I used to hate the word 'creative.' I grouped it with other fluff words such as pretty, nice, and other non-substantive descriptors. Over the past year, I have begun to define behaviors and thinking skills associated with creativity. My current understanding of creativity is that it is basically a mind-set for problem finding and problem solving.
In the overview of the work of Schon, there is a quote on p. 17 about problem finding. Basically problems to be solved do not stand up and say, "Hi!" Teachers have to find and define the problem, and follow a cycle of action and reflection.
The quote in this week's reading sounded a lot like an idea presented in Sydney Walker's Teaching meaning in art making. "...it is not enough for artists to focus on big ideas: artists must also require strategies for exploring the content of big ideas. One such strategy is to create, or construct-and then solve-conceptual problems that address the big idea," (p. 50).
Schon's quote also sounded a lot like the writing in my favorite book Creativity is Forever by Gary Davis. There are six cognitive ingredients to creativity accredited to Frank Barron that are partly genetic and partly learned (p. 100).
- Recognizing patterns
- Making conections
- Taking risks
- Challenging assumptions
- Taking advantage of chance
- Seeing in new ways
HOLY COW YES. I see a MAEA conference presentation here.....
ReplyDeleteWhat if in our classes, we all started with a problem that automatically challenged assumptions ? Breaking down original thought to make way for new thought can act like a thought tsunami . Of course, as teachers, we have to be willing to step back and allow for what might arise in its wake, and assume our own stance of surrendered assumption.
I have been on the creativity bandwagon/soap box for a decades. Its more critical these days than ever. Those 6 cognitive ingredients are relevant to real life in real time ALL the time. Again.... see some potential goals here :) Awesome What if!!!!!!