The Creative ClassroomNurturing and Supporting Innovative Thought 

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012Jeff Danielian

jdanielian@nagc.org

Possible Titles and Ideas

Eminence, Prominence, and Diligence

Chance, Circumstance, and Incidence

Consideration, Expectation, and Evaluation

Motivation, Dedication, Frustration, and Introspection

“Education, much like life, is an ever changing process. Failure, as a variable, always comes into play.”

From the pages of:

“The monotony of daily classes is lost when students are allowed to discover who they are as individuals.”

“Dreams begin at home or in the classroom.”

“Educators can only guide students in the right direction, offering suggestions and ideas along the way. The rest is up to them.”

“Never give children a chance of imagining that anything exists in isolation. Make it plain from the very beginning that all living is relationship. Show them relationships in the woods, in the fields, in the ponds and streams, in the village and in the country around it. Rub it in..”

- Aldous Huxley

“The journey is difficult, immense. We will travel as far as we can, but we cannot in one lifetime see all that we would like to see or to learn all that we hunger to know.”

- Loren Eiseley

I Love The

Chalkboard

“Take  something simple and 

connect it 

                                             to many things.”

Drawings that date to prehistoric times have been discovered by archaeologists. The earliest chalk writings/drawings are usually found in caves.

 As time went by artists from various      countries used chalk to make drawings and sketches. 

For the convenience of these artists, a major innovation was introduced – chalks shaped into sticks. 

Chalk: It’s Ancient Uses

Over the course of 100 million years, Protozoans such as foraminifera, with shells made of calcite extracted from the rich sea-water, lived on the marine debris that showered down from the upper layers of the ocean.

As they died a deep layer gradually built up and eventually, through the weight of overlying sediments, became consolidated into rock. Later, during the formation of mountain ranges, these former sea-floor deposits were raised above sea level.

Chalk is composed mostly of calcium carbonate with minor amounts of silt and clay.

Chalk: The Science

Chalk: Other UsesChalk is used to make quicklime and slaked lime, mainly used

as lime mortar in buildings.

Sidewalk chalk is used to draw on sidewalks, streets, and driveways, mostly by children, but also by adult artists.

In agriculture chalk is used for raising pH in soils with high acidity.

In field sports, including grass tennis courts, powdered chalk was used to mark the boundary lines of the playing field or

court.

In gymnastics an rock-climbing, chalk — now usually magnesium carbonate — is applied to the hands to

remove perspiration and reduce slipping.

Chalk: Other UsesTailor's chalk is traditionally a hard chalk used to make temporary

markings on cloth, mainly by tailors.

Toothpaste also commonly contains small amounts of chalk, to serve as a mild abrasive.

Polishing chalk is chalk prepared with a carefully controlled grain size, for very fine polishing of metals.

Woodworking joints may be fitted by chalking one of the mating surfaces. A trial fit will leave a chalk mark on the high spots of the

corresponding surface.

Used as Fingerprint powder

Taken orally, in small doses, as an antacid.

What is Creativity

A Generational Campaign

The Reason for my becoming and educator!

And why I still am…

“Every generation has a chance to change the world. Pity the nation that won’t listen to its boys and girls. The sweetest melody is the one we haven’t heard.”

-I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonightfrom: No Line on The Horizon 2009

Csikszentmihaly’s three-part theory of creativity

• the individual • field• the domainThese are the most important components of the realization of creativity. 

• FLOW

Gardner

• studied the creative eminence of influential persons of recent times.

• states that components must be present to permanently alter the domain

 “in a way that is initially considered novel but that ultimately becomes accepted in a particular cultural setting.”

Wallas

• presented a four-part creative process including preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. • Creative individual follows a pattern in which success is finally determined by the acceptance and verification by an audience. 

Factors Contributing to CreativityAmabile:

Intrinsic motivation• the love, satisfaction, and challenge of a particular event which directs talent.

Maslow : Self-actualization concept • the creative individual continues to develop by recognizing his own potential, and the motivation comes from inner strength and confidence. 

Art CostaHabits of Mind

Persisting Communicating with clarity and

precision Managing impulsivity Gathering data through all

senses Listening with understanding

and empathy Creating, imagining, innovating Thinking flexibly Responding with wonderment

and awe

Thinking about your thinking (metacognition) 

Taking risks Striving for accuracy and

precision Finding humor Questioning and problem posing Thinking interdependently Applying past knowledge to new

situations Remaining open to continuous

learning

Three Ring Conception Over Houndstooth Pattern

“Jane Raph – An inspiring Teacher in my masters degree program at Rutgers University asked me to read a pre- publication manuscript of this book. By the time I finished I was hooked on the subject of creativity and wanted to study it more than anything else I was doing.  This led to a lifelong interest in creativity and related cognitive processes.”

JSR 

The High IQ SubjectMr. Smith is on his way home from a successful business trip. He is very happy and he is thinking about his wonderful family and how glad he will be to see them again. He can picture it, about an hour from now, his plane landing at the airport and Mrs. Smith and their three children all there welcoming him home again.

Prompt: Picture of a Man On An Airplane

Getzels, J. W., & Jackson, P. W. (1962). Creativity and Intelligence: Explorations With Gifted Students. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Creativity enters the Equation: An Influential Teacher and A Little Bit of Luck

The High Creative Subject

This man is flying back from Reno where he has just won a divorce from his wife, He couldn't’t stand to live with her anymore, he told the judge, because she wore so much cold cream on her face at night that her head would skid across the pillow and hit him in the head. He is now contemplating a new skid-proof cream.

Prompt: Picture of a Man On An Airplane

Positive Characteristics of Creativity

• aware of their own creativeness

• original• independent• willing to take risks• energetic• curious• keen sense of humor

• attracted to complexity and novelty

• artistic• open-minded• need for privacy, alone time

• perceptive

Negative Characteristics of Creativity

• questioning rules and authority• stubbornness • low interest in details• forgetfulness• carelessness and disorganization with unimportant matters

• absentmindedness• indifference to common conventions• tendency to be emotional

Creative Thinking   Fluency – the production of a great number of ideas

 Flexibility – producing a variety of categories of        ideas. 

 Originality – production of ideas that are unique or     unusual. 

 Elaboration – production of ideas that display detail      or enrichment.. 

Strategies

Creative Problem Solving The CPS technique encourages students to answer, consider alternatives, and

create solutions to problems by formulating an action plan.

•Start with convergent questioning to find issues. Wouldn’t it be nice if … or Wouldn’t it be awful if …•Gather information:Consider the problem at a deeper level. •Isolate one problem:Isolate one problem or issue that needs to be addressed. •Find solutions to the one underlying problem:Brainstorm possible solutions to this one problem, and be sure to consider solving the problem from many different perspectives•Create a dynamic action plan:Develop an action plan that will tell who will take charge of the idea, how long it will take the idea to be put into place, where the work will be done, and what materials will be necessary throughout the planning and implementation of the plan. 

Creative DramaticsThe act of creative dramatics is perhaps the most active and performance driven of all the creativity thinking tools. It not only allows the students to use their imagination and bodies, but it makes the students active, an important part of middle level education. 

The students, becoming comfortable with their voices and bodies, begin to develop an appreciation for the dramatic arts and their use in the areas of public speaking, leadership, presentation, and creativity, and not just the stage. 

“SCAMPER” In 1977, Bob Eberle rearranged some common divergent thinking questions into

the acronym “SCAMPER” to help students create new ideas by systematically modifying something already existing.

Letter Representing Sample Questions

S Substitute What similarities exist? What could be substituted for ________?

C Combine Might something be combined or brought together to solve the new challenge?

A Adapt What changes or adjustment can be made to help us now?

M Modify/Magnify/Minify What could happen if you could change the situation to match these conditions?

P Put to other uses In what other ways might parts be used?

E Eliminate/Elaborate What could be removed or enhanced?

R Reverse/Rearrange What effects would come from changing the sequence?

Scampering

Read a story. What elements of SCAMPER could be used to affect the plot and outcome of the story? 

Design an invention. Sky’s the limit. 

Use a current social or political problem as a way to discuss how SCAMPER could be applied for a solution.

Take an object: a pencil, a brick, a paperclip. How can you apply the elements of SCAMPER to come up with a new and creative use of the object?

Morphological Matrix

Students list the attribute of two or more related topics in order to create a new product, story, etc.

GOOD GUY POWER VILLIAN VEHICLE CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Bob Eye rays Jumbo Van Fight in Field Villian gives up

Steve Flys Gargo Car Clash in field Villian wins

Mike Bendy Wubba Plane Tunnel in Dark Good Guy Wins

Chris Shrinks Carlaas Train Car chase Draw

Pete Fire Dopy Skateboard Girl taken New Conflict

Classroom ImplicationsMany Routes and Considerations

Strategies: Scamper, CPS, and Morph Matrix

1. Sketches and possible images of your product, wrapped and unwrapped.Appeals to the Artists and Photographers!

2. A written description of your product, with a special emphasis on descriptive words.Appeals to the Writers!

3. Complete advertising plan, including marketing information and print and/or media ad example.Appeals to the Artist, the “Business Person” and the voice talent and possible Videographers!

4. Consumer trial data or comments based about the areas listed in #’s 1-3. 

Appeals to the Scientists and Public Speakers (My follow-up would include a presentation to me in class) 

•Asking what if or just suppose questions • Predicting, speculating, and forecasting and then testing out ideas.• Combining or changing parts to make new possibilities.• Thinking about metaphors or analogies

• Refining, developing, and strengthening possibilities.• Setting priorities, sorting, arranging, and categorizing 

ideas.• Examining ideas using a constructive approach • Focusing on how to 

strengthen or build up ideas by analyzing possibilitiesin balanced and forward 

thinking ways.

• Going beyond what is given by acquiring and using vast amounts ofinformation.• Gathering, organizing, and analyzing data from many sources anddomains.• Asking many, varied, and unusual questions.• Learning from mistakes.

• Showing initiative and taking ownership in problem solving.• Persisting when things are not yet working.• Reflecting on their goals and progress.• Marching to a different drummer.

ObservationIt is Crucial to observe students as they engage in a creative activity. Through observations, strengths and weaknesses in the student’s processes will come to light. 

    Use the strategies you have already gained to assess. 

Utilizing Assessments Along the Way

• Calendars• Planning Sheets• Reality Checks• Note Sheets

• Research Portfolios• Scattered Due dates

• Rough Draft Submissions• Faculty Sign-ups

More responsibility on the student!

Rubrics offer students a glimpse into how they will be assessed and allow for a range of comments concerning effort, creativity, skill acquisition, and demonstration of ability. Students are able to see areas of strength while focusing on areas needing improvement.

• the Criteria, or skill areas to be evaluated;• the Descriptors of these criteria, longer statements about each criterion; and• the Levels of Performance, that illustrate the highest and lowest levels of understanding.•Comments, Comments, Comments, and Copy

No Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor for levels of performance. Try to relate them to the subject or discipline. For example, an assignment relating to writing a newspaper article would have a top level of National Publication and a low level of School Newspaper. An art project might carry the levels National Museum, State Museum, Local Gallery, and School Wall. 

Students should never think of themselves as failures, but should look for skills to improve. Using these levels lets them know how positive it is to have their work published in a school newspaper or displayed on a 

fridge or school wall.

TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

Build Self-Efficacy

How to Define and Redefine Problems

Encourage Idea Generation

http://www.cdl.org/resource-library/articles/teaching_creativity.php

Cross-Fertilize Ideas

Allow Time for Creative Thinking

Instruct and Assess Creatively

Reward Creative Ideas and Products

Encourage Sensible Risks

Identify and Surmount Obstacles

Teach Self-Responsibility

Delay Gratification

Imagine Other Viewpoints

Recognize Person-Environmental Fit

Promote Self-Regulation

Tolerate Ambiguity

Proselytize for Creativity

Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

In order to be a model of creativity, you will need to think and teach creatively yourself. 

Think carefully about your values, goals, and ideas, feelings, and assumptions about creativity and exhibit them in your classroom.

Model Creativity

Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

Question Assumptions

Utilize questioning daily in the classroom. It is more important for students to learn what questions to ask-and how to ask them-than to learn the answers. 

Assess and evaluate their questions by discouraging the idea that the role of the teacher is to ask questions. Instill the belief that you are not there as a fact generator. 

Stress the ability to use facts, and instruct your students learn how to formulate good questions as well as how to answer good questions.

Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

Allow Mistakes

If and when students make mistakes, ask them to analyze and discuss them either with you, their parents, or a classmates.

Remind them that quite often, mistakes contain the germ of good ideas. 

If you want to make a difference, explore mistakes with your students.

Encourage Creative Collaboration

Encouraging creative performance during group work is essential .

Giving  your students the chance to work collaboratively models real world situations.

Play to Strengths

By identifying specific talent, you can create opportunities for students to use them.

Flexibility in assignments is key!

Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

Find Excitement

There is nothing more rewarding than watching an excited students. Offer variety in your content area as well as in your product choice

Seek Stimulating Environments

Re-Arrange Desks, Go Outside, down the hall or venture out to a nearby museum or other location.

A change of environment is sometimes all that is needed. 

Role Play or Simulation activities are also provide a great outlet. 

Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

E. Paul Torrance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDGLuwOhzjk

Through time and space, We Exist.With all substance,We Create.Forming ideas from others’,We Think.And in learning to live,We Love.

-JD

Adam draws a doorknob. He tries to turn it. The door, perhaps to his surprise, fails to open. 

ADAM :Wait.  He looks at book, then writes on the door: KNOCK AND ENTER. 

Adam knocks on the door, and turns the knob. Nothing. 

Adam goes back to the book. ADAM (continuing) Aha! Knock three times. ANOTHER ANGLE He knocks three times. Turns knob. The chalked door swings magnificently open. 

ADAM :(looking through the handbook) I found something this morning. (reads) "In case of emergency, draw door." 

BARBARA :Draw door? I don't know why we keep looking in that stupid book. 

Adam takes a piece of chalk and draws a little door on the exposed brick of the chimney. 

BARBARA :(continuing) You don't actually think this is going to work? 

American Creativity Association http://www.amcreativityassoc.org/index1.htm

Center for Creative Learning http://www.creativelearning.com/

Creating Minds http://creatingminds.org/tools/tools.htm 

Mycoted  http://www.mycoted.com/Category:Creativity_Techniques 

Mind Tools http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_CT.htm

NAGC’s Creativity Network http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=1419

  Torrance Center at the University of Georgia

http://www.coe.uga.edu/torrance/

Thank You