Creativity in Primary Education

Hello! today I will be exploring creativity in education. Creativity encompasses the process of ‘making something new, finding new connections, perceiving old things in new ways and experimenting to gain unknown outcomes (Maley, 2003, cited in Maley and Bolitho, 2015). “We are born to be creative” suggests Duffy (2006) however, in education some may argue that allowing children to be creative is a luxury and very time consuming. “Research revealed how educators experienced tensions, since although there was scope for fostering imagination, lateral thinking and playing with ideas, there was also downward pressure from high stakes assessment which threatened to undermine creative pedagogies” (Crafta et al, 2006, p.4). This highlights the pressures teachers face with ensuring that all the content is covered in order for pupils to show that they are learning and have progressed, which indicates a reason why creative pedagogies are currently seen as an approach that is used irregularly. However, Ofsted published evidence of creative teaching and learning in primary schools (Ofsted, 2006a, 2010a), highlighting how creativity and creative partnership raise aspirations and standards (Crafta et al, 2006, p.4). This conversely indicates that creativity within primary education does raise standards within education, however how do we measure the level of creativity achieved? This could be difficult because children can be creativity various ways that may not be obvious at first, for example, you could be talented and creative in single or multiple domains or within a design based subject or a non design based subject (Jung and Chang, 2017). 

Although, creativity within the classroom can be achieved by pupils if teachers take a creative pedagogical approach that allow children freedom which will encourage authentic learning to take place. One strategy a teacher may adopt that promotes creative pedagogy, which involves imagination, is engaging children with stories that focus on fantasy and binary opposition since fantasy stories seem to be universally enjoyed by children (Egan and Madej, 2010; Dezuanni and Jetnikoff, 2011, cited in Crafta et al, 2012). This is likely to spark their imaginations to allow them to be creative and authentic by creating their individual ending to the story. This strategy also involved the children taking ownership over their own learning, it motivated children to engage and it allows opportunities for the children to involve real life contexts, which Crafta et al (2012) states are different ways to adopt a creative pedagogy. The importance of authenticity and pupil involvement was highlighted in the Roberts review (2006, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) which indicates that it supports creative activities which eventually could enable the child to feel valued within the school environment and feel their input is important. However this may be increased when carrying out whole class creative activities since the pupils’ voice and interests will tailor the lesson and encourage a spontaneous teaching approach. Barnardo (2006, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) recognised that schools that replicate the educational focus of the school day will do little to provide catalysts for creativity. This reinforces that importance of providing a learning context that is tailoured to individuals’ interests which will facilitate learning and ensure that education is personalised and not standardised (Waite and Rea, 2006; Robinson, 2007). 

Spitzer (2006, p.67, cited in Waite, 2011) reminds us that the brain is always learning and that it is not just in designated context such as the classroom that this occurs. This highlights why, as teachers, we should promote learning outside the classroom which is vital within current society due to children increasingly spending more time indoors which could be a result of the developments in technology (McCormick, 2017). However, Wilson (2002, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) argues that there is an innate attraction to nature which explains why outdoor learning offers a holistic approach. This indicates that outdoor learning should naturally bring enjoyment to children however distractions and dominant variables at home may be why the Government have set out initiatives, for example, Every Child Matters (DfES, 2003, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) and the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage (QCA, 2000, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) that encourage creative approaches to teaching and learning and highlight the importance of outdoor learning (NACCE, 1999; Roberts, 2006, cited in cited in Waite and Rea, 2006). Kolb’S (1984) experiential learning theory, according to literature, suggests that the most widely adopted pedagogic aprroaches that includes many practical models for outdoor learning stems from this theory (Beard & Wilson, 2002; Dennison & Kirk, 1990; Exeter, 2001, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006). Therefore, experiences have a huge impact on children’s development and one of the main purposes for outdoor learning, found in Waite et al (2006, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) case study, is the enhanced learning through first hand experience where pupil involvement became a huge factor that contributed to building a continuing sense of ownership and creative adaptation and had shown effective benefits. “we can not go outside today it looks like it is going to rain” is the type of phrase that is commonly heard around schools which is a vital factor in why outdoor learning does not occur often enough in many schools, although with the appropriate clothing, rain should not be a factor that inhibits the opportunities for movement, space and freedom that uses all senses that provide rich context for learning (Gass, 1995; Kimball & Bacon, 1993; Kellert, 2002, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006). However, the concern that reducing creativity to a directly taught basic skill like literacy or numeracy (Roberts, 2006) may remove its essential quality has resonance with the fear that by institutionalising outdoor learning its value will be diminished (Broderick and Pearce, 2001). However, the natural world is likely to bring excitement to children’s learning since being outdoors provides children with unexpected learning experiences that can bring enjoyment. The ‘Excellence and enjoyment’ strategy (DfES, 2003, cited in Hartley, 2006) highlights that enjoyment is a result of excellent teaching that is increased through a creative and personalised approach (Waite and Rea, 2006).

During our ‘Areas of Learning and Experience’ seminar we completed a creative session that can be personalised to pupils and potentially be used within our classrooms in the future. This activity provides children with a range of skills that link to many of Donaldson’s six areas of Learning and Experience, for example, expressive arts to make the set and create the characters; language, literacy and communication to create the storyline and work in groups and mathematics and numeracy and technology to use the apps and work out the timing to move the figures (Donaldson, 2015). This is adopting a personalised approach to teaching because they can make the animation about something they are interested in and below is a link showing what my group created and some pictures to show the process all about the welsh nativity that even includes a dragon!

https://t.co/NWSgN8pApp

 

References

Crafta, A. & Creminb, T. & Hayc, P. And Clack, J. Creative Primary Schools: developing and maintaining pedagogy for creativity. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9d57/b3dfd3d84789a2d4b0ab46f2d4c2723add0e.pdf. (Accessed: 19th October 2017). 

Donaldson, G. (2015) ‘Successful Futures: Independent review of curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales. London. Crown.

Duffy, B. (2006) Supporting creativity and imagination in the early years. 2nd edn. London: open university press.

Egan, K. and Madej, K. (2010) Engaging Imagination and Developing Creativity in Education. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 

Hartley, D. (2006) Excellence and Enjoyment: The Logic of a ‘Contradition’, British Journal of Educational Studies, 54(1), pp.3-14. 

Jung, J. & Chang, D. (2017) Types of creativity—Fostering multiple intelligences in design convergence talents, Thinking skills and Creativity, 23(1), pp. 101-111.

Maley, A. & Bolitho, R. (2015) Creativity, ELT journal, 69(4), pp.434-436. 

McCormick, R. (2017) Does Access to Green Space Impact the Mental Well-being of Children: A

Systematic Review, Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 37(1), pp.3-7.

Robinson, K. (2007) Do schools kill creativity? Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY (Accessed: 13 November 2017). 

Waite, S. (2011) Teaching and Learning outside the classroom: personal values, alternative pedagogies and standards, Education 3-13, 39(1), pp.65-82. 

Waite, S. & Rea, T. (2006) ‘Pedagogy or place?: attributed contributions of outdoor learning to creative teaching and learning’, Paper presented at the British Educational Research Association

Annual Conference, University of Warwick, England, 6-9 September. p.1-17. Available at: https://learn.cardiffmet.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/615231/mod_resource/content/2/Seminar%202%20marked.pdf (Accessed: 08 November 2017).