Torrance Journal for Applied Creativity

These tools provide guidelines to foster
creative thinking. While there is not a
guideline on how to teach these skills
there is recognition of the importance
of these elements. Understanding and
analyzing how these relate to the four
skills of fluency, flexibility, originality, and
elaboration provide depth in the generation
of classroom activities to foster their
development.
Environment that supports creativity
The classroom environment is
critical in all aspects of learning. The
two key elements of psychological safety
and intrinsic motivation are important
elements that must be included for the
environment to support creativity.
Starko (2010) states that psychological
safety includes unconditional
acceptance with the understanding that
while not all behaviors are acceptable,
there are clear rules and consequences:
lack of external evaluation, empathetic
understanding, the creation and enactment
of a creative group atmosphere,
prevention and avoidance of negative
sanctions with a celebration of new ideas
or thoughts, avoidance of group pressure
and competition, and rewarding creative
thinking and output. Teachers need
to create an environment where their
students can embrace creativity and the
school/administration also needs to
establish the same type of environment
for their teachers.
Klaus Urban (2007) developed
25 recommendations for stimulating and
nurturing creativity in school. Many of
these recommendations have to do with
the psychological safety of the classroom.
Some of these recommendations include
“avoiding group pressure and envy of
competition” as well as “negative reactions
or sanctions by classmates,” “demonstrating
and appreciating humor,” “support[ing]
self-initiated questioning and
learning,” “provok[ing] and provid[ing]
for situations by challenging, stimulating
and requiring creative behavior,”
“allowing errors and mistakes,” “support[ing]
interests as well as perception
and acquisition of knowledge,” and “develop[ing]
and demonstrat[ing] constructive
criticism, not just criticism.” There
are many ways to create an environment
that is psychologically safe for creative
expression and developing creativity.
Formulating statements that
stimulate or provoke questions by students,
allowing errors and mistakes, providing
opportunities to pursue personal
interests and passions, and fostering quiet
reflection, exploration of materials and
ideas, and stimulation can foster intrinsic
motivation. Research by Amabile (1996)
shows that, “Intrinsic motivation is conducive
to creativity; controlling extrinsic
motivation is detrimental to creativity,
but information or enabling extrinsic
motivation can be conducive particularly
if initial levels of intrinsic motivation
are high (p. 119)” (as cited in Starko,
2010, p. 248). Developing a classroom
environment that is focused on minimizing
creativity killers and fostering the
internal motivation of students is key.
Many of the recommendations
for a creative classroom should be in
place for a safe learning environment.
The awareness and focus on creativity
will impact the environment as well as
the teachers and students within that
environment. Recognition of creativity
killers is important when focusing on
the environment. For example, the use
of external awards limits creativity in the
classroom.
Creativity Blocks/Killers
Creativity can be fostered
through the use of coaching or critiquing.
The art of educational criticism can be
utilized when evaluating creativity in the
classroom. “The critic (in this case the
teacher) needs to perceive what is subtle
and complex, must appreciate the …
meaning of events, and must be able to
make those meanings vivid through the
language he or she uses to communicate”
(Eisner, 2002, p 57). This critique helps
the student push past the requirements
and make meaning of the assignments.
Research has identified many blocks or
killers to creativity. These blocks involve
a variety of aspects related to classroom
practice including grades. When students
are focused on grades, this critique
becomes irrelevant. These practices
Isabelle Gawedzki
accept various methods of output while
ensuring the content is being represented.
With grading on their minds, many
students will not push themselves past
the requirements. Projects will not be
as creative because it is generally easier
to do something within the scope of the
requirements rather than push boundaries.
Teachers should provide students
instruction and opportunities to
utilize the skills for creative thinking.
Without these skills students will be
unable to generate the ideas necessary
to venture beyond the known. Teachers
often provide students choices within
the classroom. However, restricting
choices can be damaging to creative
environments. Students should be given
open-ended opportunities in order to
grow and develop their creative ideas.
When restricting choices, Einstein stated
“This coercion had such a deterring effect
upon me that after I passed the final
examination, I found the consideration
of any scientific problems distasteful to
me for an entire year [Einstein, 1949]”
(Grangrade, Kothari, & Verma, 2005,
pg 57). Thankfully, he moved passed his
immediate distaste for the problems and
found a passion within the field involving
inquiry and problem solving.
Interaction for students is
important for their growth but constant
supervision can have a deterring effect.
The student needs to feel safe in order to
explore, start over, try again, or muddle
through without the feeling of being
monitored. Guidance by coaching or
critiquing is important but the idea of
being watched does not allow for “private”
mistakes and failures.
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