Creative Teachers


Book Description

This book offers teaching/training professionals an evidence-based pedagogic guide to teaching effectively, efficiently and creatively – also known as Creative Teaching Competence. Firstly it summarizes the extensive research on human psychological functioning relating to learning and how this can be fully utilized in the design and facilitation of quality learning experiences that maximize attainment and engagement opportunities. Secondly, it demonstrates what creativity actually ‘looks like’ in terms of specific teaching practices, modeling the underpinning processes (syntax) of creative learning design. It then establishes Metacognitive Capability as the superordinate twenty-first century competency; in that this unique human attribute can significantly enhance the cognitive and motivational strategies essential for facilitating self-directed learning and wellbeing. The book helps teaching/training professionals to thoughtfully apply evidence-based knowledge and strategies to today’s challenges, such as developing self-directed learners, enhancing intrinsic motivation, utilizing technology for learning and teaching, developing curricula for twenty-first century competencies and optimally framing and developing the heightened teacher expertise required today.




The Creative Classroom


Book Description

The Creative Classroom presents an original, compelling vision of schools where teaching and learning are centered on creativity. Drawing on the latest research as well as his studies of jazz and improvised theater, Sawyer describes curricula and classroom practices that will help educators get started with a new style of teaching, guided improvisation, where students are given freedom to explore within structures provided by the teacher. Readers will learn how to improve learning outcomes in all subjects—from science and math to history and language arts—by helping students master content-area standards at the same time as they increase their creative potential. This book shows how teachers and school leaders can work together to overcome all-too-common barriers to creative teaching—leadership, structure, and culture—and collaborate to transform schools into creative organizations. Book Features: Presents a research-based approach to teaching and learning for creativity. Identifies which learning outcomes support creativity and offers practical advice for how to teach for these outcomes. Shows how students learn content-area knowledge while also learning to be creative with that knowledge. Describes principles and techniques that teachers can use in all subjects. Demonstrates that a combination of school structures, cultures, incentives, and leadership are needed to support creative teaching and learning.




101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving


Book Description

Employees who possess problem-solving skills are highly valued in today?s competitive business environment. The question is how can employees learn to deal in innovative ways with new data, methods, people, and technologies? In this groundbreaking book, Arthur VanGundy -- a pioneer in the field of idea generation and problem solving -- has compiled 101 group activities that combine to make a unique resource for trainers, facilitators, and human resource professionals. The book is filled with idea-generation activities that simultaneously teach the underlying problem-solving and creativity techniques involved. Each of the book?s 101 engaging and thought-provoking activities includes facilitator notes and advice on when and how to use the activity. Using 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving will give you the information and tools you need to: Generate creative ideas to solve problems. Avoid patterned and negative thinking. Engage in activities that are guaranteed to spark ideas. Use proven techniques for brainstorming with groups. Order your copy today.




Creative Teachers in Primary Schools


Book Description

Is creative teaching still possible in English schools? Can teachers maintain and promote their own interests and beliefs as well as deliver a prescribed National Curriculum? Originally published in 1995, this book explores creative teachers’ attempts to pursue their brand of teaching despite the changes. Peter Woods has discovered a range of strategies and adaptations to this end among such teachers, including resisting change which runs counter to their own values; appropriating the National Curriculum within their own ethos; enhancing their role through the use of others; and enriching their work through the National Curriculum to provide quality learning experiences. If all else fails, such teachers remove themselves from the system and take their creativity elsewhere. A strong theme of self-determination runs through these experiences. While acknowledging hard realities, the book is ultimately optimistic, and a tribute to the dedication and inspiration of primary teachers. The book makes an important contribution to educational theory, showing a range of responses to intensification as well as providing many detailed examples of collaborative research methods.




An A-Z of Creative Teaching in Higher Education


Book Description

HE students rightly have high expectations of their lecturers and tutors. As staff in HE adapt their teaching to fit the changing share of HE, more support is needed. This A-Z guide is an essential resource to support those teaching in HE today to enhance their practice. This text is a rich source of innovative approaches for learning and teaching in HE. It addresses some common issues faced by lecturers in HE and includes case studies and practical suggestions for teaching. The text takes a critical approach to exploring themes from different perspectives and highlights important and recent theory in the field. This second edition includes more content on teaching and learning online, a new chapter on decolonising the curriculum and many more updates throughout.




Creative Teaching


Book Description

This book contains an evidence-based pedagogic guide to enable any motivated teaching/training professional to be able to teach effectively and creatively. It firstly summarises the extensive research field on human psychological functioning relating to learning and how this can be fully utilised in the design and facilitation of quality learning experiences. It then demonstrates what creativity actually 'looks like' in terms of teaching practices, modelling the underpinning processes of creative learning design and how to apply these in lesson planning. The book, having established an evidence-based and pedagogically driven approach to creative learning design, extensively focuses on key challenges facing teaching professionals today. These include utilising information technologies in blended learning formats, differentiating instruction, and developing self-directed learners who can think well. The main purpose of the book is to demystify what it means to teach creatively, explicitly demonstrating the principles of good pedagogic design and communication strategies that underpin such activity. The message is clear - creative teaching competence is both a highly useful and a learnable capability.




Creative Teaching


Book Description

Offering teachers a dynamic and different perspective on mathematics, this book enables them to see and teach in creative ways that will develop their pupil's mathematical thinking potential.




Creative Teaching: History in the Primary Classroom


Book Description

Designed specifically for teachers with little subject knowledge or experience in history, this book provides trainees with the confidence they need to teach primary history. Based on Curriculum 2000, the book provides valuable step-by-step guidance on how to create, plan, develop, organize and assess high-quality teaching activities in primary history. This book: is full of teaching approaches, practical ideas, teaching activities, real-life case studies and vignettes of good teaching practice; covers both conventional and modern approaches - such as drama, role-play, story telling, music and dance; and explains how each approach can be adapted to suit all primary ages and abilities. Children with a range of learning needs and styles respond with enthusiasm to a wide variety of teaching approaches - and this book provides trainee teachers with that repertoire and variety.




Innovative Educators


Book Description

In a culture that demands change and innovation, how can the individual teacher effect change that's both meaningful and achievable? Innovative Educators shows teachers how to adapt existing practices and how to invent new ones that foster the proactive mindset needed to face an uncertain future. Informed by her experience as a classroom teacher, school leader, and Director of Innovation for the Colorado DOE, Gretchen Morgan invites teachers to reclaim their identity as creative, progressive thinkers. Based on an understanding of the history of American education and the economic drivers that demand change, Gretchen offers teachers reflective experiences and generative activities to prepare teachers to try something new and wise in their classroom tomorrow. As teachers, we model being the proactive learners, professionals, and community members that we want our students to become. In this book, teachers are shown practical, doable ways of living those beliefs more closely.