Elements of Creativity

There are some very basic (and yet complex) elements to creativity.  Each can be nurtured and developed in all of us...at any age.  Here are the basics.

This is about your ability to generate ideas for extended periods of time without stopping or getting bogged down in what will or won't work.  This is not my (Miss Young's) strongest element.  I work really hard when I'm in planning meetings to not critique any idea when we are in the brainstorming phase.  You just never know where ideas will lead you if you keep after fluency.

Originality is the ability to notice the one idea that is completely new and different from what's been generated.  You know the Super Bowl commercial that everyone waits for and talks about more than the game?  Advertisers love this because they have nailed originality.

Now elaboration...elaboration is my favorite! Give me an idea and let me go with it.  I'll have every detail planned out.  A party?  I'll have a list and organize it twice (Just ask my sisters about their weddings).  When you've found that one idea that might be the most creative, this is the ability dot the Is and cross the Ts.

I've seen a few people struggle with this one, especially Type As.  Flexibility is the ability to stretch and bend and make an idea work or to adjust the idea when you are thrown a curve ball.  Often, flexibility leads to an even better product.

These are the basic elements of creativity that we are trying to build into your child's vocabulary, math, writing, reading, art, and other instruction.  We think that there is power in a child's ability to grow their creativity in many areas.

And...in case there are a few who this creativity is just for the artistic and crafty, here a a few words from Coach Pete.  Click on the picture for the link.  It's a great article on creativity and football.

Miss Young

Does Creativity Matter?

This infographic made Mrs. Eichelberger stop and think about how we are helping our student prepare for future learning and the world of work.  It's pretty interesting.

Reprinted from Edudemic.  http://edudemic.com/2012/11/creativity-should-be-taught-like-math-or-science/

Is Your Child Creative?

Are you creative?  Many people think you are either born creative or you aren't.  But, that's really not true.   More importantly, leaders in business and industry are telling educators more frequently and adamantly how critical creativity, adaptability and innovation are to the workforce.  Check out this study from IBM's Leadership Research Series.

Mrs. Eichelberger and I were recently given the opportunity to hear Sir Ken Robinson speak.  Pretty inspirational.  He had a few words of wisdom for teachers about creativity.

"Imagination is the heart of human life."

"To be creative means to do something.  [It's] putting your imagination to work."

"You create your life....It's full of passions and creative choices along the way."

"Teaching is much more like gardening than engineering."

Ok, I just love that last one, but truly, we would love to cultivate the seeds of creativity in your child.  For the next few post we'll try to give some brief ideas about how to grow a child's creativity.  We'd also love your feedback about opportunities you'd love to see for your child.

Stay tuned!

Miss Young

http://nrich.maths.org/7778

Check out this fun link to a math advent calendar!  A new activity each day is a great challenge.

Enjoy!

3rd Graders CCSS Writing Opinion Pieces

Many of our third grade students have been thinking about the question "Are friendships necessary?"  This inquiry question was considered as they read a variety of stories.  A few of the GT students extended this question to the book Poppy by Avi.  This question helped the students focus on the characters and how their actions and choices impacted the plot.

As we wrapped up this book study, the students were asked to respond to the original question with their opinion and evidence from the text to support their thinking.  This is in line with the new Common Core State Standards that Idaho recently adopted.  CCSS Writing #1 requires third graders to:

3.W.1  Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.

a. Introduce the topic or text they are writing bout, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.

b. Provide reasons that support the opinion.

c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.

d. Provide a concluding statement or section.

As the students move toward fourth grade, this standard moves from a paragraph to a longer piece of writing with introductory and concluding sections.  This standard will eventually evolve into an argument with claims and evidentiary reasoning at the high school level.

I thought the students had a good first try at opinion writing and I wanted to share their work with you.  The copies from their Reader's Notebooks was too faint to share pictures, but here are their finished (without my editing) pieces.  Enjoy!

"I think friendships are necessary and the book Poppy proves my point because if poppy hadn't met her friends she would have never completed her journey.  For example when Poppy was fighting Oxax she needed Ereaths quill if Poppy hadn't met Ereath Ocax would have killed her.  In order to find out the truth, start her journey and save her family Ragweed died.  Everybody needs a friend like Poppy's to start their adventure in life."

N. H.

"I think friendships are necessary and I can prove it in the book Poppy.  For instance, in chapter 11 Ereth chases a fox away for Poppy because the fox wants to eat her.  Ereth also leaves behind a quill in order to defeat Ocax.  Ereths friendship helped Poppy on her jorny, but I think everyone needs a friend."

C.P.

"I think friendships are necessary and the book Poppy proves my point.  Based on what I read, Poppy runs into Ereth's log and the fox was trieing to eat Poppy so Ereth helped Poppy get away from the fox.  For example, the fox wouldn't be an example because he wants to eat Poppy.  Ereth was a good friend to Poppy so I think every body should have friends."

A.W.

"Poppy had friends and they were necessary.  According to the text in chapter 11 Ereth was nice enough to chase away a fox for Poppy so she won't get eaten when she leaves.  In addition, later in the story, Ereth leaves Poppy a quill for her protection.  She needed this weapon from her friend to defeat Mr. Ocax.  Ereth's friendship was appropriate for Poppy on this journey."

A.P.

Over the last few years, we have worked hard to support teachers and gifted and advanced students make academic growth in the Middleton School District.  Our first goal is to support teachers in this endeavor, because they are the primary facilitators of learning for students.  To make the best use of our day in each building, we work to collaborate with teams to coordinate group instruction based on grade level learning targets and assessment data.  Our hope is that this coordinated effort will lead to greater growth and fewer curriculum gaps than the old pull-out model.

Below are the guiding principles for our program.  These goals were developed with district leaders and are aligned with the Middleton School District Strategic Improvement Plan. and approved at the district level.  We are open to questions you might have and look forward to continuing on the journey to see these principles fully realized in Middleton.

Miss Young and Mrs. Eichelberger

Middleton School District Gifted and Talented Program

Guiding Principles

2012

v  Support Classroom Teachers and Build Capacity for Differentiated Instruction

Ø  Support teachers with strategies, curriculum, and other materials to promote differentiated instruction for gifted and advanced students in the regular classroom 

Ø  Collaborate with teacher teams in academic decisions for students that may require different pacing, depth, complexity and/or acceleration.             

v  Utilize RtI Systems and Assessment Data

Ø  Help determine curriculum decisions based upon screening, diagnostic, formalized testing, informal assessments, and progress monitoring data through an integrated school improvement model

Ø  Align gifted and advanced interventions to coordinate with school-wide model and goals when possible to support the whole model

Ø  Provide insight into research-based models and strategies for gifted and advanced students

v  Focus on Student Outcomes and Academic Growth

Ø  Promote partnerships with teachers that utilize data resulting in academic growth for advanced and GT students

Ø  Support lesson planning and coordinating of small group instruction focused on the Common Core State Standards

Ø  Encourage the integration of critical and creative thinking, problem solving and metacognition

v  Advocate for the Needs of Gifted/Advanced Students and Families

Ø  Work with school teams to advocate and advise on the academic, social, and emotional characteristics of gifted, advanced, and twice exceptional students.

Ø  Support the academic needs of families with gifted children through resources and information about upcoming opportunities

Ø  Continue to encourage partnerships between the districts and families focused on student learning and motivation through the Parent Advisory Group



Kid Architects - An After-School Workshop

The Middleton Gifted and Talented Program is pleased to announce that we will be offering an after school workshop for our 3rd through 5th Grade Gifted and Advanced Math Students.  Kid Architects will use LEGOs to explore famous buildings from around the world, as well as elements of construction design. 

The workshop will be hosted at Middleton Heights Elementary. 

3rd-5th Grade Girls - Tuesdays, Oct. 9th and 16th

3rd-5th Grade Boys - Thursdays, Oct. 11th and 18th

Parents will be responsible for transportation. 

 A healthy snack will be provided.

The workshop is free of charge thanks to a grant from Capital Educators Federal Credit Union.

For more information please download the pdf file linked to the image above.