The change from ‘what is this and what does it do?’ to:
‘What can I do with this?’
Creativity across the curriculum
Creativity is part of every area of the curriculum and all areas of learning have the potential to be creative experiences. At times practitioners tend to follow creative practice and ‘organise’ and ‘command’ activities to obtain certain academic goals or objectives. However, it is also necessary that these professionals make distinctions between creative practice and encouraging creativity. In order to ensure that all children have the access to a broad range of creative and imaginative experiences, practitioners must be aware of the importance of all children feeling valued and their voiced being heard.
The creative experiences that we expose children to should be broad, balanced and accessible –
Broad – include a full range of experiences
Balanced – cover all areas of learning
Accessible – children’s access should be monitored and assessed.
Some creative experiences are available at all times while others could be introduced for short periods of time for example during creative literacy week or during project activities, or depending on children’s interests and needs. By offering children such experiences we are giving them learning opportunities which will help them to develop:
Attitudes, feelings and dispositions
Knowledge and understanding
Skills and abilities and to use in their own imaginative and creative way. As adults we divide experiences into different areas of learning or subjects, however, children do not perceive experiences in this way.
Creativity and imagination across the curriculum
Personal, social and emotional development
Creativity helps children to develop insights into what peers are thinking and feeling, encourages a sense of self-respect and valuing others, develops self-confidence and attitudes.
Literacy
Exclusion of creativity limits children’s development as readers and writers. Reading development builds on representation through making marks and helps children understand the symbolics of written language.
Mathematics
Many of us were taught to find the right answer rather than create our own understanding of concepts. Grey’s (1997) work shows that children who are successful mathematicians are those who have learned how to develop new facts from old ones in a flexible, creative way.
Children are not empty vessels but have their own thoughts, ideas and their own desire to be creative. Creative development is an area of development in its own right.
Diane Armeni
Year 1 Literacy
References:
Armeni, D. (2015) ‘Encouraging Creativity in the Early Years’, E210: TMA 04, Open University, Milton Keynes
Duffy, B. (2006) ‘Creativity across the Curriculum’, Supporting Creativity and Imagination in the Early Years, 2nd ed. B. Duffy, Buckingham: Open University Press