Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

1. The Creative Classroom
Nurturing and Supporting Innovative Thought
Wednesday, July 25th, 2012
Jeff Danielian
jdanielian@nagc.org

4. Possible Titles and Ideas
Eminence, Prominence, and Diligence
Chance, Circumstance, and Incidence
Consideration, Expectation, and
Evaluation
Motivation, Dedication, Frustration,
and Introspection

5. From the pages of:
“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.”
“Education, much like life, is an ever changing
process. Failure, as a variable, always comes into
play.”
“The monotony of daily classes is lost when students are
allowed to discover who they are as individuals.”

6. “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

7. “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

8. I Love
The
Chalkboard

9. “ Take something simple
and
connect it
”
to many things.

10. Chalk: It’s Ancient Uses
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.

11. Chalk: The Science
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.

12. Chalk: Other Uses
Chalk 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.

13. Chalk: Other Uses
Tailor'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.

15. What is Creativity

17. A Generational Campaign

19. The Reason for
my becoming
and educator!
And why I
still am…

20. “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 Tonight
from: No Line on The Horizon 2009

23. Csikszentmihaly’s three-part
theory of creativity
• the individual
• field
• the domain
These are the most important components of
the realization of creativity.
• FLOW

24. 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.”

25. 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.

26. Factors Contributing to Creativity
Amabile: Maslow :
Intrinsic motivation Self-actualization concept
• the love, satisfaction, • the creative individual
and challenge of a continues to develop by
particular event which recognizing his own
directs talent. potential, and the
motivation comes from
inner strength and
confidence.

27. Art Costa
Habits of Mind
 Persisting  Thinking about your thinking
 Communicating with clarity (metacognition)
and precision  Taking risks
 Managing impulsivity  Striving for accuracy and
 Gathering data through all precision
senses  Finding humor
 Listening with understanding  Questioning and problem
and empathy posing
 Creating, imagining,  Thinking interdependently
innovating  Applying past knowledge to
 Thinking flexibly new situations
 Responding with wonderment  Remaining open to
and awe continuous learning

28. Three Ring Conception Over
Houndstooth Pattern

29. “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

30. Creativity enters the Equation: An Influential Teacher
and A Little Bit of Luck
Prompt: Picture of a Man On An Airplane
The High IQ Subject
Mr. 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.
Getzels, J. W., & Jackson, P. W. (1962). Creativity and Intelligence:
Explorations With Gifted Students. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

31. Prompt: Picture of a Man On An Airplane
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.

32. Positive Characteristics
of Creativity
• aware of their own • attracted to complexity
creativeness and novelty
• original • artistic
• independent • open-minded
• willing to take risks • need for privacy, alone
• energetic time
• curious • perceptive
• keen sense of humor

33. Negative Characteristics of Creativity
• questioning rules and • absentmindedness
authority • indifference to common
• stubbornness conventions
• low interest in details • tendency to be
• forgetfulness emotional
• carelessness and
disorganization with
unimportant matters

34. 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..

35. Strategies

36. 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.

37. Creative Dramatics
The 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.

38. “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?

39. 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?

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

44. Classroom Implications
Many 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)

45. •Asking what if or just • Refining, developing, and
suppose questions strengthening possibilities.
• Predicting, speculating, • Setting priorities, sorting,
and forecasting and then arranging, and categorizing
testing out ideas. ideas.
• Combining or changing • Examining ideas using a
parts to make new constructive approach
possibilities. • Focusing on how to
• Thinking about strengthen or build up ideas
metaphors or analogies by analyzing possibilities
in balanced and forward
thinking ways.
• Going beyond what is
given by acquiring and
using vast amounts of • Showing initiative and
information. taking ownership in
• Gathering, organizing, problem solving.
and analyzing data from • Persisting when things
many sources and are not yet working.
domains. • Reflecting on their
• Asking many, varied, goals and progress.
and unusual questions. • Marching to a
• Learning from different drummer.
mistakes.

46. Observation
It 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.

47. 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!

48. 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

49. 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.

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

51. Reward Creative Ideas and Products Identify and Surmount Obstacles
Imagine Other Viewpoints
How to Define and Redefine Problems
Tolerate Ambiguity
Teach Self-Responsibility
Allow Time for Creative Thinking
Cross-Fertilize Ideas Promote Self-Regulation
Proselytize for Creativity
Build Self-Efficacy
Delay Gratification Encourage Sensible Risks
Encourage Idea Generation
Instruct and Assess Creatively
Recognize Person-Environmental Fit
http://www.cdl.org/resource-library/articles/teaching_creativity.php
Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

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

53. 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.
Question Assumptions
Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

54. If and when students make mistakes, ask them to
analyze and discuss them either with you, their
parents, or a classmates.
Allow Mistakes
Remind them that quite often, mistakes contain
the germ of good ideas.
If you want to make a difference, explore mistakes
with your students.
Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

55. Encourage Creative Collaboration Play to Strengths
Encouraging creative By identifying
performance during group specific talent, you
work is essential . can create
opportunities for
Giving your students the students to use
chance to work them.
collaboratively models real
world situations. Flexibility in
assignments is key!
Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

56. Seek Stimulating Environments
Re-Arrange Desks, Go
Outside, down the hall or
venture out to a nearby
There is nothing museum or other location.
more rewarding
than watching an A change of environment is
excited students. sometimes all that is
needed.
Offer variety in
your content area Role Play or Simulation
as well as in your activities are also provide a
product choice great outlet.
Adapted From: TEACHING FOR CREATIVITY: TWO DOZEN TIPS By Robert Sternberg and Wendy M. Williams

57. E. Paul
Torrance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDGLuwOhzjk

58. 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

59. ADAM :(looking through the handbook) Adam draws a doorknob. He tries to turn it. The
I found something this morning. (reads) "In door, perhaps to his surprise, fails to open.
case of emergency, draw door."
ADAM :Wait.
BARBARA :Draw door? I don't know why we He looks at book, then writes on the door:
keep looking in that stupid book. KNOCK AND ENTER.
Adam takes a piece of chalk and draws a little Adam knocks on the door, and turns the knob.
door on the exposed brick of the chimney. Nothing.
BARBARA :(continuing) You don't actually Adam goes back to the book. ADAM
think this is going to work? (continuing) Aha! Knock three times. ANOTHER
ANGLE He knocks three times. Turns knob. The
chalked door swings magnificently open.

60. 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/

61. Thank You