CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING

Editor’s note
Joaquin, 5 th grade: ”Creativity is the thing in your mind that makes you
do imaginative things.”
Welcome to our Creative and Critical Thinking edition
Since I sent out my call-for-writers email, I have been grappling with
these questions – what is the creative and critical process, and what
does it look like on our campus? I have learned that being creative is
systematized and intentional. It is not a random scribble on a page –
but having written this, I have to say that a scribble does have the
potential to be the beginning of something wonderfully creative.
The creative and critical process will only thrive in a school where
people talk about creativity openly. It will only thrive if teachers are
trusted to carry on, invent, recreate, learn, study, and experiment. It
definitely thrives in a school where 6th grade students mummify fish
and design their sarcophagus during an interdisciplinary unit on Egypt.
Paulina, 5th grade: “Creativity is having fresh and vivid ideas.”
We do things differently at our school. We look at problems and issues
from a number of angles and create solutions by systematically
critically thinking about things. We debate, Skype, research, and discuss
issues. This happens all over the school!
Creativity takes work, time, energy, and focus. Reflection is also a
crucial part of the process. It takes more than just someone like me
saying, please write about your creative project. It requires you to
dissect the method, have time to ponder it, and then express it.
Creativity is part of our quest for beauty and goodness, whether that is
beauty in a science experiment, an art project, or in realizing the
interconnectedness of life.
Fermin (5 th grade): “Creativity is when someone lets their mind flow and
think of things nobody else has thought before and put it on a
piece of work.”
Juan Diego in P1-6: “I love the desert for the sicri (secrets) in the cavs
(caves).” “I like the yellow-orange ski (sky) at sonset (sunset).”
In this issue we will visit an ES class which is taking on big issues with
its teacher, Ms. O’Connor. We will see how Dr. Hogan is asking his world
history students to imagine historical life, and not merely memorize the
events. John McKinley (MS) challenges us to decide to learn something
brand new. EC shows us the creative process of art, science, music, and
reading! In ES art class, students take everyday objects and turn them
into works of art with phenomenal results. Fifth grade art students
redesign insects to cope with environmental changes, and the new
bugs are stunning. We will read from Claudia Padilla (11 th grade) about
the creative process of interviewing Noam Chomsky over Skype for a
science project. Norma Guinto, from the Mexican Program, reflects on
the creative and critical way our teachers are taking on the Reforma.
Enjoy the journey around the school as we examine what it is to be a
creative and critical thinker.
Thank you to all teachers, students, and administrators who have
edited, written, drawn, dissected, and created for this edition. A special
thanks goes to Ms. Janet for her trust in the creative and critical process
over the years at ASFG. Thank you.
Kristen Fry
editor
Kristen Fry
art director
María José González
copy editors
Karen Corona, Norma Guinto & Julie
Villand
creative contributors
Amy Bokser, Caleb Cook, Diego
Soberanes, Alejandra Rodriguez,
Tina Carstensen, David Markman,
David Mc Grath, Nathanael Parson,
Karen Mercer, Julie Villand, John
McKinley, Ms. Jessie Johnson, the
Language Institute Team, Cassandra
Torres, Jodi Peterson, Juliet Evans,
Virginia Morgan, Karen Corona,
Bárbara Reyes, Karla Rosas, Renata
Rodríguez, Claudia Padilla, Joana de
Freitas, Miki Kuribayashi, Patty
Gutiérrez, Michael Hogan, Leonardo
José Díaz, Dawn Lussier, Norma
Guinto, Cristina González Ladrón de
Guevara, Mónica Caballero, Chris
Peterson, Mary Anne O’Connor, Sam
Morrison, Chris Swiggum, Alicia
Aizuri Minakata Viramontes,
Alejandro Garza, Brian Zink, Claudia
Padilla, Abby Thompson, Rhett
Butler, Michael Balog.
director general
Janet Heinze
The American School
Foundation of Guadalajara, A.C.
Colomos 2100
Colonia Italia Providencia
Guadalajara, Jalisco
C.P. 44630
México
t. 3648-0299
www.asfg.mx
“The organizations of
the future will
increasingly depend
on the creativity of
their members to
survive. Great Groups
offer a new model in
which the leader is an
equal among Titans. In
a truly creative
collaboration, work is
pleasure, and the only
rules and procedures
are those that advance
the common cause.”
- Warren Bennis
(Warren Gamaliel Bennis, born
March 8, 1925, is an American
scholar, organizational
consultant and author, widely
regarded as a pioneer of the
contemporary field of
Leadership studies.)
E
Director´s Note
arly on I realized that the majority of our students, faculty, staff, parents, and board
members were skilled critical and creative thinkers and as such brought a wealth of
knowledge, a willingness to listen, and great research skills to the collaborative table.
Discussing an issue at any level was thought of as a serious undertaking. Over the years
we have honed our creative interaction skills even more by practicing, often on a daily
basis, the art of being inquisitive, open minded, and flexible. We often ask ourselves,
“What if?” It is imperative that mature and vibrant schools, such as ASFG, create and
foster programs and attitudes that constantly improve student learning, school climate,
and community interaction. The process and practice of working together to create and
achieve our goals has included great successes as well as more than a few failed
attempts. However, never to be discouraged, we take a deep breath and begin again as
we have experienced that there is nothing more satisfying than participating in a
collaborative group where new ideas, thoughts, knowledge, or past experiences are
combined to create a new way of moving forward. There is a wonderful sense of
satisfaction and solidarity when the sum is more than the parts! Creative and
collaborative group discussions and decisions allow us to experiment with new activities
and attitudes. The fear of failure is greatly reduced.
Every Thursday afternoon the section principals, the director of the Mexican program, the
director of instruction and I meet to discuss school issues, policies, and procedures. We
share a small lunch and begin our work. At times the agenda is short, other times very
long, but what amazes me is no matter what the length of the agenda, the conversations
always extend beyond what is planned. Some might judge that we are wasting time or
that we are off task, but usually what takes place is that we are enjoying the intellectual
sparing and brainstorming sessions that lead us to very creative solutions to our issues.
Yes, it takes us longer to reach consensus but we have learned to enjoy and nurture the
journey as well as the end result. Our work and collaboration have become quite
pleasurable and you could even say playful at times. A person with a developed sense of
humor is a joy to work with and now the latest research confirms the fact that play
fosters creativity which results in innovative solutions and better decisions for all
stakeholders. So, if you are planning or attending a meeting, plan to have some fun!