Creativity killers. Sounds pretty scary—my immediate image is of brain-sucking aliens or some such thing, draining creative energies from the people around them. The reality is less dramatic but still pretty frightening. Last week I talked about the importance of intrinsic motivation in creativity. In fact, Amabile proposes a three-part model of creativity in which … Continue reading
I’ll admit, I’m one of those boring people who don’t have a bracket, have no clue which teams are doing well, and really don’t care (OK, except for the UConn women—a person has to have some loyalties!) To me, “bracketology” sounds like a medical specialty, but I know to many students, it is a March … Continue reading
One of the most interesting and puzzling dilemmas in thinking about creativity and schools is the relationship between creativity and intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation, of course, is defined as the motivation to do something for its own sake, for the sheer pleasure or satisfaction of the task. A runner may run marathons for the joy … Continue reading
Aren’t bookstores just the best places? There’s a new adventure (and a new lesson) everywhere you look. I tend to plan a lot of lessons using children’s books, largely picture books. This is because I believe in an important principle: Picture books are not just for children. Good picture books share important ideas in succinct … Continue reading
It is interesting when things that don’t seem as if they’d go together at all come together to make something wonderful—cayenne pepper in hot chocolate, or fig-flavored gelato (you might have to come to Michigan for that!). I think assessment and creativity are like that. I teach courses in both, and the more I think … Continue reading
Ever wish you could be part of those TV investigations, solving major crimes with stray hairs and chewed gum? Today’s lesson suggestion is for all the CSI fans out there. The American Academy of Forensic Sciences, in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association, has created a free set of materials called Forensics in the … Continue reading
How could I not pass this along? Last weekend’s New York Times published an op-ed piece by Suntae Kim, Evan Polman and Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks describing research in which they asked young adults to solve creative problems while sitting either inside or outside a box. Yes, an actual box. Titled When Truisms Are True, the article … Continue reading
March 2014 When I looked back on this post from March 2012 I thought it was worth bringing out again. Ireland has such a rich and beautiful culture. Enjoy! Happy March! This month I have a special request. As the granddaughter of Irish immigrants, I’m perpetually frustrated by school St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Our elementary … Continue reading
Today I want to talk about flexible thinking, looking at a situation from many perspectives–and doing it through vehicles that may not immediately spring to mind when you think about creativity: editorials, debate, and The New York Times. Sometimes teachers (and others) think about critical and creative thinking as opposites—two sides of a coin. This … Continue reading
I just couldn’t resist. I’m not sure why all the schools I’ve ever worked in so totally embraced Valentine’s Day, but they have. (I suspect it may be because I’ve always worked in areas with cold winters and by February we’re all pretty stir crazy, but be that as it may….) Here is an assortment … Continue reading
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