CREATIVITY AS EXPRESSION

PART 1A

AIM

• TO UNDERSTAND CREATIVITY AS EXPRESSION

DEFINITION

• CREATIVITY is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

• CREATIVE SELF- EXPRESSION WAS NOT PART OF EDUCATION

• NINETEENTH CENTURY EDUCATIONALISTS SUCH AS PESTALOZZI AND MONTESSORI ESPOUSED THE ROLE OF CREATIVE ACTIVITIES TO ALLOW EXPRESSION

CREATIVITY AS SELF EXPRESSION

• BELIEF THAT INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY IS A FORM OF SELF-EXPRESSION – US PSYCHOLOGISTS CARL ROGERS AND ABRAHAM MASLOW

CARL ROGERS( 1954)

• ABSENCE OF CREATIVITY IN MODERN SOCIETY LEADS TO PERSONALITY DEFICITS

• DENIAL

• DEFENSIVENESS

• RIGIDITY IN THINKING

• FRUSTRATION

CAROL ROGERS (1954)

• IN ORDER TO DEVELOP INTEGRATED PERSONALITIES PEOPLE MUST BE:

• OPEN THEMSELVES MORE TO EXPERIENCE

• RESPOND AND ADAPT TO EXPERIENCE

• ACCEPT THEIR FEELINGS FULLY

EDUCATION AND CREATIVITY

• EDUCATION HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO WORK WITH THE HOLISTIC PERSON.

• BY PROVISION FOR THE DESIRE FOR INDIVIDUAL SELF-EXPRESSION AND FULFILMENT

• KEN ROBINSON’S TED TALK HERE

EDUCATION SHOULD..

• PLAY WITH IDEAS

• PROMOTE AN INTERNAL ‘LOCUS OF EVALUATION’

ENVIRONMENT AND CREATIVITY

• PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AND FREEDOM

• PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY – THE CHILD’S TRUST IN THE ABILITY TO EXPRESS EMOTION SAFELY, AND IN RESPONSE OF OTHERS

• PSYCHOLOGICAL FREEDOM – THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE CHILD’S CURIOSITY, DECISION-MAKING AND QUESTIONING

• PARENTS WHO PROVIDE THIS ENVIRONMENT TEND TO HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE MORE CREATIVE (HARRINGTON ET AL. 1992:204)

MASLOW

• MASLOW LINKED SELF ACTUALISATION AND CREATIVITY

• ‘THEY MAY TURN OUT TO BE THE SAME THING’ (1971:57)

• MASLOW – CREATIVITY NOT ABOUT CREATING PRODUCTS, ACHIEVEMENTS OR SOLVING PROBLEMS.

• CREATIVITY AS A PROCESS THAT DEVELOPED THE PERSON, ALLOWING SELF-ACCEPTANCE, SELF-ESTEEM, AUTONOMY, DETACHMENT, PROBLEM-CENTRING AND THE EXPRESSION OF EMOTION.

SELF-ACTUALISATION

• CREATIVITY IN THE CLASSROOM SHOULD

• FOSTER PERSONAL GROWTH

• FOSTER CREATIVE ACTIVITY

• SELF-ESTEEM – FEELING OF WORTH ABOUT ONESELF

• SELF-EFFICACY – FEELING THE CAPABILITY TO DO SOMETHING

• MOTIVATION AND INNATE DRIVE EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE DIFFICULT

EVERYDAY CREATIVITY• EXERCISED IN OUR EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES: COOKING

MEAL, HOBBIES, AND FINDING SOLUTIONS

• DOES NOT LEAD TO PARADIGMS IN A DOMAIN - BREAKTHROUGH THINKING OR SOLUTIONS THAT CHANGE THE DOMAIN

• EXPRESSION OF CREATIVITY CAN BE HEALING

• LITTLE ‘C’ CREATIVITY

HEALING CREATIVITY

• THE HEALING AND THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT; MEDICINE AND PSYCHIATRY

• ARTS AND HEALTH VIDEO - CORK

• EXPRESSIVE WRITING

• FOR INTEGRATION OF MENTAL STRUCTURES

• INCREASE WORKING MEMORY

PROMOTING CREATIVITY• CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE LEANERS CAN EXPRESS

THEIR FEELINGS

• VIEW CREATIVITY AS A PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT TOOL OF SELF ACCEPTANCE

• SUPPORT LEARNER MOTIVATION AND SELF-ESTEEM

• HELP LEANERS TO APPRECIATE THEIR OWN CREATIVE EFFICACY

• ENCOURAGE CURIOSITY, DECISION-MAKING AND QUESTIONING

• ALLOW STUDENTS TO PERSONALIZE THEIR PROPERTY

• PROMOTE THE USE OF PERSONAL BLOGS AND JOURNALS

• INCLUDE LEARNING JOURNALS AS A COURSE REQUIREMENT

• TEACH REFLECTIVE WRITING TECHNIQUES

• PROVIDE MODELS OF EXPRESSIVE WRITING

THE FUNCTION OF VISUAL ARTS

• EARLY ARTS – CAVE PAINTING LASCAUX CAVE FRANCE

• RITUALISTIC AND MAGICAL

• MOVE TO REALISM BUT THEN PHOTOGRAPHS CAME ALONG THEN MOVE TO EXPRESSION

• MID TWENTIETH CENTURY; MOVE FROM ARTIST AS PROFESSIONAL TO EVERYONE CAN BE AN ARTIST

END

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