I have always considered myself to be a creative person. I grew up taking music lessons, practiced art, and used creativity as a means of self-expression. Though, like many of us have most likely experienced, that time seems to go away as you get older. This summer, I brought home a trombone with the intention to pick it back up but still have not found the time to do so. I have all the necessary tools to be creative but I struggle with finding the time or the energy to do any of it, between teaching and completing school.
One of the takeaways from a previous course in this program was how creativity is often framed as a positive thing, but what about the negative effects of creativity? What about the feelings of discouragement or anxiety around not having the time to be creative? Or the students in our classes who have this ideology that, “I’m not creative” and then are scared to put themselves out there in fear of failure? “Learning takes place best when learners are involved in setting and meeting goals and tying information to their experiences.” (Starko, 2015, p. 8). Are we making a safe and creative space for our students? The “strategies that support creativity” (Starko, 2015, p. 8) must be in place in order for creativity to flow.
As part of my readings for this module, I came across an old definition of creativity I wrote for my first course in this program, two years ago. One sentence stuck out to me which was, “Creativity can be found anywhere.” I have since learned that creativity is not always about producing a product, or something tangible. As (Gini-Newman & Case, 2015, p. 53) describe, these “little c” moments “refers to the ways in which people solve everyday problems by going beyond what they have typically done to bring about useful or insightful solutions.” Nowadays, I try to integrate my “little c” moments into everyday activities, such as my fashion choices, my indoor classroom garden, and getting students involved in the making of our classroom design. This last one involves students creating some of the artwork that goes on our walls and deciding where in the room would be a good place to put it. Some go from thinking they were not creative, to seeing their work displayed, which opens up more opportunities for them to take creative risks.
This quote by Ursala K. Le Guin is how I would describe creativity today, “The creative adult is the child who survived.” Maintaining creativity through adulthood can be challenging to preserve, through the responsibilities and societal norms we experience as we grow older. Maintaining that sense of curiosity, innovation, and imagination that is found in children can help us keep an open mind and find opportunities for the “little c” in every day decisions. Currently, I am catching up on a lot of journal writing. It’s a practice I have done for twelve years as it helps me relax, reflect, and be creative. I miss not having as much time to do it every day, but am setting small goals for myself. For example, write three pages today and include a quote from your favourite song. Write five pages tomorrow and draw a flower of your choice. Finding ways to incorporate creativity into everyday tasks has led to a more positive mindset and has kept me grounded during the busier moments of life.
References
Gini Newman, G. & Case, R. (2015). “Critical, creative, and collaborative dimensions of thinking, pp. 45-60, Creating Thinking Classrooms: Leading Educational Change for a 21st Century World. Vancouver, BC: The Critical Thinking Consortium.
Starko, A. J. (2015). “What is Creativity,” pp. 1-24. Creativity in the classroom: Schools of curious delight (5 ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Stratford, August 2022
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