Idaho Summer Writing Camps

http://www.thecabinidaho.org/whatwedo/idaho-writing-camps.htm

The Log Cabin in Boise has posted their summer camp offerings at their website.  Scholorships are available.  This is a great opportunity for young writers.  Please let us know if you have any questions.

Check out the creative mind of this gifted child! Thanks to April Chainey for making us aware of Caine, an original thinker.

Merry Christmas!

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!