Our Creativity module has now come to an end and I find myself writing my final blog. I have really enjoyed this module although being slightly jubeus at first. I have learnt about many different and new teaching techniques that I will take with me onto my teaching career and aim to encourage and include creativity when I can. I have seen how creativity can really develop an individual and have seen first hand the enjoyment, excitement and involvemnet children get from it. This has been a great Module and has by far been one of favourite so far throughout this degree. My future aim is to be more creative myself as I know how much of a boost you can have by creating something and encourage creativity into my childrens life also.
Creativity module, it has been a pleasure :)
Monday, 12 May 2014
Sunday, 11 May 2014
The Rights of the Child
Unites Nations Convention for The Rights of The Child.
In our seminar today we looked at the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child. I really found this interesting and as I had never looked at these before I learnt some that I was not aware of. In groups we were given cards with pictures of different objects on. We were asked to separate these into either what we thought we 'needed' or 'wanted'. It was very eye opening to see what we consider as 'need' and 'want'.
In our seminar today we looked at the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child. I really found this interesting and as I had never looked at these before I learnt some that I was not aware of. In groups we were given cards with pictures of different objects on. We were asked to separate these into either what we thought we 'needed' or 'wanted'. It was very eye opening to see what we consider as 'need' and 'want'.
After this session I did think about our wants and needs and how these have dramatically changed even in the last 10 years. Most people for example would say that we 'want' a mobile phone for example, but after thinking about it and even discussing it with my 6 year old daughter I started to think that I needed mine personally. I do not have a house phone and I would not know where the local phone box was or if it was actually in working order. I would most definitely need my mobile phone in an emergency and if one of the children or myself had a serious accident and I needed to call for the police or ambulance.
Although I thought about our individual needs, I also came to the conclusion that as much as our individual needs differ a great deal from one to the other, for example a diabetic will 'need' their insulin, it will differ a great deal between individuals upon the place they live, upon their individual beliefs or religions and also individuals 'needs' and 'wants' may change throughout their life time and with time.
I have found this seminar and topic interesting and very worth while especially considering we are training to potentially be teachers or within the education sector, I believe it is highly valuable to know the rights of the child and to have discussions along this subjects with the pupils themselves.
A Trip to At-Bristol.
Today we took a trip to At-Bristol in Bristol with my Mum and two children. My daughter is six and my son is almost two. We all had a great day out. there was plenty for all of us to do and get involved in. My son obviously did not reap all the benefits that the science museum had to offer although I would not hesitate in visiting again in another year or so.
One of the exhibits the children all seemed to love was a new one called 'Build it!' and was designed for under eights. It allowed the children to get immersed in a role-play environment which reminded me very much so of The Mantle of The Expert. The children got to see what it was like to be a builder and experiment and be creative within the setting of a working construction site. The Children spent half an hour in this particular exhibit and I could see that all the other children seemed to really enjoy it. The age range varied from toddlers just being able to walk up to eight. Some children took on the role of the roofers, some making the walls, others using wheel barrows to move the bricks from one side to the other whilst some took on the role of site manager, making sure they were doing what they were meant to, although some children were quite happy playing doing what they wanted to and did not appreciate being bossed about. It was very interesting to watch and I could clearly see many different skills being used by certain children. I could see gross motor skills being used firstly then other skills such as problem solving, interaction, creativeness, social skills and allows them to gain a insight into what it resembles and entails working on a building site.
Build it!
The Mantle of the Expert.
3rd March 2014
Today we has the opportunity to take part and experience the Mantle Of the Expert to be able to know how the teaching method works and for us to see if it is an effective method of learning and also teaching.
Our Task:
Design and make a bridge for our local council. The bridge will be situated in the SA1 area of Swansea town. We have four locations to choose from. We need to be specific and have time, costs, materials etc to inform the council in a meeting where they will decide whether or not our design will be chosen for the job.Within our group we then came up with.........
RACK LTD (Rebekah, Andrea, Chariss and Keyleigh).
Family run bridge company since 1909. We make functional but fabulous bridges. Our strapline: Functional yet fabulous. Our Great Great Grandfather's company initially, has been passed down. We are now four sisters running the business. We took over in 2011 and have re-branded.
Our first built bridge was the Clifton Suspension bridge in Bristol.
Designer - Chariss
Director - Rebekah
Constructor - Keyleigh and myself.
Within our meetings we aim to achieve the following:- Brainstorming, Collaborate ideas, Catch up, Gossip and Feedback. We will then research- find out what is needed to be done and achieved and talk to local community to find out any specific needs. We would then delegate jobs and do what is needed then report back. All to keep a log of everything and keep in filing system.
We then had a meeting with the Council. All went well and we established the councils time frame and budget. We then got the go ahead. As a group we worked brilliantly together. We were able to research on the I-Pad's anything we needed to know regarding bridges etc. For our design we agreed on a wave like road instead of your regular straight road from one side to the other. We all worked on the design in the end and it was great fun.
From having the opportunity to experience The Mantle of The Expert for ourselves I think it is a brilliant teaching method that should be used within classrooms more often. It was fun and we really did learn an awful lot about bridges which is usually a subject that if given the topic and told we were needed to learn about it, I am sure most people would find it slightly boring. I can see though that maybe quieter pupils within the class may be too shy to get 'stuck in' and may feel slightly embarrassed acting out their given role. If this was the scenario in a classroom or group it would be a wise idea to possibly give the less willing pupils the job of researcher to research the given topic. All in all this was a great subject and I would thoroughly enjoy using this a teaching method when I become a teacher myself.
Our notes on a step-by-step structure for making our bridge.
Clifton Suspension Bridge.
"Mantle of the Expert involves the creation of a fictional world where students assume the roles of experts in a designated field.Mantle Of the Expert is based on the premise that treating children as responsible experts increases their engagement and confidence. They can perceive a real purpose for learning and discovering together in an interactive and proactive way – providing them with skills and knowledge they can apply to their everyday lives. Mantle Of the Expert encourages creativity, improves teamwork, communication skills, critical thought and decision-making" (www.dramaresource.com/strategies/mantle-of-the-expert).
Today we has the opportunity to take part and experience the Mantle Of the Expert to be able to know how the teaching method works and for us to see if it is an effective method of learning and also teaching.
Our Task:
Design and make a bridge for our local council. The bridge will be situated in the SA1 area of Swansea town. We have four locations to choose from. We need to be specific and have time, costs, materials etc to inform the council in a meeting where they will decide whether or not our design will be chosen for the job.Within our group we then came up with.........
RACK LTD (Rebekah, Andrea, Chariss and Keyleigh).
Family run bridge company since 1909. We make functional but fabulous bridges. Our strapline: Functional yet fabulous. Our Great Great Grandfather's company initially, has been passed down. We are now four sisters running the business. We took over in 2011 and have re-branded.
Our first built bridge was the Clifton Suspension bridge in Bristol.
Designer - Chariss
Director - Rebekah
Constructor - Keyleigh and myself.
Within our meetings we aim to achieve the following:- Brainstorming, Collaborate ideas, Catch up, Gossip and Feedback. We will then research- find out what is needed to be done and achieved and talk to local community to find out any specific needs. We would then delegate jobs and do what is needed then report back. All to keep a log of everything and keep in filing system.
We then had a meeting with the Council. All went well and we established the councils time frame and budget. We then got the go ahead. As a group we worked brilliantly together. We were able to research on the I-Pad's anything we needed to know regarding bridges etc. For our design we agreed on a wave like road instead of your regular straight road from one side to the other. We all worked on the design in the end and it was great fun.
From having the opportunity to experience The Mantle of The Expert for ourselves I think it is a brilliant teaching method that should be used within classrooms more often. It was fun and we really did learn an awful lot about bridges which is usually a subject that if given the topic and told we were needed to learn about it, I am sure most people would find it slightly boring. I can see though that maybe quieter pupils within the class may be too shy to get 'stuck in' and may feel slightly embarrassed acting out their given role. If this was the scenario in a classroom or group it would be a wise idea to possibly give the less willing pupils the job of researcher to research the given topic. All in all this was a great subject and I would thoroughly enjoy using this a teaching method when I become a teacher myself.
Here is a video of a class exploring Vikings through Mantle of the expert.
Engaging Mind - Guest Speaker- Ben Hill.
Guest speaker.
Today we were given a lecture by Ben Hill who teaches in an autistic school called Ashgrove in Penarth. He was a great, down to earth guy who achieved a lot with his pupils. By the end of the lecture, I thought that I would definitely enquire and like to volunteer in his school and would really enjoy it. The following notes were taken during his lecture.
Creativity defined by Sir Ken Robinson:- "I would define creativity as the process of having original ideas that have value".
Why is Creativity important?
Today we were given a lecture by Ben Hill who teaches in an autistic school called Ashgrove in Penarth. He was a great, down to earth guy who achieved a lot with his pupils. By the end of the lecture, I thought that I would definitely enquire and like to volunteer in his school and would really enjoy it. The following notes were taken during his lecture.
Creativity defined by Sir Ken Robinson:- "I would define creativity as the process of having original ideas that have value".
Why is Creativity important?
- It is a tool to enable individuals to express themselves and by doing it through creativity, it is a method of communication.
- When someone receives recognition for something they have created, it increases self esteem.
- Especially in today's climate, employers are looking for individuals that can think for themselves.
- Creativity is important as it creates new ideas to solve new and old problems.
- Creating an environment where individuals have freedom to experiment and make mistakes.
- Important that there is time to think.
- Essential to have space to move and make a mess.
- There needs to be opportunities for conversation, discussion and debate.
- Relaxed and friendly staff promoting good working practices.
- Access to a wealth of media on a multitude of subjects.
- Allow pupils access to resources while teaching them and show them how to use them effectively.
"The Makey Makey uses a USB cord to connect its circuit board to the computer. The circuit board takes over the functionality of certain keys on your keyboard or the mouse click. That is where the fun begins. Using alligator clips you can connect the space bar function of the Makey Makey controller to the end of the banana, or a pencil, or a piece of Play-Doh, and make the object the keyboard or mouse input.Just touch your 'banana' and you control the functionality of the space bar on the computer"
(www.thinkgeek.com).
Ben also mentioned 'Somantics' which he said he used within his classroom.
"The Somantics concept is a suite of applications that use touch, gesture and camera input to encourage, capture and amplify the interests of young people with Autistic Spectrum Conditions and other related communication difficulties. The overarching goal of Somantics is to promote the greater self-awareness, confidence and independance"
(www.somantics.org/about).
Here is a picture of the Makey Makey in action.
Thursday, 8 May 2014
Creativity within the Classroom.
Whilst teaching, I believe that it is very important to bring creativity into the classroom. Children thrive whilst being able to express themselves and can really get into what they are doing if there is a creative element present. Children really enjoy exploring and being allowed to be free whilst learning. Children also become more confident, they become autonomous learners and it can fuel their curiosity and their thirst for knowledge on other ways that the more traditional leaning approaches promote (www.theguardian.com).
Ken Robinson, The Guardian, May 2013, states that " creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. Creative work in any field often passes through typical phases. Sometimes what you end up with is not what you had in mind when you started. It's a dynamic process that often involves making new connections, crossing disciplines and using metaphors and analogies".
Creativity within the classroom for me is enabling the students to explore and discover new things and then allowing them to create or design something they enjoy and show an interest in. Sometimes it may work, and sometimes it may fail in a sense that what they set out to achieve initially did not become the final outcome. This should not though be seen as a failed idea though, as by going through this process, they have learnt along the way and can develop, correct or possible even better their initial ideas.
We all have the ability to be creative and I believe it is important for teachers to promote this. Not every child is the same and they all have different levels of ability regarding learning and being taught. It is important for students to feel supported whilst being at school and for them to also feel encouraged. Teachers should be trained to be able to promote and deliver creativity in all different subjects and in different ways. In my opinion, what must be remembered is that creativity is fun and a lot can be learnt from it. Students should enjoy it and be able to express, explore and create whilst given the opportunity to do so freely.
Ken Robinson, The Guardian, May 2013, states that " creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. Creative work in any field often passes through typical phases. Sometimes what you end up with is not what you had in mind when you started. It's a dynamic process that often involves making new connections, crossing disciplines and using metaphors and analogies".
Creativity within the classroom for me is enabling the students to explore and discover new things and then allowing them to create or design something they enjoy and show an interest in. Sometimes it may work, and sometimes it may fail in a sense that what they set out to achieve initially did not become the final outcome. This should not though be seen as a failed idea though, as by going through this process, they have learnt along the way and can develop, correct or possible even better their initial ideas.
We all have the ability to be creative and I believe it is important for teachers to promote this. Not every child is the same and they all have different levels of ability regarding learning and being taught. It is important for students to feel supported whilst being at school and for them to also feel encouraged. Teachers should be trained to be able to promote and deliver creativity in all different subjects and in different ways. In my opinion, what must be remembered is that creativity is fun and a lot can be learnt from it. Students should enjoy it and be able to express, explore and create whilst given the opportunity to do so freely.
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
Creativity and me
Creativity and me.
After our initial look at creativty in our seminar I had a think about the influences and ideas of creativity that I personally have, like and enjoy.
From a young age I have enjoyed being outdoors and absolutely love nature and the things we can access from the outside world for free and not man made. I enjoyed birdwatching and going for long walks in the mountains. I would then come home and draw pictures of the things I had seen or the scenery of where we had been. I would often collect things for example pine cones, of which I still have now, and then incorpoate them into my drawings or make things with them.
I have never really considered myself as creative but have always taken a keen interest in things that are creative. I enjoy artwork, especially graffiti. I also love things that are made of recycled material and enjoyed seeing robots that had been made of recycled metal at a festival I went to a few years ago.
Creativity to me means many things. It can be ideas that someone or a group of people have and then possibly create something or make something happen from theses ideas. It can be drawings, paitings, food, posters, music, realistic or non realistic ideas, inventions, designs for something for example: a house, a piece of furnisher or even a go kart! Creativity means thinking outside the box and thinking or creating things that may not necessarily have been thought of before. It can be something simple and small, something complicated and gigantic. I think as long as thought has gone into it and you have tried to create something you have thought of yourself it is creative.
After our initial look at creativty in our seminar I had a think about the influences and ideas of creativity that I personally have, like and enjoy.
From a young age I have enjoyed being outdoors and absolutely love nature and the things we can access from the outside world for free and not man made. I enjoyed birdwatching and going for long walks in the mountains. I would then come home and draw pictures of the things I had seen or the scenery of where we had been. I would often collect things for example pine cones, of which I still have now, and then incorpoate them into my drawings or make things with them.
I have never really considered myself as creative but have always taken a keen interest in things that are creative. I enjoy artwork, especially graffiti. I also love things that are made of recycled material and enjoyed seeing robots that had been made of recycled metal at a festival I went to a few years ago.
Creativity to me means many things. It can be ideas that someone or a group of people have and then possibly create something or make something happen from theses ideas. It can be drawings, paitings, food, posters, music, realistic or non realistic ideas, inventions, designs for something for example: a house, a piece of furnisher or even a go kart! Creativity means thinking outside the box and thinking or creating things that may not necessarily have been thought of before. It can be something simple and small, something complicated and gigantic. I think as long as thought has gone into it and you have tried to create something you have thought of yourself it is creative.
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