types on one side and analytical thinkers on the fast track to law school on the other—so our society has a pretty limited understanding of what being creative actually means and what it looks like across disciplines. Creativity expert Michael Michalko, author of Creative Thinkering: Putting Your Imagination to Work has developed a list of 12 things most people aren't taught in school—but should be—about creativity.

From the Daily Good: http://www.good.is/post/what-does-it-mean-to-teach-creativity

[elleng]

1. LET THEM BE!

ENCOURAGE with 'freedom.'

[NYC_SKP]

2. No shit, elleng. Get out of the way.

More and more I'm learning that what we need to do is have faith that kid want to be creative and want to learn.

The worst thing we do is to think that they can't be creative without US, without "education".

Get out of the way and let them be.... they're naturally creative.

I just posted this:::::

Ya'll know I'm an educator.

I haven't seen it, but I'm intrigued.

Your thoughts?

Are we killing kids?

http://www.racetonowhere.com/









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[elleng]

3. One small example of the BETTER way,

from my daughters' pre-k - 3d grade school, which has since expanded to 6th grade >>>

The 5th grade is ready for the Contraption Challenge extravaganza! In tribute to Rube Goldberg's legacy of making complicated inventions that perform simple tasks, students had to incorporate four simple machines into eight energy transfers in order to accomplish the simple task of ringing a bell. You can read more about Rube Goldberg and Machine Contests around the world at www.rubegoldberg.com

Youngsters are inherently curious and creative, in their own ways. imo its a SIN that schools turn that off.
We ALL suffer from that.

[NYC_SKP]

4. I wanna come see the "Contraption Challenge"!

Get pics!!!

[geardaddy]

5. Did you read the article?

[AnneD]

6. I am not a teacher but....

was visiting a teacher friend in Germany. She teaches English for 4th grade. She asked me to speak and maybe try my hand at teaching English to the kids (the only get England English and she wanted them to experience American (Texas) English. I walked into the class with my purse. The lesson started with me greet the first kid and exchanging names. The next kid I greeted, exchanged names then ask them how they were. The next kid it was the same formula with an extra question. So they got to know me, where I was from (postcards in my purse), that I had a daughter (picture in my purse), worked as a School Nurse, had several pets (that was a funny word to get across) and what they were. I spoke only English to them and they to me but it was so much fun. I also taught them math with the US coins (state quarter series) etc.

It was so successful that I taught in another teacher's class and ate lunch (German lunches were interesting) with the kids and went out to recess with them. I felt like a rock star being mobbed by fans. All the kids took turns to ask me a question in English about America or to tell me about themselves. There was one little girl I noticed that was holding back. I could tell she wanted to ask me a question but the other kids were crowding her. The bell rang and they ran off. She came up and shyly asked me in her halting but perfect English "Is America ... big?" I smiled and laughed at her question "Very big" and jestured with my hands-"Germany this big America this big. Your English is very good". She gave me a big beautiful smile and happily skipped back to class.

It was one of my best travel adventures. So without a lesson plan and nothing but the contents of my purse, I think I came up with a creative lesson, but my hats off to all the teachers that try day in and day out to keep their kids interested and their lessons fresh.