Creativity


 * Unleashing Creativity **

//'Creativity is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration'// Thomas Edison.

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 * Creativity Challenge **

We can foster creativity in our classrooms by: > ently and develop innovative approaches.
 * 1) Ensuring that we have taught explicitly the essential skills and knowledge of our subjects.
 * 2) Teaching our boys how to communicate fluently and confidently.
 * 3) Using strategic questioning that uncovers the learning, such as the ‘What if…?’ and ‘How?’ questions that stretch understanding. The Williams’ model and Socratic questioning are excellent tools for designing questions that stretch the learning.
 * 4) Employing collaborative learning strategies. According to Csikszentmihalyi (1996) creativity flourishes in a “congenial environment”. Creative thinking needs to be shared and validated by others in a socially supportive atmosphere. Sawyer (2007) claims that one of the key conditions for more creative schools is more collaborative cultures that include professional collegiality between teachers and cooperative learning among students.
 * 5) Connecting our boys globally to students and experts in other places. Singh (2010) asserts that culture is an excellent vehicle for inspiring creative thinking and collaborative problem solving. When students share ideas and strategies with students from other countries they are encouraged to think diverg
 * 1) Enabling our boys to have a choice in what they learn and how they demonstrate the learning.
 * 2) Balancing traditional and authentic assessment. Torrance promulgates that when learning is connected to the real world this will “Create the desire to know”.
 * 3) Making meaningful connections between disciplines through integrated assessment.

Dr Yong Zhao proffers the view in his presentation that creativity is fostered when there is passion, collaboration and individual differences are respected.

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 * Planning Sheet for Term 1 Initiative **



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 * Websites to visit **
 * **UNSW IC****T wikispace:** http://unswict.wikispaces.com/Module+E+Ways+Students+can+use+Technology+to+Create – a site for English method students but there are a plethora of ideas for all teachers.
 * **Psychology Today:** []
 * **NY Times; Building a Better Teacher:**
 * **Education Scotland – The Journey to Excellence:** []
 * **The Edge:** fascinating website focused on big ideas: [|The Edge]
 * **Brain Pickings:** Explores fascinating issues ranging from Science to Literature: [|Brain Pickings]
 * Research Papers **


 * Resources **




 * Connecting Globally **

//“Education for Global Citizenship gives them the knowledge, understanding, skills and values that they need if they are to participate fully in ensuring their own, and others’, well-being and to make a positive contribution, both locally and globally”// Oxfam’s //Education for Global Citizenship: A Guide for Schools//.


 * [|Global Classroom]
 * [|epals -]E.g. digital storytelling and global warming
 * Flat Classrooms - [|http://www.flatclassroomproject.o][|rg]
 * Global net schools - [|Global Schools Net]
 * Skype in the Classroom: [|Skype in the classroom]
 * ===WeWrite2connect Global Writing Project - contact Karen Yager - yagerk@knox.nsw.edu.au - @yagerk===

BLC13
Thank you to the amazing teachers who attended my workshop at BLC.

Karen's handout:

Karen's presentation: