The Joy of Creative Ignorance for Us and our Students

Another interesting article on creativity - "The Joy of Creative Ignorance: Embracing Uncertainty in Your Day-to-Day" by Mark McGuinness.  While this article is not written with the librarian or educator in mind, it certainly offers questions for our consideration.  We function in a data driven environment.  We question the time students spend in elective courses: the arts, the shops, the computer labs, especially if they are not scoring as highly as they need on standardized testing. Their extra time is spent in remediation or soon in project based assessment. We practice the multiple choice and praise the correct answer.   As suggested in the article, I fear we are in danger of “cramping [the] imagination [of our students] to fit our expectations, instead of allowing it to surprise us with something unexpected.”

I found it both refreshing and some what intimidating to consider the notion that the best creativity often arises from embracing uncertainty - ignorance of where the process will take the creator.  Again, in the midst of my own planning, goal setting, and completing the proper and necessary paperwork, I hope that I find the time to seek ways to offer students the opportunity to be creative.  

Our Valentine’s Day blind date book promotion encouraged several readers to choose outside of the box. In their responses they were appreciative of the opportunity to read something different from what they might normally choose. I am pursuing several ideas to encourage poetry and poets in the month of April.  Articles like these certainly inspire to keep moving forward with these ideas, even when it seems not time exists to do so. Ideas to foster creativity would be welcomed as comments for sure!

Can Creativity be Learned?

For a variety of reasons, I have been pondering the idea of being creative and creativity during my time off from school this summer.  I have pondered earlier in this blog whether or not early and consistent exposure to technology stifles creative thought in our children.  The article here http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/can-creativity-be-learned/372605/#comments by Delistraty attempts to answer the question - "Can Creativity be Taught."  He cites studies that seem to indicate that the brains of creative people are simply wired differently. Other researchers suggest that while opportunity and practice enhance creativity, creative people are simply...creative. What are the implications for teachers and librarians?

Creative Writing

I loved this article about the young Brontes' hand made books!  Make sure you look at the gallery pages to see both the text and the teeny little stitches that hold these tiny treasures together!  

http://www.buzzfeed.com/kasiagalazka/the-brontes-wrote-tiny-books

This article causes me to question just a bit whether or not we allow our kids enough time to be creative.  By that, I mean with paper and scissors and glue and handwriting.  Do we go so quickly to the digital that we are hampering at any level the kind of creativity that results in Jane Eyre.

When asked to contribute to the development of a final project, my AP literature students had one request - NO TECHNOLOGY.