Nurturing Organic Creativity in the Classroom

The idea of ‘organic’ creativity is found most often defined in the work of Dr. Jane Piirto, “creativity that arises from within, with or without intention, as part of the whole. It is unforces, spontaneous, free, pure, living, & animate.” Piirto lists 5 core attitudes necessary for organic creativity: group trust, self-discipline, risk-taking, openness to experience, and tolerance for ambiguity. General practices include ritual, exercise, meditation, and living a creative life. She emphasizes the use of imagery, imagination (i.e., storytelling), intuition, insight (i.e., the ‘aha’ moment), inspiration, incubation (i.e., individual projects), and improvisation (i.e., humor).

Fostering creativity organically in the classroom is important in preparing students for global, knowledge-based economies. Learning about creativity – what it involves & how to create – is profoundly beneficial for student success in life. The development of creativity is imperative (Skiba, Tan, Sternberg et al, 2010) when it comes to student’ individual fulfillment (Craft, 2003). Creativity can affect a student’s psychological functioning, improve conflict resolution, & amplify construction of knowledge (Hennessey & Amabile, 2010 and Plucker et al, 2004).

Teacher training can be very impactful in the cultivation of creativity. Little training exists in the undergraduate level of teacher prep programs and most teachers must rely on professional development opportunities. Intensive PD centering on teaching creativity can result in higher student scores on creativity assessments (i.e., Torrance). It has a positive impact on teachers’ understanding of creativity & ways to implement it in the classroom. In lieu of adequate PD, teachers benefit from peer networks, PLNs focused on creativity, online resources to develop instructional strategies and pertinent curriculum.

A major impediment to cultivating creativity in the classroom is the existence of standardized testing which involves test prep, test review, PD in test data review, and the actual time devoted to taking tests. Time has been cited as a major barrier to teaching creativity … time for students to consider and create as well as be assessed within a traditional block schedule. Time for teachers to create modules and curriculum. Additional barriers include meeting curriculum standards for a wide range of abilities in a single classroom; traditional grading systems which reward only one correct answer; and high teacher turnover and shortages.

There are supports which are beneficial to nurturing organic creativity beginning with a supportive administration willing to provide adequate PD, support staff, classroom materials, and a willingness support teacher ingenuity. Creativity can be nurtured by creating teams of teachers working together as supportive peers who are given time to share experiences and resources as well as access to peer networks outside the local schools. Additional support can be provided by access to technology for students and teachers, and a district-wide rubric outlining how to understand, develop, and implement creativity in the classroom.

There are numerous strategies to infuse classrooms with organic creativity including teaching to students’ strengths, teaching improvisationally (‘go with the flow’), creating a climate which values feedback and encourages students to learn from failure (Piirto, 2017). Additional strategies include utilizing meditation, mindfulness, encouraging students to pay attention, and envisioning the classroom as a mutual (student and teacher) learning environment regarding creativity (Piirto, 2017).

A transcript of this chat may be found at Wakelet.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 1AM GMT to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Facebook Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community.

About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com

Resources:

Organic Creativity in the Classroom: Teaching to Intuition in Academics and the Arts 1st Edition

Teachers and Creativity in the Classroom (pdf)

Nurturing Creativity in the Classroom (Current Perspectives in Social and Behavioral Sciences) 2nd Edition

The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity 2nd Edition

Examining Teacher Perceptions of Creativity: A Systematic Review of the Literature

In-service and Prospective Teachers’ Conceptions of Creativity

How We Can Bring Creativity and Imagination Back to the Classroom

Organic Creativity and the Physics Within (pdf)

Novel, Effective, Whole: Toward a NEW Framework for Evaluations of Creative Products (pdf)

Organic Creativity for 21st Century Skills (pdf)

Fostering Student Creativity in a World of High-Stakes Education

Nurturing Creativity in Technology Enhanced Learning Environments: A Qualitative Multimethod Study of Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices (pdf)

Creativity In The Classroom: Teaching and Fostering Creativity

Creativity Fostering Teacher Behaviour around the World: Annotations of Studies Using the CFT Index

5 Habits of Creative Teachers

How to Be a More Creative Teacher

Teachers’ Experiences That Influence Their Self efficacy to Foster Student Creativity (pdf)

Creative Teaching And Teaching Creativity: How To Foster Creativity In The Classroom

Cybraryman’s Creativity Page

Organic Creativity for Well-Being in the Post-Information Society

Image courtesy of Pixabay Pixabay License

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Strategies to Challenge Gifted Learners

All students should be challenged to their highest abilities. Everyday. The essence of education is to promote growth and challenge is the best way to attain it. A challenging curriculum and differentiated instruction in an atmosphere conducive to meeting individual needs should be the goal of every classroom.

Lack of challenge can lead to underperformance and boredom. In the extreme, it may lead to mental health issues. When gifted students are not challenged, they may fail to learn important skills such as perseverance or tolerance for failure. GT students who aren’t challenged in they early years can become apathetic to school and tune out in the upper grades.

What is the difference between rigor and challenge? Rigor and challenge are often considered the same thing, but it’s important to distinguish between the two. According to Davidson Gifted, “Rigor is about output. Challenge is about input.” Students need to be provided with rigor, but also benefit from scaffolding and explicit instruction to support it.

What are some strategies to challenge gifted students in the classroom? Todd Stanley has some excellent strategies to challenge gifted students including enrichment clubs, bonus opportunities, mentorships, choice boards, PBL, and differentiated centers. Gifted students can be challenged in the classroom with creative questioning, flexible learning groups, and time for exploration of passions. A challenging curriculum for gifted students should consider pre-assessing students, using performance assessments, inclusion of depth and complexity, makerspaces, and graphic organizers to aid complex thinking.

How can 2E students be challenged in their areas of strength? Twice-exceptional students may be seen in both the regular classroom and special education settings. It’s important to utilize tools related to both such as IEPs and 504s. Too often, 2E students’ deficits are addressed before strengths. It’s often more beneficial to challenge them in areas of their strengths rather than remediate deficits. Technology such as speech-to-text and text-to-speech assistive devices and audiobooks are tools that may be used to support twice-exceptional students.

Parents can play a role in challenging their gifted child at home when schools do not or cannot provide the necessary challenge. They can provide enrichment experiences as simple as trips to the library. Parents can also facilitate their children spending time with other gifted children through summer camps or specialized classes in areas related to their child’s interests.

A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 2PM NZDT/Noon AEDT/1AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Meta Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community.

Resources:

Vertical Differentiation for Gifted, Advanced, and High-Potential Students 25 Strategies to Stretch Student Thinking

A Teacher’s Guide to Curriculum Design for Gifted and Advanced Learners: Advanced Content Models for Differentiating Curriculum

[Classroom Strategies] Teaching Gifted Students

Classroom Strategies to Support Advanced Learners at All Grade Levels

The Best Way to Challenge Gifted Students (and all students, for that matter)

Creative Ways to Challenge Gifted Students

7 Ways for Engaging Gifted Students in the Classroom

AUS: Learning Needs of High-Ability Students

Challenging and Engaging Talented and Advanced Readers | Davidson Gifted

Challenging Mathematically Gifted Primary Students

A Teacher’s Toolbox for Gifted Education 20 Strategies You Can Use Today to Challenge Gifted Students

Rigor Vs. Challenge A Different Way to Look at School Advocacy for Gifted Students | Davidson Gifted

5 General Classroom Tips for Meeting the Needs of Gifted Learners

When Schools Don’t Meet Your Gifted Child’s Needs

10 Ways to Challenge Gifted Students in the Classroom

AUS: Catering for Gifted Opportunity Class Students

Tools to Challenge Gifted and Advanced Learners

South Africa: What I Learned from Teaching Gifted Kids

How to Teach Gifted Students to Excel and Reach their True Potential

13 Ideas to Support your Gifted Students

NZ: Positive Changes Afoot for Gifted Learners https:/

The Masks of the Gifted: Behaviors that Hide the Gifted Child (pdf)

Enduring Practices for Gifted Elementary Students

What Makes Honor Classes More Than a Name?

Image courtesy of Pixabay Pixabay License

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Components of an Effective Gifted Program

How did the Pandemic change how schools approach gifted programs? Although some schools used the Pandemic as an excuse to eliminate gifted programming citing lack of resources and staff, many others found ways to improve how they approach gifted students’ education. After analyzing test scores, student progress, and student interviews, it was found that many GT students thrived during the Pandemic. Flexible, student-centered online learning provided students more time for passion projects and in-depth study of personal interests. Schools have realized the valuable role technology can play in gifted education through virtual campus-wide grouping, field trips, expert speakers, and increased student communication via message boards, Zoom meetings, Google Classroom, and discussion forums.

Effective gifted programs begin with strategic planning using research-based, best practices to build an action plan with strategies to implement goals. Identification through universal testing, local norms, and/or portfolios should match students to services. Quality programs will provide outlets for academically, creatively, and socially gifted students which allow them to excel in areas of talent. Assessments should go beyond traditional grading and seek constructive, written student feedback. GT students should have an opportunity to participate in service learning to gain hand-on experience, to increase interpersonal skills, and to improve self-confidence. This can often be instituted via individualized educational plans.

Program objectives should include time for students to be with intellectual peers, allow them to experience group work, be provided with unique learning experiences, and have access to skills development commensurate with their personal needs. Effective programs include advanced classes; potential for acceleration when warranted; enrichment; and independent, research projects. NAGC programming standards can provide a good basis for effective programs including Assessments, Curriculum and Instruction, Professional Development, Classroom Environment, and Programs.

Most schools provide a modicum of services at the elementary level only to abandon gifted programming at the secondary level. Many consider offering only AP classes as sufficient for advanced students. All students deserve to be challenged in school on a daily basis K-12. GT students do not become ‘ungifted’ in middle and high school. A continuum of services is essential for these students to explore and reach their potential. Gifted programming at the secondary level can include project-based learning, book clubs, Socratic Seminars, mentorships, job shadowing, and independent study; to name just a few.

When should schools consider recalibrating their gifted program? Gifted programs, developed as a continuum of services in response to students’ needs, should be reviewed as part of an ongoing process to insure program goals are being met. The process should be transparent and involve all stakeholders. When deciding if recalibration is necessary, observable outcomes should be compared to outcome goals and expected student achievement levels. Gifted programs should maintain alignment with your district’s strategic plan and mission statement. Ongoing professional development for faculty and staff can greatly improve the quality of program reviews.

What should parents know about gifted programs? What parents should know, but often don’t, is that there is no national (US) gifted education policy. Decisions related to gifted education are relinquished to state and local authorities. Parents have a lot more influence than they may think at first. It’s important to know state law and local school policies. How schools identify gifted students is critical to understand how they educate them. Parents are vital stakeholders in gifted education.

A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.