Where Have I Been?

It was about six months ago when I decided to pursue my inquiry topic of creativity. I was greatly influence by the Ted talk by Sir Ken Robinson – Do Schools Kill Creativity?, and became curious as to ways I could implement creativity into my classroom. As someone who learns in a hands on manner, I wanted to know why, how it might be beneficial and what are the pros and cons of creative learning in the classroom. I quickly discovered that I needed to define what I meant by “creativity”, as there are many different views and opinions on the word. I decided to define it as creative, imaginative and innovative thinking. I wanted to know how I could implement these types of thinking in my classroom, and most importantly, I wanted to learn if it was my bias that was the reason that I had come to the decision that creative learning is so positive. I wanted to know that if my bias was making me think that creative, hands on learning is as important as it was in my experience has lead me to believe. When I talk about creative thinking as creative, imaginative and innovative, I am not talking about the arts – drawing, painting or drama. I am referring to creative thinking as a problem solving tool. Creative thinking and critical thinking are skills that people are using to solve economic, environmental, political, social problems that are experienced on a global scale.

My preliminary research into the topic showed me that there are lots of educators who promote the aspect of experiential learning in the classroom. Students come to school with personal experiences, and as teachers we should foster the curiosities and background knowledge they do bring. This idea lead me to the idea of creativity and personalized learning, with a focus on the question of – how can we make learning valuable for each student and let them explore their interests? Which brings in the aspect of personalized learning as well, making sure that each student’s needs are met.

Where Am I Now?

As I am about to embark on my 10 week practicum, I am trying very hard to come up with ways to promote experiential and creative learning into my lessons. Even after all of my research over the past months, I have discovered that when trying to implement creative and personalized learning into the classroom is not as easy as I had originally expected, especially for a new teacher such as myself. What I have learned is that creative lessons are not only important in making learning meaningful and fun, but they promote the development of successful individuals, who will likely become contributing members of society. There will be jobs in the future that have not yet been created, we need to prepare our students for the ever changing world. People who are able to think critically, and creatively are people who are able to come up with solutions.. maybe solutions to problems that have not yet happened. Base knowledge of a,b,c’s and 1,2,3’s will always be important, the educational core of literacy and numeracy will always be beneficial. We need to come up with ways that allow our students to explore these subjects in new and innovative ways.

I have been told that it is unlikely that I will make significant impact in a grand scheme, that is not my goal. My goal is to be kindling in the passion of a student. I want to ignite a thirst for knowledge and curiosity, however small. I am working on lesson plans for my practicum, my way of thinking has not been explosive and I do not know the secret to exceptional teaching. I am working hard and am excited for what I will learn in the coming months. This year will teach me a lot about myself, my teaching style and my expectations. If I can come up with one lesson per unit that sparks something in one student, I will be thrilled. Planning lessons that promote creativity is not easy, it is not something that is inherent in me, I know that there will be lots of trial and error, and my ideas will change with time. Right now, I am only able to use the knowledge that I have currently to create 10 weeks worth of lessons that will get my students excited to come to school and learn. I am looking forward to what will happen, and how much of what I have learned through this process I am able to implement.

Where Am I Going?

I am fortunate that I have chosen a topic that has strongly held my interest. Because of this I am excited to pursue my questions, not only until August, when I graduate, but beyond, during my career as a teacher. This is a subject that has no limit that I can see. Each year, my questions will change and my toolbox will grow. I will pursue the idea of integrating creative learning into my classroom because it is something that I feel will benefit my students long after they have left my classroom. In order to promote creativity, I myself need to put on my creative cap and explore the many possibilities my teaching can have.

I have decided to include the video that inspired me to dive into the topic of creativity, Sir Ken Robinson’s Ted talk Do School Kill Creativity? I first saw this video four years ago, it ignited in me the need to teach. This video is the birthplace of my inquiry topic. It is where I have been, where I am now, and where I am going. I will teach students, encouraging them for who they are, what they do and what their passions and interests might be. I will create a classroom environment that encourages mistakes, values individuals and ignites passions. It is silly to think I will do this for everyone, but I do want to open up the possibility of meaningful learning.

Robinson, K. (2006, February 1). Do Schools Kill Creativity. Lecture presented at Tedtalk.

Something that I have noticed quite a bit when listening to professionals within the field of education is the limitations that teachers have. We are able to teach our classrooms in a variety of ways that we feel is best, however that seems to be where the freedom ends. As my inquiry project has unfolded, I have been moved even further to the side of creative, hands on, project based learning and hope to implement these methods into my classroom wherever I can. But what about the rest of the school? the rest of the district? the rest of the provence or country? The expectation has remained the same for decades – teach reading, writing and math. Yes, these are important skills that all students need to learn, but how can we make this learning exciting for our students and how can we motivate them to maintain a growth mindset?

Being a spokesperson or promoter against an institution as great as the system of education is a daunting and seemingly impossible task. I don’t know if I am a voice that could be loud enough to be heard. I know that there needs to be changes and adjustments to the institution, but how should I proceed? Am I going to make enough of an impact within my classroom in one year with any given set of students? I hope I will be able to foster change for some of them, I am not so naive as to think I will change the life of every single student I encounter in making them more creative and innovative. I do not have a particular answer for these questions I pose, time will tell, I hope that one day we do see teachers and districts fostering inquiry and creativity. I see it in select districts, but not enough, we need to move away from the focus on worksheets, textbooks and essays, we need to give meaning to learning. It is my hope to be able to do this and refine my skill as a teacher as time goes on.