It is June in Michigan, which means the world is finally green again and the school year is ending. Sometimes, near the end of the school year, you need something that is just fun. If it meets a curriculum goal, that’s great, but there are those moments when we all just need a moment of … Continue reading
Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to work with some Korean teachers interested in incorporating more creativity in their teaching. We had only a short time together, and so it was important to stick to a few key ideas. Like many teachers, they have a required curriculum, and any creative adaptations must build on those … Continue reading
Last week I wrote about McTighe and Wiggins’ Essential Questions: Opening the Doors to Student Understanding as a resource for developing creativity as well as learning for understanding. Today I’d like to consider the ways the same processes contribute to developing a creativity-friendly classroom. Questions can transform the class world! Recently, Wiggins posted an excerpt … Continue reading
One of my favorite small education blogs is called “v. to put on one’s thinking cap: A reflection on social constructivism in the elementary classroom.” It recounts the learning and thinking of a class of elementary students who are consistently challenged to make sense of their world. Recently, the author described students’ representations responding to … Continue reading
I love museums. I stand in awe of human creativity at the Detroit Institute of Arts, and of the innovations at the Henry Ford Museum. I delight in watching children’s explorations at our local Hands On Museum. And, of course, when I have the chance to travel, I find more museums to love—whether my traveling … Continue reading
I recently read Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins’ Essential Questions: Opening the Doors to Student Understanding, and thought, “How wonderful to have a book so totally supportive of creativity, while focusing all the while on understanding.” The Creativity in the Classroom Model links creativity, learning for understanding, and motivation for learning. This book provides a … Continue reading
Bad behavior in schools can be really frustrating—especially when the bad behavior is among the adults. I don’t know if it is warmer weather or exhausted lack of patience, but I’ve heard more stories lately of teachers not-at-their-best. And most of these stories center around students who just don’t fit the mold–the creative ones with … Continue reading
This is the fifth in a series of posts on assessment FOR creativity, that is, classroom assessment that is not aimed at assessing creativity itself, but at thinking about the ways classroom assessments may support—or stifle—creativity. Assessment for creativity allows students to demonstrate knowledge by using it in varied ways, and is structured to support … Continue reading
Dan Meyer says he spends his days trying to sell a product to a market that doesn’t want it but is forced by law to buy it—he teaches high school math. He believes math class needs a makeover, and is ready to lead the charge. From a creativity perspective, Dan is a master of problem … Continue reading
A recent article in the Creativity Research Journal had an intriguing title, beginning, “Tell Me Your Name and I’ll Tell You How Creative Your Work Is.” The article looked at how a creator’s name and gender affected judgments about the work’s creativity. I found the results pretty disturbing. Authors Izabela Lebuda and Maciej Karwowski presented … Continue reading
creativiteach 