- Why Creative Thinking: Unlocking Imaginative Potentials in Education
- Creative Thinking and Why It’ll Skyrocket Student Learning
- Creative Skills and advice how to teach them
Why creative thinking?
Creative thinking enables students to generate and apply new ideas. They can identify alternative explanations and make new links that facilitate the production of complex creative ideas and unique products. Our students gain the ability to step outside the box, take a risk and put their imagination to work. Problem-based learning is one effective way to allow students to do just that.
Why creative thinking is not just about art, music, drama, or some arty ‘creative’ thing. When we think creatively, we seek to explore ideas, develop new theories, or create something unique.
By brainstorming, allowing our students to daydream, make observations and encourage collaborative discussions, we can help spark innovative ideas and increase the development of creative thinking.
Therefore, creativity is what we can do with what we’re presented with. It’s the ability to think differently and see things from an entirely new perspective.
Changing students’ perspectives is the first step to increasing their creative thinking.
- We need our students to imagine a variety of possibilities in order for them to be inspired. They should not consider only one approach.
- As we’ve done for years, brainstorm on the blackboard and whiteboard to let their thinking diverge.
- We should also encourage our students to think about the aesthetic nature of things, i.e. looking at a painting in different ways.
In Sir Ken Robinson’s (2010) TED Talk ‘Do schools kill creativity’, he states that, “creativity is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status”. What do you think?
Robinson also states that “creativity draws from many powers that we all have by being human. Creativity is possible in all areas of life, And like many human capacities, our creative powers can be cultivated and refined” Robinson, 2015, in ‘Creative Schools’.
By employing creative thinking, we encourage discussion and the pursuit of knowledge freely. Much like Socrates and Aristotle, the world’s greatest thinkers.
Creative thinking enables our students to see problems from a different perspective, and as a result, the solutions they come up with may seem a little crazy. However, training young minds to think creatively allows them to solve problems and communicate in new ways.
A Canvas of Possibilities: Teaching for Tomorrow
Why creative thinking is the key to educational evolution rounds out our exploration. As educators, we paint on the canvas of young minds with broad strokes of knowledge and detailed dabs of skills. Creative thinking is not an optional extra; it’s the very essence of a future-ready education. By teaching students not just to learn but to think creatively, we equip them with the toolkit to adapt and thrive no matter what their future holds.
Embracing creative thinking is so crucial, we not only enhance the educational experience but also prepare our students to be the pioneers of new industries, the architects of innovative solutions, and the authors of their own extraordinary futures. As we proceed to unravel more about the importance of critical thinking in our next series, remember that both critical and creative faculties are indispensable. They work in tandem to cultivate minds that are not only informed but also inventive and insightful.
Engaging with creative thinking transforms education from a passive information exchange to an active creation process. It empowers students, enabling them to shape their learning journeys and, ultimately, their futures. So let’s continue to challenge our students with tasks that require imagination and provide them with the tools to think creatively. The future isn’t just coming; it’s a canvas waiting for our students’ bold strokes.
