Creativity in the classroom

Creativity. In this blog I will be defining creativity, through my research of theorists and looking at whether it has always been viewed the in the same way throughout history. Creativity can be defined as “imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both original and of value.” ” Creativity can be shown in groups as well as individually. (NACCCE 1999) Roberts (2006) suggested that idea generation; teamwork; sensing opportunities; pitching and auditioning; giving and responding to criticism and making things happen by getting people and things to turn ideas into reality are all generic skills in creativity. Which can result in generating new outcomes Feist (1998). Bowkett (2005) views “creativity as much an attitude as it is a set of mental processes. It incorporates playfulness, curiosity, sensitivity, self-awareness and independence.” On the other hand creativity could also be seen to some as something we are born with. According to Pinker (1995) creativity is seen by many as an innate human feature. Unlike language which is considered something we learn. This suggests that creativity is something that cannot be learned as it is seen genetic ability that we are all born with. Viewing creativity in this way reduces the chances of it being seen as a skill which can be taught, on the other hand it could also suggest that being born with creativity and imagination may be limited to a gifted few, which could include stereotypical ideas such as only certain people are naturally creative. This could suggest that we should aim not to teach creativity, rather aim to support and encourage it to flourish. This approach was taken in the case study Waite et al, (2006) in the Forest Study, through interviews with the children they found that physical exercise; freedom; enhanced learning through first-hand experience; enjoyment; persistence; a wider range of possible activities and increased confidence through facing fears were all identified as advantages to outdoor playing by the children. We should not restrict creativity just to the arts such as painting and music, as creative skills can be developed and used in our everyday lives as it improves our ability to solve problems. Many theorists have different views on the definition of creativity as it is always changing depending on the social factors of the time but most agree that it involves imagination; productivity; problem solving abilities and producing an outcome of value or worth. (Sharp 2004) Defining creativity like this could change it forever as it may limit creativity to producing items such as a painting rather than being free and involved in creation. (Fleming 2012) Rather than focusing on defining creativity we should take note from the Eastern concepts where the “concept of creativity is less focused on innovative product creativity. Instead creativity is seen as a state of personal fulfilment, the expression of inner essence” (Lubart 1999). By allowing creativity to be free way of bringing something new to existence rather than economic opportunities. Schools can potentially play an important role in developing a childs creativeness as everyone can be creative if the conditions are right and they have gained the skills and knowledge. Robert (2006) suggests creativity is supported by personalization, school autonomy and increased emphasis on the voice of children and young people. Barnardos’ (2006) supports this view as he believes schools which merely replicate the educational focus of the school day will do little to provide catalyst for creativity. Therefore the teachers role may need to change from more facilitative than transmisive. (Alexander (2001) References Alexander, R. (2001) Culture and pedagogy. International comparisons in primary education. Blackwell, London Believe in Children Barnardo’s (2006) http://www.barnardos.org.uk (Accessed: 20 October 2017) Bowkett, S. (2005). 100 Ideas for teaching creatively. London: Continuum. Feist, G.J. (1998) ‘A meta-analysis of personality in scientific and artistic Fleming, M. (2012) The arts in education: An introduction to aesthetics, theory and pedagogy. Oxford: Routledge. Lubart, T. (1999) Creativity Across Culture. In R. J. Sternberg.. (1999) Handbook of Creativity. Cambridge. UK. Cambridge University Press. Macintyre, C. (2001) Enhancing Learning Through Play: A Developmental N.A.C.C.C.E. (1999) All our futures: creativity, culture and education. London: DfEE creativity’. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 2(4), pp.290-310. Pinker, S. (1995) The Language Instinct, London: Penguin. Roberts, J. (2006), Limits to Communities of Practice. Journal of Management Studies, 43: 623–639. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6486.2006.00618.x Sharp, C. (2004) Developing young children’s creativity: what can we learn from research? Topic (32) pp.5-12 Waite, S. J., J. Evans and S. Rogers. 2011. “A Time of Change: Outdoor Learning and Pedagogies of Transition Between Foundation Stage and Year 1.” In Children Learning Outside the Classroom. From Birth to Eleven, edited by Waite, S., 50–63. London: Sage.