Education - publié le 24/04/2020

Résumé du document

A critical analysis of the merits of promoting creativity in the classroom. This essay looks at definitions of creativity, methods of incorporating it and arguments as to whether all National Curriculum subjects can be taught through creative methods.
This essay scored a high 2:1 on an undergraduate degree in primary education.

Extraits

[...] David Fulton Publishers Ltd: London Weston, D. (2006) Creativity in the curriculum[online] available at: http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/creativity-in-the-curriculum-1561 (accessed: 23/03/2012) Wilson, A. (2009) Creativity in Primary Education. edition] Learning Matters Ltd: Exeter Wyse, D. And Spendlove, D. (2007) Partners in creativity: action research and creative partnerships. Education 3-13: issue 35, volume pp181-191 Wyse, D. And Dowson, P. (2009) The Really Useful Creativity Book. [...]

[...] I have often found that people tend to think of `the arts' when considering creativity in the classroom, and to be creative, children must be working on art, drama or musical activities. Whilst these subjects generally are creative, all subjects within the curriculum and beyond can be taught creatively, something Wyse and Dowson back up. "When you think of the word creativity, what thoughts does it spark? Perhaps famous creative people . Maybe you see creativity as particularly related to the work of composers, writers and artists" (2009, p3). [...]

[...] Another limitation of the teaching of creativity is inspections and accountability. All too often when a school is due to receive an OFSTED inspection or in the months leading up to assessments such as SATs schools significantly reduce the amount of time they spend on creativity. Instead they focus on preparing children for these as they are too worried that they will not be graded highly enough in inspections or not ranked well in league tables. Cullingford (2007) argued this point, "When the school hears of the coming inspection everything changes . [...]

[...] (Weston online). When reading Weston's article I was intrigued as to how his team was developing creativity in school, and were working as a team internally without participating in projects such as creative partnerships. I did however have some questions as to why he considered Maths and English to not be creative subjects and they were subsequently not included in the whole school curriculum review. Wilson argues that Maths and English can be taught creatively, claiming "Mathematics is a creative discipline. [...]

[...] The first issue many practitioners face is how to define creativity. After all, it is a personal attribute; what is `creative' to one person might not be as creative to another. Several researchers have attempted to define creativity over the past few decades, and there does seem to be some common themes emerging. MacKinnon (1962) claimed It involves a response or an idea that is novel or at the very least statistically infrequent . it must to some extent be adaptive to, or of reality . [...]