Managing the Classroom for Creativity

Molly A. James^1,2

¹University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
²Kent Place School, Summit, NJ, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/ce.2015.610102                

Abstract

Enhancing student creativity is an educational goal, and increasingly, a global imperative. In the current educational context of the United States, this is a formidable task. I have struggled with this issue as an MA student, and as an educator. As an MA student I examined learning environments that support and enhance creativity, and received my Masters in Creative Thinking. As an educator at an academically rigorous N-12 grade school, I endeavor daily to encourage deep thinking, academic excellence, and great creativity in my students. This paper expresses the voice of the researcher, and the voice of the passionate educator. This paper suggests it is possible to establish creativity-enhancing learning environments. It offers an understanding of creativity and its inherent connection to learning. Teresa Amabile’s highly regarded workplace assessment inventory, KEYS, is presented and explored as a classroom management style that encourages creativity and achievement. Her theory suggests we, as educators, have the power to enhance our students’ creativity by positively impacting our classroom environment. I map her approach onto two highly successful creative learning approaches—El Sistema and Reggio Emilia, and then interrogate and reflect upon the presence of KEYS in my own practice. Finally I offer suggestions for pre-service and in-service professional development to support educators as we work to empower our students to grow their creativity now and in the future.

Keywords

Creativity, Creativity and Learning, Creativity in the Classroom, Classroom Management, Amabile KEYS, Reggio Emilia, El Sistema

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Amabile, T. M., Conti, R., Coon, H., Lazenby, J., & Herron, M. (1996) Assessing the Work Environment for Creativity. The Academy of Management Journal, 39, 1154-1184. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/256995
[2]	Amabile, T. M. (1997). Motivating Creativity in Organizations: On Doing What you Love and Loving What You Do. California Management Review, 40, 39-58. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/41165921
[3]	Amabile, T. M. (1998). How to Kill Creativity. Harvard Business Review. www.hbr.org
[4]	Amabile, T. M., Schatzel, E. A., Moneta, G. B., & Kramer, S. J. (2004). Leader Behavior and the Work Environment for Creativity: Perceived Leader Support. The Leadership Quarterly, 15, 5-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2003.12.003
[5]	Amabile, T. M., & Fisher, C. M. (2009). Stimulating Creativity by Fueling Passion, In E. A. Locke (Ed.), Handbook of Principles of Organizational Behavior Indispensable Knowledge for Evidence-Based Management (pp. 481-497). West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
[6]	Amabile, T. M. (2012). Componential Theory of Creativity. Harvard Business School. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/
[7]	Amabile, T. M., Fisher, C. M., & Pillemer, J. (2014). IDEO’s Culture of Helping. Harvard Business Review.
[8]	Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (2011). The Power of Small Wins. Harvard Business Review.
[9]	Azzam, A. (2009) Why Creativity Now? A Conversation with Sir Ken Robinson. Journal of Educational Leadership, 67, 22-26.
[10]	Beghetto, R. A., & Kaufman, J. (2007) Toward a Broader Conception of Creativity: A Case for “mini-c” Creativity. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, 1, 73-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1931-3896.1.2.73
[11]	Beghetto, R. A., & Kaufman, J. C. (2013). Fundamentals of Creativity. Educational Leadership, 70, 10-15.
[12]	Cadwell, L. B. (2002). Bringing Learning to Life: A Reggio Approach to Early Childhood Education. New York: Teachers College Press.
[13]	Cropley, A. (2006). In Praise of Convergent Thinking. Creativity Research Journal, 18, 391-404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15326934crj1803_13
[14]	Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (2012). The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation (3rd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Prager Press.
[15]	Gandini, L. (2008). Introduction to the Fundamental Values of the Education of Young Children in Reggio Emilia—Revision. http://www.reggioalliance.org/reggio_related/print_and_video_resources/articles.php
[16]	Gardner, H. (1993). Creating Minds: An Anatomy of Creativity Seen through the Lives of Freud, Einstein, Picasso, Stravinsky, Eliot, Graham, and Ghandi. New York: Basic Books.
[17]	Hennessey, B. A., & Amabile, T. M. (1987). Creativity and Learning: What Research Says to the Teacher? Washington DC: National Education Association, Professional Library.
[18]	Hernandez-Estrada, J. L. (2012). Aesthetics of Generosity—El Sistema, Music Education and Social Change. Hidalgo, TX: Jose Luis Hernandez-Estrada.
[19]	IDEO (2015). Education—Building a Generation of Design Thinkers. http://www.ideo.com/expertise/education/
[20]	Kaufman, J. C., & Beghetto, R. A. (2009). Beyond Big and Little: The Four C Model of Creativity. Review of General Psychology, 13, 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0013688
[21]	Lagace, M. (2004). How Team Leaders Show Support—Or Not. Harvard Business School Working Knowledge. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/
[22]	Mindshift (2015). Sir Ken Robinson: Creativity Is in Everything, Especially Teaching. http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/04/22/sir-ken-robinson-creativity- is-in-everything-especially-teaching/
[23]	MIT (2010). El Sistema: Social Support and Advocacy through Musical Education (Video). http://video.mit.edu/watch/el-sistema-social-support-and-advocacy-through- musical-education-9553/
[24]	Rinaldi, C. (2005). In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, Researching and Learning. London: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203317730
[25]	Runco, M. A. (2008). Creativity and Education. New Horizons in Education, 56, 107-115.
[26]	Torrance, E. P. (1977). Creativity in the Classroom: What Research Says to the Teacher. Washington DC: NEA.
[27]	Tunstall, T. (2012). Changing Lives: Gustavo Dudamel, El Sistema and the Transformative Power of Music. New York: WW Norton & Co.
[28]	Vecchi, V. (2015). The Secret of a Raindrop. Proceedings of the Sixth NAREA Winter Conference, New York, 12-14 March 2015.
[29]	Wagner, T. (2014). Creating Innovators. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W9oEqp1yi4&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1