Hope of the Future: Creativity in the Classroom

Creativity. According to Merriam-Webster, creativity is the ability to make new things or think of new ideas. Creativity is a very valuable skill. However, it is not one that is highly encouraged in many school settings. Schools value skills such as listening/paying attention, following directions, and intellectual capabilities. Ten years ago Ken Robinson gave a TED talk titled, Do Schools Kill Creativity? His focus was that to prepare students for the future educators need to encourage creativity - creative thinking and the arts. Well, today is the future he was talking about.

Due to the dynamic characteristic of today’s work environment, creativity is a skill employers desire. Creativity is no longer a skill that is reserved for students focused on arts education. It is a skill crucial for all of our students. Kristen Hicks, author of Why Creativity in the Classroom Matters More Than Ever, states, “Learning a specific skill set doesn’t have the value in today’s world that it once did. Learning how to be more creative (and thus adaptable) – now that’s what prepares students for life beyond the classroom.”

Hicks’ Edudemic article also gives 5 Ways to Bring More Creativity Into the Classroom. She asserts that creative assignments are better for both the student and the teacher. They are more engaging for the student to complete and more enjoyable for the teacher to grade. Her suggestions include the following:

1. Don’t limit assignments to one format - Differentiating instruction. You provide the subject, but give students freedom in the product.
2. Set time aside for creativity - Set aside time during the day (or week) to allow students the opportunity for creative thinking.
3. Use tech to broaden your idea of assignments - In today’s world, creativity and technology go hand-in-hand.
4. Introduce unconventional learning materials into class - Content can be found in places other than textbooks - and it may be more engaging in a different format.
5. Encourage discussion - Using debates or the Socratic method in your classroom gets students actively engaged. Hicks also states, “The ability to communicate your ideas clearly and respectfully is something that will benefit students in all areas of their life – and something a lot of people grow up never learning how to do well.”

Creating a learning environment that fosters and encourages creativity requires teachers to be creative too. Almost all children start their educational careers with a desire to learn, bright imaginations, open minds, and willingness to take risks. Even as Sir Ken Robinson says:

“The gardener does not make the plant grow. The job of a gardener is to make optimal conditions.”

- Sir Ken Robinson

Courses available through Pepper will provide foundational concepts that will allow teachers to implement a creative classroom approach. Check out our wide range of Pepper Courses and our Pepper Resource Library to further your own professional growth.

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Tomorrowland and 21st Century Learning: Classroom of the Future?

Over the weekend my family watched the recent movie, Tomorrowland. The message of the movie is one of dreams and hope for the future. It implies that our future is in the hands of the children of today. We must encourage our students to have a desire for a better tomorrow. 21st Century Skills are all about preparing our students for success in the future. The Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21) was founded in 2002 as a coalition of business, education, and government policymakers to stress the importance of 21st Century Skills for all students. P21’s mission is to serve as catalyst for 21st century learning to build collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders so that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a world where change is constant and learning never stops. The goal is for 21st century skills to be infused into our curriculum. Alvin Toffler once said, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who can’t read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” P21 has developed the graphic below to illustrate their framework for 21st Century Learning.

According to the P21 website, “The elements described below are the critical systems necessary to ensure 21st century readiness for every student. 21st century standards, assessments, curriculum, instruction, professional development and learning environments must be aligned to produce 21st century outcomes for today’s students.” These elements include:

• Content Knowledge and 21st Century Themes
• Learning and Innovation Skills
• Information, Media, and Technology Skills
• Life and Career Skills

Tom Whitby’s article, The Longer View: Edtech and 21st-Century Education, highlights the importance of moving our 20th Century teaching methods into the 21st Century - which includes using technology as a tool in the classroom. Whitby states, “We don't need to repurpose today's tools to make them fit a 20th century education model. We need to develop new methodology to meet the needs of 21st century learners. To change the system, we first need to change the culture.”

Whitby continues by saying that being connected as an educator can have a positive impact on our teaching. Pepper utilizes technology to help teachers collaborate with other education professionals and provide opportunity for teachers to remain on top of ever-changing educational trends and ideas. As you participate in Pepper courses, be sure to take advantage of your Pepper People Network.

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