There’s nothing more rewarding than working with a group of educators excited and motivated to bring creativity into the lives of their students. When we returned from our second session with Atlanta Public Schools Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) elementary teachers, we were amazed to see what they had accomplished in just two short months since our first training.
We held a “Share Fair” during lunch so teachers could display and discuss the products and strategies they used to help students learn using creative strategies and tools.
“I started with Think Tanks templates. My students loved it!”
“Every day in my classroom now begins with a creative brain exercise.”
“It was so easy to start implementing the Curiosita strategies.”
The Idea Generating Power of SCAMPER
We challenged the teachers to use S.C.A.M.P.E.R. to create a classroom of their dreams. In 14 minutes they shared 137 ideas for improving the design of classrooms! Here are some of the unique ideas generated by a group of 75 enthusiastic teachers:
Substitute knee desks, wobble chairs, or treadmill desks for student desks.
Combine computers with student desks and have popup computers on desktops.
Adapt all bulletin boards to be digital to display student work products.
Magnify the size and function of interactive white board. Make them wall size and use them flexibly as Lego walls, touch screens, and virtual reality screens.
Put the closets in classroom to another use, such as making it a recording studio.
Eliminate all outlets and create virtual power pads on each student desk.
Reverse ceiling tiles to be drop-downs that become interactive learning stations at the touch of a button.
S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is a powerful checklist tool created by Bob Eberle. You can use this tool with students to extend the number and types of ideas generated from any brainstorming session. The letter prompts can be used for any problem-solving situation:
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Improving a relationship
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Designing a new product
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Creating a better organization
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Decorating a room
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Fixing something broken
For Your Classroom
We love it when teachers use their creativity in our session feedback forms. Here are a few of our favorite “Kreative Komments” from Atlanta.
Drawing and sketching thoughts and ideas is also a fun way to get your students inspired to share more creatively with you and their peers. Drawings could capture their day, thoughts about events or happenings, or even . . . content reflections!
Let’s Reflect and Remember . . .
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Using tools improves creative output.
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S.C.A.M.P.E.R extends and enhances thinking.
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Creative teaching energizes, engages, and excites educators.
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There are many easy ways to “dip your toe” into teaching with and for creativity.
“The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.”
~Jean Piaget
Live, learn, and lead creatively!
Patti and Rick
