Creative-Critical Reflection Part 4
Critical Literacy Skill: Creativity
I will ensure that my students understand the importance of creativity by showing them that creativity is not a shallow buzzword, but rather highlighting its role in the world outside of the classroom. I will also emphasize the importance of creativity, while also encouraging my students to think creatively, by rewarding creative solutions to assignments, as well creating a classroom culture of generating multiple ideas.
Creativity is an important component of problem-solving. Creativity is what allows us to look at a problem and come up with unique solutions.
Creativity is what allows us to innovate and create new interesting things.
In a highly competitive world, creativity -- the ability to think outside of the box, and to create innovative solutions to problems -- is critical to standing out.
Tools for promoting creativity
Carson Ellis’ #transmundanetuesday: Taking a page from one of my favorite illustrators, Transmundane Tuesdays is a weekly assignment where participants are given a randomly generated prompt and are asked to draw it. The prompts are usually weird and whimsical and it’s interesting seeing others’ interpretations. I think this is a good tool, because creativity is a muscle, and something that needs to be exercised; frequent prompts like these are a great way to practice creative thinking, as well as drawing. https://www.carsonellis.com/blog/2020/3/16/qac-assignment-2-transmundanetuesdays
Sketchbooks: In a similar vein to the last tool, having a consistent sketchbook practice is a great way of exercising that creative muscle. Having a sketchbook is also a great way to practice new techniques and acts as a safe space to try/come up with new ideas and fail at them.
I never heard of Carson Ellis’ #transmundanetuesday! This sounds like such a fun way to get students excited for the class: sharing ways everyone approached the same prompt. Something I struggled with in creative broad prompt in classes was comparing myself to others: how will you encourage students to focus on their own creative paths and ways of thinking inside the classroom?
ReplyDelete-cristy
Fuck that's a hard question. Honestly I don't know if I have an answer to this: even now I still compare my work to others. I thought about not sharing the prompts as a solution, so no one compares their responses to others, but not only is that unlikely, but this issue goes beyond this one hypothetical. I could make it a running theme/norm of conduct for the class? It's definitely something I've seen from some of my art teachers, but again I still do it so maybe not very effective. It might just have to be one of those things you repeat over and over again until a student internalizes it; which may not be till they're much older
DeleteI like how you are focusing on giving form/value to the idea of creativity and applying it to situations that lie beyond the classroom. The #transmundanetuesday prompt looks like so much fun, and i think that this is a great tool that you have found! Another idea that branches off of this would be to have students take turns coming up with their own short-worded prompts.
ReplyDeleteoooooh that is a nice idea: making it more participatory and something the students are in-charge of
DeleteHi Lazaro,
ReplyDeleteI love these tools you came up with, and I also loved your analysis of creativity as a critical skill. I truly believe creativity is super important in life and could benefit or a lack or creativity could harm an individual holistically. I wonder how you would get this across to students who say things like "well I'm just not a creative person"?
I think I would try getting it across to them by just emphasizing that creativity is a skill and that it's innate in everyone. Like, as young children we're all very creative: if you've ever played make-believe, found a solution to a problem, or built something in Minecraft, you've been creative. So I guess the goal for a student like that is just getting them comfortable with that idea, and having them practice being creative
DeleteHey Lazaro,
ReplyDeleteI think both tools great, I agree that a sketchbook is a create way of implementing creative thinking in the students. Especially if the sketchbook could be taken home and students can then continue thinking creatively at home. Will you be providing the prompts or will it be more open minded?
Probably both. Like I don't want to dictate what a kid does in their sketchbook so I will probably leave it open-ended with the prompt either being a suggestion or only a part of the assignment. So if I assign 3 sketchbook pages, one of them can be the prompt and the other 2 are free for the student to draw what they feel
Delete