Creativity in Education

[Hal Portner]

"Members of the Teacher Leaders Network discuss the critical need for creativity in their profession and in students' learning."

I just read the above article and it evoked an "its about time!" from me since I've been advocating this for years. Any thoughts? Read the entire article at:

http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/index.html

[Tim Hurson]

This is actually a response from the incomparable Matteo Catullo. Matteo, who lives in Milan, Italy, is the founder of The Little School of CREA, which he refers to below:

The Little School of CREA

A school is a place where you can learn by experimenting because you feel protected reassured either physically and/or mentally

Judgment is suspended in order to increase the space expressive of the persons.

Time becomes free to allow each person to decide on their own rhythms.

School is expression, unique and never replays of the people, in continuous movement in the infinite combination of relations.

School means surprise, because without surpise you cannot enter the mystery of the unknown, and to learn means to take the risk to enter the unknown.

School is perception, feeling, imagination and finally concept. It reproduces the natural system of learning thanks to atmospheres and tools that increase opportunities.

Program:
1- To open the time
2- To give space
3- To create time
4- To create space
5- To listen
6- To talk to each other
7- Blocks
8- To create 1
9- To create 2
10- To create 3

[Kevin Byron]

Hi Hal,

It's perhaps an unusual contribution but I thought I would add this obituary of George Baines to this discussion because it tells us so much about education and how one person made a huge difference. The article was written by Cathy Burke who wrote the book'The School I'd like' which is full of ideas on what a school should be like as suggested by school-kids themselves.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/oct/27/george-baines-obituary

Regards,

Kevin

[Hal Portner]

Thanks, Kevin. George Baines did indeed have a vision and inspired others to follow it. We owe him much.
I taught in a school years age that not only embraced his 'open-plan' organizational and instructional concepts, but also was actually constructed to accomodate it -- large rooms with adjustable partitions and several multipurpose areas. Unfortunately, no professional development was provided as to the building's intended use, or the instructinal aspects involved. No surprise, within a few months of opening, the partitions were in place and the open space -- and instruction -- were back to traditional classroom size and mindset.