Creativity is a skill that can be learned and developed with practice, like riding a bicycle or operating a computer.
The reality of the formal education system muzzling our originality and creativity is well-known. In his book Ideas on Demand, writer Milind Harrdas states ‘Each one of us was born creative. And then, one day, we went to school.’ In a similar vein, Pablo Picasso, the renowned Spanish painter, remarks: ‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.’ It is estimated that by the time we turn forty, most of us express less than two per cent of the creativity we demonstrated as children.
Creativity, or a creative approach to teaching and learning, is crucial in the present times. In fact, creativity is one of the Four Cs of the 21st-century learning skillset, along with critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Let us explore ways the teacher can foster a climate of creativity in her classroom and rekindle the creative spark.
Creativity is a skill that can be learned and developed with practice, like riding a bicycle or operating a computer. The teacher first needs to adapt creative teaching methodologies that appeal to the present Gen Z. Games, participatory exercises, puzzles, case studies, role-plays, simulations, and brainstorming techniques are some student-centred methods that may be explored. Some simple creativity exercises, like writing the names of trees or the most words with the letter ‘I’, can be used by any teacher, regardless of the subject being taught. (See box for more details and other exercises).
Generating new idea
Creativity, which derives from the Latin creare, to make, is most often associated with the arts and culture. Creativity is the ability or process by which something new and different is created. The ‘something” may be either a physical object (sculpture, painting, or invention) or something intangible (a theory, idea, or melody). Creativity is the act of turning new ideas into reality. Creativity is characterised by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena.
Creativity is for everyone, not just the talented few. It is, therefore, the prerogative of a teacher to encourage and reawaken the spark of creativity in children.
A creative teacher can nudge students to combine the two sides—the left and right brains—to multiply their creative power. We can be creative in almost anything we do—at work, at play, in business, in parenting, as well as teaching and training.
According to brain expert Tony Buzan, our brain has about 100 billion cells, each of which is directly or indirectly connected via ganglia and dendrites to approximately 20,000 other cells.
This boils down to the fact that the number of thoughts that we can think is greater than the new number of molecules in the known universe. You are a potential genius.
Some exercises on creativity
Here are some simple exercises on creativity and critical thinking that any teacher can use, regardless of the subject or topic they are teaching.
Display a painted coffee mug, which is usually kept in a showcase, and ask students to think of multiple uses for the mug beyond drinking.
Try brainstorming the multiple uses of a brick, brown paper, or a plate.
Creativity circles: Make students draw in their notebook or prepare an A4 sheet with 12 circles the size of a 5-rupee coin. Let students draw round objects. The coin is an obvious example. Other examples may be found in the classroom, on campus, on the road outside, in natural objects, and on themselves.
Within a specified time limit (two minutes), write down the names of trees. Count one for each answer you were able to come up with. 0-7 indicates low creativity; 8-15 average creativity, and above 15 is high.
In two minutes, write as many words as you can with the letter ‘I’. 0-5 indicates low creativity; 6-10, average; and above 10, high.
List the number of languages spoken in India or the world in one minute. Here, speed is the criterion, as fluency is a measure of creativity.
The 20 idea method: Write a topic, goal, or problem at the top of a marker board and discipline your group to continue writing until you generate a minimum of 20 answers. This method can also be done individually.
Creative classroom
Myths and false beliefs about creativity abound, and a creative teacher can dispel these misconceptions by being creative in her approach and nurturing students’ creativity. Some myths about creativity include: a) creativity is a gift of the few; b) one must be ‘bright’ to be creative; c) students need to have core skills such as literacy before they can be creative; d) creative thinking skills cannot be taught.
Creativity incorporates playfulness, curiosity, sensitivity, and independence. Creative, rather than ‘reactive’ thinking needs to be fostered. A creative classroom:
cultivates a climate where creative thinking flourishes constantly;
encourages questioning to stimulate creativity; makes it clear that all ideas are valuable; encourages self-evaluation and cultivates self-esteem; makes fun a central component of the teaching/learning process is organised and ordered, yet there is the flexibility to generate ideas within the structure of teaching/learning.
Teachers are powerful role models. They can best encourage our students’ creativity by being creative themselves. An encouraging teacher might say: That’s a good idea. How can we build on it? What other solutions will you go on to find now? Throughout my over three-decade teaching and training career, my greatest and most acknowledged strength has been the use of creative methods in the classroom. Apart from the commonly used learner-centred methods like case studies, group discussions and role plays, I used a multitude of games and exercises as well as music, antiques, folk material, and my award-winning thematic stamp collection ‘The World at Work’ showcasing the evolution of economic life from the primitive hunting stage to the modern industrial stage.
Creativity adds meaning to our life as we can enjoy more when we are involved in it. Moreover, creativity is not fixed at birth and can be learnt and enhanced at almost any age—the younger, the better. The message a teacher needs to reinforce at every available opportunity in the classroom and on campus is that all students are creative, not just the privileged few. The mantra ‘Everyone is Creative.’
(The author is a retired academic)