Arts and Creativity - new 21st century literacies!

After School program for ballet.

Video Game design.

In recent decades the push for higher standardized tests scores has resulted in the virtual elimination of art, music, drama, dance and even recess in the majority of schools.  Social studies were also relegated to the sidelines as teachers focused on higher test scores in reading and math.

In a recent survey, 85% of people agreed that creative thinking is critical for problem solving in their career.  And with the challenges the world is facing today in our global economy, in our environment, and in social issues, the need for creative ideas has never been greater.[i]

As Sir Ken Robinson stated, “Creativity is not an option, it’s an absolute necessity.”  Therefore, we must find ways to bring creativity into learning.  But first, we have to understand what conditions foster true creativity, which Robinson defines as “the process of having original ideas that have value.”

Creativity is now the number one skill in demand by employers.  It is interesting to note that current employers keep asking us to graduate students with the skills of creativity, collaboration, entrepreneurship, innovation, problem solving and critical thinking, but that the schools themselves continue to deliver a narrow curriculum devoid of the arts and creativity.  Why is that?

---

The current structure/design of our schools – from the actual buildings and school grounds to policies, procedures, curriculum and schedules –  actually acts as a deterrent to creativity.

We know what children need; yet we do not create the change required in order to provide the context and support for developing 21st century skills or multiple literacies.  Our schools remain firmly in the factory model paradigm – no creativity allowed!

Setting the stage for developing literacies of the Arts and Creativity involve intentional design of the physical learning environment, the emotional environment, scheduling, organization and implementation of curriculum and instruction, and attention to the body and the brain!

What can we do to provide children with what they need as we also continue to push for real change?  Thankfully, there are things that teachers can do – provided they also have the support of the campus and district administrators, and the parents.


Integrating and Supporting the Arts and Creativity

1.       Physical Environment - Design a physical environment to support creativity.  For the school building or facility itself, create Maker Spaces, a DaVinci Studio (art and science), Living Schoolyards, a Labyrinth, Multimedia Production Studio, Lecture Hall for student presentations, Student Conference Room, Outdoor Amphitheater, an open area Plaza, and lose the cells and bells![ii]  What other places, inside and outside, can you create or identify, at home or at school, where children can go to daydream, reflect, design and create?

Rearrange the furniture in your current campus, library or classroom to incorporate the concepts of the Watering Hole, the Campfire and the Cave.  See this article also about the Da Vinci, Einstein and Jamie Oliver studios.

2.       Emotional Environment – take time to create and maintain a climate of respect and caring and that supports making mistakes.  A former principal told us, “The man who makes no mistakes, makes nothing.”

3.       Project-based learning – introduce choice, freedom and space for creativity.  The PBL units you design should be relevant, rigorous and real world in order to achieve the highest levels of student motivation, engagement and learning.  Preferably, they are interdisciplinary.  Begin by brainstorming a theme, topic, issue or idea you’d like the students to explore, then brainstorm the possibilities for each discipline.

4.       Teach Creative Thinking Skills – first teach students about “metacognition” – “thinking about their thinking.”  You can teach that to the little ones, too; they love being able to know such a big word!  Teach them how to use Edward DeBono’s Six Thinking Hats, how to brainstorm, compare and contrast, problem-solve, concept map, analyze, evaluate and more!  (Just “Google” thinking tools for K-12!)

5.       Alternative Assessments – instead of a worksheet or an assignment in which every student creates a poster (about the same thing), provide plenty of leeway for students to create products in a medium of their choice!  For example, a student-produced video, film, television or radio broadcast;  a student-written and produced play;  a debate;  a public service announcement;  design a product;  create a marketing campaign;  a mock trial;  write and publish a class book;  simulations;  digital or multimedia portfolio;  student-organized conference;  dinner theatre for the community (Shakespeare or Charles Dickens?);  create a board or video game;  a musical production . . .

Note:  these assessments are not something students will do in or two class periods, but are final performances, or products, which demonstrate and celebrate what they have learned throughout all (or a significant portion of) their project-based curriculum unit.  In the meantime, you can conduct simple, quick formative assessments, mainly through close teacher observation.

6.        Scheduling – project-based curriculum and performance-based assessments require adequate time.  The most effective learning and teaching will take place when you create Smaller Learning Communities, for example, six teachers with expertise in various disciplines who work with the same group of students all day every day.  Another option, although not as effective, is creating a block schedule.  Students will attend 3 classes per day instead of 6, and for 90 minutes each instead of changing class every 45 minutes.   A daily schedule of 7 or more 45-minute class periods per day is absolute anathema to creativity and learning!

7.       Student-Centered and Personalized Learning – give students voice and choice as much as possible regarding what they will learn, how they will learn it and how they will demonstrate what they have learned.  

8.       Incorporate the Arts – seamlessly integrate music, art, drama and dance into your PBL curriculum.  Try not to make creativity time be separate from the rest of the curriculum, but let these disciplines become a vehicle for delivering the curriculum while developing creativity.  Here's how.

9.       Integration of Technologies – student blogs and web sites, Glogster, VoiceThread, student publishing, video game design, coding, filmmaking, photography, global collaborative classroom projects using Google Hangouts . . . 

10.   Preparing the Body and Brain for Creativity - offer students (and faculty) opportunities such as yoga, tai chi, ballet, jazz,  pilates . . .

A Small Sampler of Recommended Resources

Web Site - Project-Based Learning Themes – a small, but growing, web site with suggestions for various PBL themes and topics as well as recommended resources and activities.  Subscribe at no charge.  

Blog – Becoming a 21st Century School

Video - Even if you’ve seen it before, this very powerful TED Talk is excellent.  “Are schools killing creativity?” by Sir Ken Robinson.

Online Tool for Students -SketchUp – online tools for designers, architects, builders, makers and engineers.

Teacher Toolkit - Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit  plus more resources from the dSchool at Stanford University’s K12 Lab.

Teacher Guidebook - The Director in the Classroom – the best resource I’ve seen to helping students learn filmmaking.  Also available at Amazon.

Thinking Tools – 6 Thinking Hats, Concept Mapping, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Design Thinking, (Just "Google" thinking tools for K-12)

Article - Fasko, Daniel.  Education and Creativity (2001)

Article - Dickinson, Dee.  Learning Through the Arts - excellent discussion relating learning through the arts to the human brain, intelligence, individual differences, visual arts, music, dance, drama, the workplace and life skills.

Connecting to Nature - these are listed for families, but most of them can be done at school!  On Richard Louv's web site.  If you haven't seen it, his book Last Child in the Woods is an invaluable resource for parents, educators and community members.

Drumming Classes - students and teachers love them, and they are excellent stress reducers.  The Youth Villages Inner Harbour has West African Drumming classes for their students.  They are invorating and fun for everyone!  Behavioral problems are drastically reduced, even for students with severe behavioral and emotional challenges.  Just "Google" drumming for schools.  Don't just hire someone to come in to do a workshop, get someone on staff to hold regular classes.  Read this article and see the images for other amazing ways this school fully integrates the arts into their curriculum!  They have yoga classes, too!

Yoga for Schools -  yoga improves students' behavior, physical health and academic performance, as well as attitudes toward themselves. See article in Wall Street Journal.

Tai Chi for Schools - excellent for improving physical health, calmness, focus, relaxation, communication and team-building, self-discipline and self-awareness.  TaiChiforKids.com  

Parents and Community Members - these people are a veritable gold mine, and would love to contribute, so use them!  You can find qualified volunteers to come to your school a hour a day to teach a class on yoga, pilates, ballet and jazz, Tai Chi or West African Drumming.

Compasses to Creating 21st Century Schools – including Critical Attributes of 21st Century Education, Multiple Literacies for the 21st Century, and Tony Wagner’s 7 Survival Skills for the 21st Century.

[i] https://creative-learners-k12.attendease.com/
[ii] Anne Frank Inspire Academy, designed by Fielding Nair International