Some Ways For Teachers To Be More Creative

Film a classroom video diary

A key creativity mindset is that the learning process is never ending. Help students look retrospectively on their own learning processes by filming a video diary throughout the course or year.
Some ideas for questions you could ask your students in the video are:

• 
  What are you most excited about right now?
  
• 
  What seems like the most challenging thing you need to do right now?
  
• 
  Who has helped you learn something this week?
  

This also adds an emotional element to the process—allowing them to become more invested and connected with their learning journey.

Visualize goals with timelines

Empowering students to set their own goals is an incredible motivator. Goals can be decided on a project or term basis and should always be achievable. By giving students a clear vision for where they want their learning to take them, they become naturally more inclined to find creative solutions to get them there.

Team building exercises

The most important thing about team building exercises is that there aren’t right or wrong answers – just strategies. Cooperative games allow students to work together to make decisions based on creative thinking, communication, and collaboration.
Throughout the process, students build better relationships with other team members as they struggle, deal with failure, and eventually work to master the problem presented. Check out this list of 10 team building games that can be used for students of all ages.

Use design thinking

The Design Thinking process is a framework for creativity and innovation taught in schools and universities all around the world. It allows students to break down complex problems based on various stages.

Try incorporating design thinking into any project or exercise. Some useful points of reflection after the exercise might be to ask students where the biggest challenges or difficulties were, and at what point they achieved the most process or success.
Encouraging students to think critically about their work enhances their creative thinking abilities, making them ready to understand and solve complex problems later in life.

Some Ways For Teachers To Be More Creative

Creativity isn’t always something that just happens. It can take quite a bit of work to nurture, grow, and develop creativity, even for those who are immersed in creative and dynamic fields.

For educators, it can be even more of a challenge to inspire creativity in students or embrace your own creativity while trying to juggle academic requirements, testing, and other issues in the classroom. It may be difficult but it’s certainly not impossible, and accomplishing it can help to create a classroom environment that’s more motivational, interesting, and educational for both you and your students.
So how do you get there? Here are some tips that can help you get creative in the classroom in a variety of ways.

1. BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS.

Even the most open-minded of us sometimes get stuck in a rut and can’t see that there are other, potentially better ways of doing things. Break out of that and try to be open to new ideas, even if they seem strange at first.

2. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

Stop thinking about your classroom within strictly confined terms and be open to ideas that are outside of the norm. You might just find a creative idea that transforms some of your lessons.

3. FIND EXCITEMENT.

One way to get your brain thinking creatively is to start learning about things that excite you. That excitement tends to get the brain motivated, and a motivated brain is an active and creative one.

4. GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.

It’s hard to push yourself out of your comfort zone, but it may be just what you need to really get creative. Work with new groups of students, teach new topics, or try out something you’re not comfortable with. It might work, it might not, but you’ll never know if you don’t try.

5. FIND INSPIRATIONAL PLACES.

Some lucky people may be able to find inspiration in a broom closet, but others of us need a place that pushes us toward inspiration. Whether it’s a park, your living room, or even a place in your school, head there and get your creative juices flowing.

6. RELAX.

While some people work better under stress, most of us find it to be a creativity killer. To really get in touch with your creative side, relax and don’t force ideas to come.

7. LOOK FOR IDEAS EVERYWHERE.

Amazing ideas can come from anywhere at any time so always keep your eyes, ears, and mind open!

8. TAKE UP A HOBBY.

Setting aside teaching in favor of some other interest for a few hours a day can help you return to your work with renewed passion and interest.

9. FOLLOW A PASSION.

Love something? Pursue it! Your passion will likely leave you feeling excited, inspired, and ready to get creative.

10. GET ACTIVE.

Your brain needs lots of oxygen to think, and exercise gets it there faster.

11. CONSIDER MEDITATION.

Sometimes you just need to clear your mind of all the old clutter to be able to open it up to new, innovative ideas.

12. PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS.

While challenging yourself is great, it can be tiring. Work with your strengths in your creative journey as well, and you’re much less likely to feel burnt out.

CAPITALIZING ON THE CREATIVE SPARK

If you’ve got creativity in spades, you need to start taking the next steps to make use of it. Here, we offer some ideas that can help.

13. CARRY A NOTEBOOK.

Inspiration can strike at any time, so make sure you’ve got a way to record it when it does by carrying a small notebook with you.

13. SILENCE YOUR INNER CRITIC.

When it comes to creativity, we’re often our own worst enemies. Work hard to stop yourself from being overly critical and unkind to yourself and work through ideas without judgment.

13. KEEP YOUR MIND SHARP.

Much like your muscles, your brain can get weak if you’re not pushing it. Read, learn, and challenge your own mind to keep it sharp. You’ll not only be more creative, but you’ll also likely be a better teacher for it.

13. LOVE WHAT YOU DO.

Nothing will make you feel more creative and inspired than truly loving what you do. If you’re feeling stressed, remind yourself how great your job really is. It’s bound to help you feel a little more creative and inspired.

13. IMAGINE YOUR CLASSROOM AS A BUSINESS.

If you were an art director or innovation manager how would you inspire your employees? Use those same tactics in your classroom!

13. CELEBRATE SUCCESSFUL FAILURES.

Lesson tanked? Great idea didn’t pan out? Don’t get yourself down. Failure is part of the creative process, and sometimes failures can actually be great successes if they teach you something in the process.

13. OWN YOUR IDEAS.

It’s fine to use ideas that originate with others, but don’t borrow: buy in completely. Even when you’re inspired by someone else’s style or ideas, make them your own by improving them, changing them, or personalizing them in some way.

13. SUSPEND JUDGMENT.

The best ideas always sound a little crazy at first. Suspend judgment until you have all the information.

13. EXPLORE ALL POSSIBILITIES.

When you write off certain things as being impossible, then you limit your creative potential. Explore possibilities fully, even if you think they’re a long shot.

13. EMBRACE WEIRDNESS.

When it comes to creativity, weirdness is usually a good thing. Go with it. It may lead you just where you want to go.

INSPIRING STUDENTS

Once you’re good and creatively inspired, you should help your students embrace their creative side as well.

25. MODEL CREATIVITY.

Want to help your students to be more creative? Then show them how it’s done! Be a model of creativity and they are sure to follow.

25. ENCOURAGE MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS.

If there’s always a definitive right and wrong in your classroom then there won’t be much room for creative thought. Encourage multiple viewpoints and different ideas, even if they don’t always match your own.

25. HIGHLIGHT DIVERSITY.

If your students come from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, then take advantage of this diversity and highlight ideas and values from each of their cultures. It’s not only educational, but it helps to show them that there’s more than one way to do things.

25. HELP STUDENTS SEE THEIR OWN ABILITIES.

Every student has different gifts and abilities. Use these to engage students and help them to be more creative in their activities.

25. QUESTION ASSUMPTIONS.

Don’t just go with the status quo! Be willing to question common assumptions and encourage your students to have the same kind of inquisitiveness as well.

25. ENCOURAGE CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING.

Usually, there’s more than one way to solve a problem. Help students to be creative in how they solve problems, and give them opportunities to work on projects that build these skills.

25. READ AND ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO DO THE SAME.

Books are excellent places to find inspiration, information, and creative ideas. Demonstrate the importance of reading (books, magazines, newspapers, or even comics) to kids.

25. ASK OPEN QUESTIONS.

As simple as it is, asking students questions can be an amazing tool in getting them to think creatively. Just make sure the questions are open enough to allow them to come up with their own answers and not feel bound by your expectations.

25. FIND PERSONAL MEANING.

Helping students to connect their ideas to their own experiences and emotions can make projects take on a deeper meaning and may just encourage a whole other level of creativity.

25. LET STUDENTS SHOW OFF THEIR WORK.

Students at any age love having their work shown off, whether in the classroom or in the hallway. Give students to opportunity to show what they can do to their peers.

25. BE SPONTANEOUS.

Break out of your teaching rut and be spontaneous. Students will be forced to think and respond in new ways, expanding their minds in the process.

25. ASK STUDENTS FOR THE ANSWERS.

Don’t give students the answers, ask them to come up with them on their own.

25. WORK TOGETHER AS A CLASS.

Sometimes, working together is the best way to come up with a creative solution to a problem.

25. HIGHLIGHT EXEMPLARY STUDENT WORK.

When students do a good job, make sure they know how impressed you are. This will give them motivation to keep up the great work.

25. MAKE THINGS FUN.

Fun activities get students laughing, feeling relaxed, and most importantly, having fun.

THE CREATIVE CLASSROOM

Here we share some tips for creating a classroom environment that embraces creativity.

40. ASSESS CREATIVELY.

Multiple choice tests are easy to grade, but there isn’t much room for creative thinking on them. Answers are either wrong or right. To boost creative thinking in the classroom, show students you value it by creating assignments and tests that use it.

40. REWARD CREATIVE IDEAS AND PROJECTS.

Put your money where your mouth is when it comes to creativity in the classroom by rewarding and praising students who think creatively, even if you don’t necessarily like or agree with their ideas.

40. ENCOURAGE SENSIBLE RISKS.

Many kids are so afraid of failure that they’re unwilling to take risks in how they approach learning new things. Help assuage that fear by encouraging smart risk-taking, which can help students to make new breakthroughs, think outside the box, and grow as individuals.

40. ALLOW MISTAKES.

Not every creative idea will be a success, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t useful or valuable. In fact, some early mistakes have served as the basis for some pretty great things later on. Analyze and work through mistakes instead of treating them as failures.

40. CREATE A STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT.

While you can be creative anywhere, it’s much easier to do so when you’re in a stimulating environment. Both you and your students can benefit from a classroom that’s well-decorated, fun, and engaging.

40. DELAY GRATIFICATION.

The best creative projects don’t come with instant rewards. Help your students to learn this and to teach them the value of discipline and hard work by delaying the rewards of their creative work and emphasizing long-term goals.

40. HELP STUDENTS IDENTIFY AND PLAN FOR OBSTACLES.

Nothing worth doing is ever easy, and students will undoubtedly encounter obstacles during their creative work. Help them to see these as opportunities not roadblocks by creating plans of action and workarounds together.

40. SURPRISE YOURSELF (AND YOUR STUDENTS).

There’s nothing that creates a creative atmosphere like a little spontaneity. Occasionally, do something out of character. It will keep your students on their toes and keep you from falling into a rut.

40. INCORPORATE THE ARTS.

The most traditionally creative subjects are in the arts, but these can be incorporated into just about any lesson, whether math, science, or history. Find ways to bring music, drawing, creative writing, and other arts into a wider range of lessons in your classroom.

40. HELP STUDENTS MEET THEIR GOALS.

It’s not enough to just be creative. Help students to set and work towards meeting their own educational goals in the projects and assignments you do in your class.

40. EMBRACE CREATIVITY IN ALL SUBJECTS.

Why should the arts get to have all the fun? Bring aspects of creativity into all of your subjects, including math and science.