7 Things for Fostering Creativity in the Classroom

There is more to creativity than Art class and using pens and pencils. According to the Encyclopedia of Children’s Health, creativity is the ability to see something in a new way, to see and solve problems no one else may know exist, and to engage in mental and physical experiences that are new, unique, or different. It is crucial from the earliest years to adulthood. And seeing how many aspects of one’s life it can affect, we need to start fostering creativity in the classroom.

When we hear someone is creative, we usually picture gifted artists. But creativity brings so much more than making artwork. It actually covers everything from ingeniously solving a problem and thinking critically to making connections across different subjects. And fostering creativity is now more critical than ever because today’s world requires fast adapting and constant learning. And now, we ask ourselves – how do we foster creativity in the classroom? Check out these seven tips and reasons why and how to do it.

#1 Encourage Exploration

Motivating K-12 students to explore their creative skills is vital for several reasons. By encouraging them to think creatively and out of the box, they learn to solve problems. Learning how to develop unique solutions for complex issues will help them in everyday life. It will also help them develop their critical thinking and communication skills, not to mention developing their self-confidence. All of these will help them in their future careers and personal lives. So, make sure the students feel comfortable exploring their creativity and, with it, learn skills for life.

#2 Provide Opportunities for Collaboration

Encouraging collaboration between students will create opportunities for idea-sharing and learning from each other. Collaboration allows students to share their ideas and learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Plan exciting group activities where students will join their strengths and learn from each other.

#3 Create a Safe and Healthy Classroom Environment

Ensuring students feel comfortable and safe in the classroom environment is a predisposition for successful school work. Create an atmosphere where K-12 students feel comfortable expressing themselves and are unafraid to speak up. You can achieve this by including them in establishing classroom rules, allowing them to participate in activities planning, and giving them regular feedback.

#4 Create a Classroom Library

A beautiful way to foster creativity in the classroom is by encouraging students to read. In addition to being engaging, fun, and a fantastic way of diversifying lessons, reading also fosters better levels of creativity and imagination, expands vocabularies, and enhances concentration. Besides integrating reading into lessons, encourage students to also read at home. Creating a classroom library can be a way of unobtrusively introducing them to reading. With it, you can show them reading can be a lot of fun. Also, don’t forget about group reading activities and reading challenges.

#5 Incorporate Play and Technology

You can foster creativity by encouraging students to play games and learn in a fun way. Make games and other fun exercises a part of the curriculum to stimulate creativity. An interesting way of making that happen is by also involving technology in the classroom. Using tools like classroom screen monitoring often allows for doing group exercises and using fun ways of learning. For example, prepare an entertaining presentation on any relevant topic and make it interactive. Students will surely remember the activities that merged fun and learning.

#6 Provide Time for Reflection

It is essential for students to think and reflect on their learning and the day’s events. Encourage them to reflect on their creative processes and think about their past successes and challenges critically. Teaching reflective thinking benefits students’ classwork and helps them learn how to communicate.

#7 Offer Choices

Additionally, give students the freedom to partially choose their projects, topics, and task completion methods. According to Edutopia, this helps them take ownership of their learning and can motivate them. You can make offering students choices a regular dynamic in the school day. Of course, accepted rules and norms must be abided by, but giving students the option to make decisions lets them practice decision-making and explore their interests. For example, allow them to vote on subjects, such as which book to read next. With it, you can start teaching them responsibility and the importance of their voice.

Fostering Creativity in the Classroom Can Be a Beautiful Way of Encouraging Students’ Growth

By fostering creativity in the classroom, you can create a learning environment that encourages fun learning, exploration, reflection, and collaboration. Prioritizing creativity can help you prepare students to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow with complete confidence and resourcefulness.

SOURCES

[1] Creativity
[2] What does Self-Assessment and Self-Reflection bring to the Learning Journey
[3] The Importance of Student Choice Across All Grade Levels