Classroom Creativity and Critical Thinking by Marilyne Dent
How can I ensure that creativity leads to high-quality learning?
What does creativity look like in my classroom?
Creativity: What is creativity?
Index
How can I ensure that critical thinking leads to high-quality learning?
What does critical thinking look like in my classroom?
Critical thinking: What is critical thinking?
Index
Creativity is freedom, expression, and imagination. Creativity is safe because there is no wrong answer. There is no limitation. There are no boundaries. As module 1.4 describes, a creative usually "seek[s] out inspiration, collaboration, and advice from other creators, past and present." Creativity is a vessel of making connections to any and everything.
What is creativity?
Creativity
Before starting class, I provide fun creative riddles unrelated to math to get students' creativeness flowing
Allowing various options for students to choose how they wish to submit a project
I teach math which is a subject that can easily be black or white; right or wrong. For this reason, I provide problems that have several different ways of arriving to one answer.
Using real world problems and real life scenarios in math word problems so students can make connections
What does creativity look like in my classroom?
Creativity
I can ensure creativity leads to high-quality learning by having students constanlty reflect on the creative process. It is important to have students engage in creative learning, but they also need opportunities to reflect. I will have students think about what creative process they used and how it helped or may not have helped their desired outcomes and what changes they would make next time. I would have students remain conscious of always being creative and unique in their work because they may invent something or inspire others to think out side of the box. I will constantly provide opportunities for students to be creative and nurture anything that may come of it. I will ask the question "How is your idea/work different from anything you've done or seen before?"
How can I ensure creativity leads to high-quality learning?
Creativity
Critical thinking is not surface level. It is challenging and uncomfortable. Sometimes critical thinkers have to be okay with the reality that there is not an explanation to everything and we may not have an answer to certain things. Critical thinking is asking "why/how?" Making inferences, finding a pattern, and being curious.
Critical thinking is asking questions. Not accepting something for what it is but rather, wondering why it is and going deeper.
What is critical thinking?
Critical Thinking
Challenging students to find different solutions or consider a different possible outcome. Providing logic reasoning tasks, puzzles, and activities at the start of class to encourage critical thinking.
Asking students "why/how" questions and encouraging students to ask questions and be curious.
Having students review one anothers' work and pose a question. Encouraging students to respectfully disagree or agree and explain why.
What does crticial thinking look like in my classroom?
Critical Thinking
I can ensure critical thinking leads to high-quality learning by stressing the importance of "weighing options" I want to teach my students that they should take the time and energy to look at every possible outcome and then decide which is best before beginning a task. I will also have them reflect on the process after the task is complete. I will make sure to continue asking "why/how" questions instead of "yes/no" questions. I will put and emphasis on skepticism, logic, and curiosity in everyday learning and in real life.
How can I ensure critical thinking leads to high-quality learning?
Critical Thinking
Both creativity and critical thinking require a person to be curious. Without curiosity, a person won't be able to imagine something or question anything. I will continue to encourage the curious nature in my students which will strengthen their creative and critical thinking skills. Most importantly I need to make sure I am being a model of a creative and critical thinker. I need to lead by example.
What creativity and creative thinking have in common?
Summary