Are you tuned in to creativity - Think like a Pirate - Chapter 4

We all like creative lessons, but coming up with them can be  hard when it is sunday evening and you have to get lessons done for the next day.  

Dave asks "are you asking the right questions" or "are you waiting for the idea to drop into your lap?"

ARE YOU TUNED INTO THE CREATIVITY CHANNEL
 ON YOUR BRAIN RADIO?

We are taught in training to become a teacher to ask open ended questions so we get good answers, but are we asking ourselves questions about our lesson plans in a positive open ended way or a negative - only one answer way?

Examples (I came up with these myself off of Dave's Examples)
        
                   Positive                                                                    Negative
How can I add manipulatives to this lesson?           Is there a way to add manipulatives to this lesson? 
How can I word this to make it intresting?              Can I change this to make it intresting?


Have you ever had to attend a workshop about something that you are going to be "required" to implement in your classroom?  If you are like me, panic sets in.  How am I going to do this on top of everything else?  Why should I change what I'm doing if it is already working?   Then you get to the workshop, listen and participate in activities, and go "I'm already doing this" it is like _____________.  (Fill in the blank)  Why - because all the sudden what we had been doing becomes more important and we are tuned into it.  Just like if you start working on more creative ideas in your classroom, you will see more creative ideas around you.

Hello - You mean as we practice it, it will become easier?  YEP - same thing we teach our students.

6 Words  - So 6 Words is a story Dave tells.  It is about a lady who says "It is easy for you.  You're creative."  Dave goes onto explain that 1 - he doesn't feel it was easy, he spent 16 years brainstorming and coming up with ideas and 2 - the lady essentiallly just said she wasn't creative.
   How many times do we think the same way?  How many times do we hear from a student "I can't" or "but ____________ is so smart, it is easy for them?"  Are we taking the easy way out?  Are we letting our students have an excuse?  Maybe it is time for us (okay me) to stop making excuses and to start putting that little effort in and ask the right questions.  I need to tune into my creativity radio station.  

The Real Law of Attraction - In order to get what you want, you must decide what that is an WORK for it.  Yep, you must try to get it.   "Ideas are great, but implementation is the key." (pg 44)  
As I read this section, all I could think of was all the times I came up with or liked an idea, and then didn't follow through or said "but my class couldn't do that ".  Maybe it is time I implemented more, and tried.  

Designing a System to Capture Ideas - Do you have a way to record your ideas as they come?  Do you have a way to write down that amazing idea?  Dave says we must, because I'll do it later, means it won't happen.  I don't know about you, but I keep my phone with me at all times.  I pretty sure we all have a way of taking a note or two on that.

Make It Easy -  Keep things simple, make it easy to record ideas and write them down

Failure vs Feedback - So all this is great, but what happens when things don't go right? Have I failed?  According to Dave we can look at it that way or we can look at it as feedback.  What were the students telling me about the lesson that wasn't engaging?  I don't know about you, but who says every class has to be taught the same?  Sometimes each class finds different things engaging.  No biggie, it is the same objectives, right?  When those students are chatty instead of engaged, maybe the feedback is "Hello, we are bored".  Look for the feedback, not the success or failure.

Creative Alchemy - Use your outside interests to find creative ways to do things in your classroom.  Bring your loves in.  It may not come immediately, but keep trying.

Link up with Kate and see her summary on Teach Like a Pirate - Ask and Analyze.  The head over to the main blog and see what others said.  Click on Kate's name to access her thoughts, and the button below to find others.