Today I read Several Ways We Can Help Students Develop Their Creativity by Larry Ferlazzo. The title of this article drew me to it because even as a kindergarten teacher there are many times when I feel as though I could be stifling a child's creativity. This article helped me understand why I feel this way, opened my eyes to small changes I can make to foster creativity, and validated some of my teaching practices that encourage creativity.
I believe that strong classroom management is key to creating a safe, calm classroom environment. However, I often struggle with what to do when a child blurts out an idea. If I respond to that child, I am sending the rest of the children a message that this child received my attention even though he/she didn't raise his/her hand. Other children will then think they are allowed to do the same. This is when expectations become unclear and inconsistent. So my point here is, how do I celebrate these creative ideas without creating a gray area of expectations? Ashley Merryman, one of the researchers who wrote a response in this article, says that teachers should "respond to a child's off-beat comment rather than ignore it." I agree that it is so important to acknowledge and respond to children's comments, but while also maintaining the classroom expectations. What I try to do in situations like these is respond to the child privately after the group lesson/discussion (although I definitely have room to improve in this area). I also remind the child to raise his/her hand in that moment and then try to call on that child when he/she is doing so, although sometimes the child has lost the idea at that point.
This article validated my belief that free exploration time in a kindergarten classroom is important for encouraging and developing a child's creativity. According to one of the researchers who was cited in the article, Jonah Leher, "they learn how to be creative by creating things, by flexing their own imaginations." Free Exploration gives children the time to do these things. It is amazing what children can do with blocks, or a piece of paper and tape, when they are given the time to explore these materials freely and creatively. There were times last school year when I would leave free exploration out of the schedule due to other things that needed to be done, but this article reminded me that children need the time to create things and use their imaginations. Free exploration is the perfect opportunity for them to do that.
I, too, struggle with the line between classroom management and creativity. Creativity by definition is loud and messy and takes a long time and it doesn't always fit into the pretty box of standards and curriculum expectations.
ReplyDeleteI think we need to be sure we are creating lessons where children have to engage in divergent thinking to come up with a response. It's hard though, especially in early elementary, because we do need to set the stage with a good strong foundation in the basics, which don't always lend themselves to divergent thinking.
While creativity is the name of the game in my high school art room, I need to remind students there sometimes need to be rules to creativity, at least in the classroom. I currently have a student who I know is thinking outside the box when she is looking for solutions to our art assignments, yet if I don't force her to think outside the box AND follow the rules, she isn't facing the challenge she will have throughout schooling and in the work place. If she works for an ad agency and is asked to create an add for a popcorn machine it will go nowhere if on a whim she decides to ditch the popcorn machine and go with an ice cream scoop. Strange example; hope you see what I mean. The trick for me is being sure I validate the creativity and ask that the student not ruin it or forget the idea, yet to also create something that "follows the rules"--yet hopefully with her own twist. This has been on my mind as I have a student who is pushing all boundaries right now and I want to be sure I balance validating her individual thinking while also having her learn the concepts I need to teach.
ReplyDeleteWhile creativity is the name of the game in my high school art room, I need to remind students there sometimes need to be rules to creativity, at least in the classroom. I currently have a student who I know is thinking outside the box when she is looking for solutions to our art assignments, yet if I don't force her to think outside the box AND follow the rules, she isn't facing the challenge she will have throughout schooling and in the work place. If she works for an ad agency and is asked to create an add for a popcorn machine it will go nowhere if on a whim she decides to ditch the popcorn machine and go with an ice cream scoop. Strange example; hope you see what I mean. The trick for me is being sure I validate the creativity and ask that the student not ruin it or forget the idea, yet to also create something that "follows the rules"--yet hopefully with her own twist. This has been on my mind as I have a student who is pushing all boundaries right now and I want to be sure I balance validating her individual thinking while also having her learn the concepts I need to teach.
ReplyDeleteCreativity is such a tough one for me sometimes, mainly because when I went through school it was not encouraged at all. Matter of fact, I think there must have been a secret meeting in the town I grew up in that taught everyone how to squelch it. That said, creativity is one of the things I never want squelch in my classroom. Finding a balance in the classroom can tough. I don't want creativity to turn into chaos and disrupt the flow, but I love where it can take us. Last year the fifth graders were lucky enough to attend "Maker Space". It amazed me what the students did for the hour they were in the "space". The focus and engagement were awesome and the intent and happy faces told the whole story. Although I have not made huge changes after watching my students engage in "Maker Space", I want to continue to find ways to bring that sort of freedom and contentment into the learning space I create for my students.
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