Teaching Creativity 2014

Question 1

argumentative essay - two part assignment

Answer 1

watch out for two part assignments, such as “define” a word and “argue” for or against an issue. make sure you read the prompt carefully to identify the whole assignment

Question 2

consider the prompt

Answer 2

write to your school board explaining what you mean by creativity and arguing for against the creation of a class in creativity (note: showing “and” in italics emphasizes there are two parts to the assignment)

Question 3

understand the prompt

Answer 3

some prompts may offer a lot of text as background information. read all the text, but don’t get overwhelmed by it. remember to simplify the text into basic points

Question 4

how to start

Answer 4

go to the basics. brainstorm a list of the pros and cons

Question 5

examples pros and cons

Answer 5

• pros:
• • more creativity
• • fun for students
• • get ready for jobs
• cons:
• • is it teachable?
• • takes away from other skills
• • teaching makes restraints

Question 6

define the concept

Answer 6

when you have to define something for an essay, write your definition in the introduction. then you can refer to it and build on it throughout the whole piece

Question 7

choose a position

Answer 7

evaluate the pros and cons you came up with. choose a position based on your ideas. what side will you “argue” for on the issue?

Question 8

DEFINE

Answer 8

• creativity is the ability to develop, apply, and adapt ideas
• creativity starts with what you think and how you express yourself
• creativity helps people to overcome obstacles, provide options, and express feelings
• one is creative if he can use his own thought process to extrapolate on knowledge
• creativity is the expression of feelings from experiences translated for other people
• creativity is the reliance of the human spirit, the backbone of humanity
• it is an expression of an inner truth without any interference from other ideas
• creativity happens when people channel their feelings into an expressive product
• creativity is not something logical and mathematical; it is something that comes from inside you

Question 9

FAVOR

Answer 9

• creativity can be taught as a fluid process, integrating applications, in a classroom setting
• our nation relies on creative minds, which can only be developed in school
• a creativity class would make students better prepared to join the work force and solve problems
• the focus on modern art courses should be away from art history and towards creativity
• creativity is crucial to today’s idea-driven society
• teachers must support the creation of a course, or this skill will continue to decline
• schools should allow students to be creative in art classes - stop teaching art history
• schools should stop doubling up on tested subjects like math and art, and build in art courses
• teaching creativity, because of standardized tests, must be in a course, or it won’t happen
• creativity is a series of complex thoughts, which should be taught in a course. these are steps
• creativity is more imperative to human development than it ever has been; it must be taught

Question 10

AGAINST

Answer 10

• creativity cannot be taught, hence, a class teaching creativity would be a wasted effort
• creativity should be built into the instruction of all courses, so there shouldn’t be one class
• businesses need students with strong reading and math, not art skills
• a creativity course wouldn’t work because the premises wouldn’t be reinforced in other courses
• i’ve been creative ever since i learned to read; who i need a class to teach it?
• Americans are falling behind the world in math and reading. they need more practice time
• creativity can not be taught in one lonely isolated course
• creativity is discovered; a class would only limit discovery by making rules and setting bounds