Men of genius sometimes accomplish most when they work the least, for they are thinking out inventions and forming in their minds the perfect idea that they subsequently express with their hands. Leonardo DaVinci
How good are you with numbers? Not mathematics...just counting consecutively. Well, let's see with this week's interactive exercise. Click on the daisy to begin.
Welcome to Week 5! In Week 4 you learned that a creative environment is not just the physical make-up of the classroom, it is also the cultural climate within it. This week we will concentrate on nurturing and developing creativity by understanding how creativity encourages innovation, and how innovation and divergent thinking come back around to promote creativity. Innovation (a new method, idea, or product) and creativity go hand-in-hand. Students are motivated when they have opportunities to experiment, investigate, play, and work in their individual domain. Creativity is best nurtured in this learning environment.
A simple place to start to nurture and develop creativity is to understand the interests of your gifted students (as we did in Week 1). Another way to promote new ideas is to follow in the constructivist theory, which uses content designed and created by the students. Having your students choose a theme for the year or class motto that supports their values and expectations for the school year is a way to help them develop and focus on their goals. Community ties also help develop creativity when students research a community organization and invent ways in which they can support that organization throughout the school year. The common thread in nurturing and developing creativity is to encourage innovation and choice. Consequently, the best way to encourage innovation is by nurturing a creative environment!
Let’s take a look at innovation and divergent thinking and the role they play in nurturing creativity.