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Why I'm here....

8/14/2012

7 Comments

 

The Call For Creativity

Picture
 Two summers ago, this Newsweek cover caught my eye. It was a satisfying acknowledgement of my core belief as an educator: Students can -- and should -- be taught to be creative. 


Some Excerpts:
  • “American creativity scores are falling. [The culprit is] the lack of creativity development in our schools. In effect it’s left to the luck of the draw who becomes creative: there’s no concerted effort to nurture the creativity of all children.”
  • “As school stuffs more complex information into their heads, kids get overloaded, and creativity suffers.” America’s focus on “standardized curriculum, rote memorization, and nationalized testing” is based on an outdated model."
  • “When creative children have a supportive teacher – someone tolerant of unconventional answers, occasional disruptions, or detours of curiosity – they tend to excel."
  • “While our creativity scores decline unchecked, the current national strategy for creativity consists of little more than praying for a Greek muse to drop by our houses.” 


My Response: My goal for the summer of 2010 was already to write a book explaining my philosophies and techniques for teaching creativity to my high school English classes. Seeing this magazine article inspired me to see this project through to the finish. "The Creative Classroom" (or "Hey' You're Doing It Wrong: How To Really Teach High School English" or "Creating Creative Classes") developed as a treatise on the benefits of the writing workshop, an explanation of how to be a creative teacher, and a toolkit of specific lesson plans and methods of instruction.

This Blog: My intention is to blog about my ideas for better educational practices. I try not to get caught up in politics -- standardized testing, charter schools, teacher evaluations -- and instead focus on the day-to-day grind of how to teach better.  I believe that any grade, any level, any subject matter can be taught in a way that motivates new thought, accomplishes goals, and inspires young minds.

​The Creative Classroom is engaging, student-centered, and project-based. It encourages collaboration, demands risk-taking, and values quality over quantity. It's rooted in Nancy Atwell's writing workshop but adds layers of new ideas atop that solid bedrock.



Click here to read more on these ideas...




















7 Comments
Judith Morais link
8/16/2012 07:36:33 pm

There are so many ideas here I look forward to using. You've mentioned that you don't like to get bogged down with the "politics" of educational practices. My own blog does focus on these politics mainly because of my previous background as head of department, but I strongly believe that if teachers explore creativity and learning within the classroom they will address the overall needs of education. Personally, I now teach esl learners and find that techniques such as what you are exploring will address their needs.

Reply
Tim Buchanan
8/27/2012 08:19:43 am

Thanks for the kick! I agree and thanks to the Great Valley Writing Project director I am here saving you to my faves.

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Mary Kirkpatrick
10/20/2012 12:45:45 pm

Keep up the good work! Hip hop and rap are among the most misunderstood media today. Yes, they are full of teachable moments and every bit and more the quality of poetry and lyrics from by-gone days. I'm an old white lady of 61, but my own children and students have been hip hop and rap fans for years. I'm from the Houston area. Anyway, you have found a very rich, and teachable sources in the world.

Reply
bob weinstein
11/10/2012 08:55:14 am

A couple of years ago I used the "mind mapping" procedures you described in an earlier work. It was really an effective tool to help me remember data from a book I was studying. In this Blog, you offer so much more to teachers of creative writing. Keep it up!

Reply
Pamela Hunnisett link
3/26/2013 02:09:57 am

THANK YOU! I am excited for next year when I'll be teaching the first ever Creative Writing Course at our school for a mix of Grade 10, 11, and 12 kids. You work is inspiring! Thank you!

Reply
Daniel Weinstein
3/26/2013 01:48:53 pm

Thank you Pamela!! E-mail me I can do anything to help!

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Hannah Totten link
7/16/2013 02:48:36 pm

Mr. Weinstein, I am completely inspired and amazed! August of 2013 will officially become only my second year of teaching Middle School Language Arts. Being a new teacher, it is always an honor to listen to more "seasoned" teachers share the joys and strategies which they have procured and refined over the years. I have now spent the last two hours of my life gleaming every word from your blog, downloading every document, and pasting many photographic examples into the depths of my computer. My hope is to draw from your wisdom and inspire my students as you have!

May I ask, how you have integrated specific technology components into your mini-lessons and project plans? I have read your entries and the only glimpses of technology have been the option of online portfolios, YouTube, and your projector. This upcoming year, I will be teaching within a 1:1 laptop environment and I would love to hear any advice you could offer!

Reply



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    Blog Author:
    Daniel Weinstein

    I teach AP Language and Creative Writing at Great Neck South High School on Long Island. 

    Teaching philosophies: Student-centered. Collaborative. Goal-setting. Coaching. Divergent thinking. Portfolio. Writing as therapy. Take Risks! Find your voice. Experiment! Freewrite. Poetry. Memoir. Editing. Layers. Deadlines. Frontload. Rap and hip-hop. Expository technique. Drawing. Art. Magic Markers. Mind Maps. Publishing. Music. Cellphones. Ipods. Wikipedia. Twitter. Facebook. Stay modern. Stay open-minded. Keep learning. 

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© 2013 Daniel Weinstein
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