What is Creativity?
Eastern
Perspective:
A
state of personal fulfillment, the expression of an inner essence of ultimate
reality (Chu,
1970; Kuo, 1996; Mathur, 1982).
Western
Perspective: The ability to produce work that is
novel or original and appropriate, useful, or adaptive (Barron,
1988; Jackson & Messick, 1967; Lubart, 1994; MacKinnon, 1962; Ochse, 1990;
Stein, 1953; Sternberg, 1988a; Sternberg & Lubart, 1991, 1995, 1996).
Principles of Creativity (in "The Torrance Kids at Mid-life, Miller, 2002)"
1. Creativity is ageless.
2. Everyone can be creative (you don't have to be Einstein).
3. Creativity is a continual process, 24 hours a day.
4. Failure is the mother of all creativity.
5. To be creative, you have to be incredibly positive.
Links to Other Creativity Sites
Can creativity be taught? YES.
Then, how can we encourage children to be creative?
Provide a psychologically safe environment, which allows for disagreement and a degree of controversy.
Shift focus of learning to the children; allow choice; engage them as a partner.
Set clear, simple, and reseasonable limits; allow choice and flexibility within these limits.
Allow for movement and reasonable noise.
Acknowledge humor; provide time and outlet for humor.
Encourage sampling. browsing, and exploring varied topics; allow for questioning and probing; provide hands-on activities.
Employ integrated and broad thematic approaches to curriculum development; approach problems as opportunities for novel solutions; incorporate metaphor and analogies in instructional practices.
Provide situations/activities that are open-ended, provocative, and multidisciplinary.
Allow multimedia approaches to assignments; provide materials for artistic expression in all content areas.
Allow individual work time and provide a space and time for queit thinking and reflection.
Discuss multiple perspectives and encourage sensorial exploration of materials; accept emotions and explore affective responses.
Provide for individualization and differentiation in curriculum and materials; include opportunities for the use of imagery in educational activities.
Susan Daniels, 1997, in "Handbook of Gifted Education" (Colangelo, N, & Davis, G.A.)