Much of our teaching for creativity is about enabling the students to learn through doing. Our teaching is about using pedagogical practices that allow the students to learn the skills of ‘perseverance, experimentation, critical thinking and collaboration’ from The Durham Commission’s definition of creative thinking.
When we returned to school in September 2020, with the desks facing forward and the teachers strictly two metres from the students, we had to think hard about how we would hold on to our creative practices. And we managed.
Then in January 2021 we were directed to restrict the attendance in school to a small percentage and move the majority of our students onto full virtual ‘online’ education; a full online timetable for all 890 students with four, hour-long lessons a day was another thing entirely! For students must be enabled to get up and do, such an important thing that underpins creative thought and empowers the students to learn and remember.
These ideas are not big, but they halt passivity and make online learning about thinking in a creative manner:
- Science – experiment at home. What have the students got in the house that they can use? From measuring with teaspoons to making density cocktails
- Languages – in the next five minutes find and collectas many things in your house that you can label in German. Share virtually.
- Languages – Sing! Our language department love to create key phrases into songs… (Usually to well know 80s pop tracks) they have been singing together with their students online! Meine Urlaub to ‘Coma, Coma, Coma, Chameleon’.
- Performing Arts – Take a theme - ‘The Odd one out’ and create a monologue, film yourself and upload it. Next create the sequence in a Dance with the same theme.
- GCSE Art – Gangsta Bear inspired by the works of Paval Balabanov - stylise your Teddy Bear!
Learning not just sitting and watching the screen. At Dowdales we are learning together even whilst apart!
Emma Jane Aubrey is headteacher of Dowdales School in Cumbria.