Resources for the Classroom: CreativityCreativity can come in many forms and can be defined in many ways. Sir Ken Robinson writes a lot about creativity in his book Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative. In the book, Robinson says, "Creativity is putting your imagination to work." "To be a creative leader you need to understand that everyone has creative potential. "Allow your students to take risks and to develop and discover their own intelligence." There are so many ways to test your student's intelligence while allowing them to be creative instead of the ways we've traditionally tested their intelligence, through formative and summative assessments. This post is meant to show you resources you can use to nurture and inspire creativity in your students. If you've taught students traditionally through formative and summative assessments how about changing it up? Allow students to be creative and demonstrate their learning through Learning Menus (Choice Boards). Learning Menus have traditionally been developed as a 3x3 board but Learning Menus can come in many different forms and sizes. Alfie Kohn says that Learning Menus can give students a greater feeling of academic confidence, they can build autonomy and responsibility in students, they provide opportunities to participate in decision making, and they provide a better glimpse into a student's role as a 21st century learner. Sir Ken Robinson says, "Creativity isn't about a lack of constraints but more about working within them and overcoming them." "We need to encourage people to believe in their creative potential and nurture the confidence to try." Learning Menus can be a great way for students to express that creativity and a great jumping off point for transformational teaching. Click on the image above to find out more and discover various resources about Learning Menus from EdTech leaders like @TommySpall, @ShakeUpLearning, @NadineGilikson, @JenniferFindlayBlog, @JGTechieTeacher, Chelsey Brown, and @Thinglink_EDU. If you are looking to move in a direction that encorporates all aspects of a learning cycles and provides students more freedom and flexibility you can try using HyperDocs. HyperDocs are a digital document where all components of a learning cycle have been pulled together in one location. A HyperDoc allows you to create and package a lesson plan tailored to fit the needs of your students. These lessons create quality inquiry based learning experiences so students can explore content, adjust their understanding through explorations, and apply knowledge in a meaningful way. The HyperDoc Gals say, "The HyperDoc serves as a content-packed, go-between for the teacher and student." A HyperDoc is more than a collection of links and the platform in which it is delivered. A true HyperDoc is meant for teachers to choose specific web tools/apps that allow students to participate in the 4 Cs (Communicate, Collaborate, Be Creative, and Critically Think), the 4 Es (Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend Learning), and Apply, Share, and Reflect on their learning to maximize its impact." HyperDocs give all students a voice, allow them to develop their problem-solving skills, and create an authentic learning outcome to show their knowledge and connect that with a wider audience. Elliot Eisner said, "Not everything important is measurable and not everything measurable is important." HyperDocs are a great way to bridge the gap between what a traditional classroom was and what a 21st century classroom should be." To learn more about HyperDocs click on the image above to find resources from great EdTech leaders like The HyperDoc Gals, Jennifer Gonzalez creator of Cult of Pedagogy, and Matt Miller creator of Ditch that Textbook. Finally, there is a lot of discussion in education about student voice and choice. The Glossary of Education Reforms defines voice and choice as, "values, opinions, beliefs, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds of individual students and groups of students in a school, and to instructional approaches and techniques that are based on student choices, interests, passions, and ambitions.” I've written about two ways this can be accomplished, Learning Menus and HyperDocs. George Couros writes in his book, The Innovator's Mindset, "Creativity is where we start to think differently and innovation is where creativity comes to life." "Create content with the intention of sharing it." In education we need to start to create a space where students can showcase their voice. One specific way we can do that is through Digital Portfolios. We used to have folders teachers we would add our assignments to as part of a portfolio that got passed along from year to year and from teacher to teacher. With the power of technology, students can post that information on the internet and it can easily be shared with their parents, college recruiters, and potential employers to demonstrate their growth, voice, and potential. Simon Sinek says, "Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion." If students know they are creating something with the purpose of showcasing it to the world instead of an audience of one students might show more purpose. John Spencer writes in his book Empower, "When you hide your voice you rob the world of your creativity." We don't want to hide student voices and a digital portfolio can be that “purposeful” collection of student performance demonstrating growth, acquisition of skills or knowledge, and creativity over time published in a digital format for the world." Digital portfolios can often be a resource for reflection and an opportunity for students to show pride in their hard work while demonstrating their understanding and learning experiences. I'm not advocating that every assignment goes into a Digital Portfolio because there are certainly different types of assignments and a time and place for each. To learn more about Digital Portfolios and how to incorporate them click the image above to find resources from EdTech leaders like George Couros of the Innovator's Mindset and others. I've provided a lot of information to let students flex their creative muscle. In my next post I'll look at specific apps and their capabilities you can use to have students demonstrate their creativity and knowledge.
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