Creativity is a Habit-Forming Autonomous Verb

I think that the mind in its purest functioning pursuit is creative. This is something we all possess and have free access to, but is not always encouraged and held up to the light.  Hard to believe, but true.

This slide created by Bill Ferriter gets to the very heart of it:

Why is it, do you think, that creativity is related to as a bad habit?  Is it due to not providing enough time to allow it to breathe and find its rhythm?  Is it the by-the-book curriculum? Is it the structure of a school day? Is it the people within the school?  Justin Tarte tweeted, We want students to be autonomous learners who are taking control of their learning. To me, this is most apt to happen when students have ample opportunity for exploration and ownership of creating.  This takes a substantial amount of time and time seems to be a commodity that is being whittled away. Still, in some places there are educators who are devoted to making it come to life and I'd like to hear from them.  Please share with all of us your role in how it is being cultivated.

Krissy Venosdale wrote this about how, at times, our good intentions are less then mindful in the way we relate to students:

You need to read this. I said to. Do this first. Follow this pattern. This is the way to do it. Here is the right way. Sit still. Complete the front side. Number your paper. Do as I say. Raise your hand before speaking. Put your name at the top. I give this a 95%. Follow the classroom rules. Be engaged. Keep your eyes on your page. Choose A, B, or C. I talk, you learn. You’re following my lesson plan. My classroom.

Little words. Tiny phrases. Together? They create fences that keep our kids in one safe spot where learning and exploring become all about what we say to do. Fences that keep kids from learning. (Here is her entire post, Learning Because The Gates Are Wide Open).

Krissy puts forth a timely example of how we can be a wet blanket to creativity and autonomous learning. What are your daily practices that do not fence in students?  Let us call it Free Range Learning. Again, I'd be grateful to hear from you.

Milton Glaser says this about his creative philosophy:

There's no such thing as a creative type.  As if creative people can just show up and make stuff.  As if it were just that easy. I think people need to be reminded that creativity is a verb, a very time consuming verb. It's about taking an idea in your head, and transforming that idea into something real. And that's going to be a long and difficult process. If you're doing it right, it's going to feel like work.

Consider a time when you had a moment from which sprang a perfect idea-- an a-ha moment. It came seemingly and suddenly out of nowhere. An epiphany. Chances are, you were probably taking a nap, driving your car, waiting at the airport, or in the shower. Some place like that. Milton Glaser had one such moment in a taxi and this is what he sketched on an envelope. That sketch led to this iconic design. Those magical moments of insight only take place after lots of tireless effort and concerted thought.  It just does not happen in a single moment.  Persistence and perseverance always precede it. 

To me, his philosophy speaks to the path along which
one journeys and not the end product itself.  In school, how can we set the stage for students so these bursts of insight can happen organically? How can we shift the perception so that creativity is viewed as an admirable, expected habit?  Please comment.  I'd like to hear from you.

Summer Reading Bundle for Educators: Keep Reading, Continue Learning

It has been quite a while since my last bundle of books.  So, with Summer upon us here are the latest books to get you reading.

My Professional Choice is Raising a Sensory Smart Child by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske. If you are a school counselor then this is a must read.  Sensory Processing Disorder can vary so much from person to person.  Proprioceptive.  Vestibular. Sensory Registration.  Sensory Defensiveness.  And on and on.  These kids are in every school and it has been my experience that we are not proactively accommodating and advocating for them with fidelity.  It is my opinion that the school counselor is the go-to person for this type of information and needs to have a strong reservoir of knowledge from which to draw and collaborate effectively with the school community.  This book is a wonderful resource and will make a significant difference in enhancing your awareness and understanding.  (And this book, too-- The Out of Sync Child-- Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder  by Carol Kranowitz).

Every summer I make an effort to read authors that I probably should have read, but never got around to it.  With the recent death of Ray Bradbury, I decided for my Personal Choice to read a couple of his--Dandelion Wine and Fahrenheit 451.  I just started Dandelion Wine and it is a magically wonderful tribute to childhood summers.  Read this and it will set your mind right for the entire summer.

My Kid Lit pick this time around is This Plus That: Life's Little Equations by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  This author looks at things we see each and every day and turns them into something fresh and vibrant.  And always with a little bit wonder and a smidgen of whimsy. Click here for a book trailer.   I read this book as part of a classroom lesson and then asked the students to create their own equations.  Here are a few:  Problem + School Counselor = Solution, Good Book + Free Time = Great Adventure, and Hard Work + Determination = Goal Accomplished. Give it a try with your students.  I guarantee you will be showered with creativity and original thinking.

As always, over to the left are the links to these books-- Books To Inspire.

Enjoy. Keep reading.  Keep learning.

The Learning Shoe

My friend, Stephen Hurley, over at Teaching Out Loud put out this fun, thought-provoking post about what type of shoe most represents your style of teaching. I briefly commented, but thought it deserved a post all of its own. So here it is.

Hiking boots most represent my style as a counselor educator.

They are good for Exploring. There is a lot to see, experience, and learn out there in the world… and it is usually off the beaten path. For me, there is nothing like getting out to nature to ratchet up self-discovery, as well as the discovery of what life has to offer. I’ve discussed in the past the importance of being comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Making oneself vulnerable is OK. Taking acceptable risks definitely gets one out of a well-worn rut and can be growth-producing. Hiking boots allow you to put yourself out there and be open to that sort of experience. With a bit of effort there are opportunities and possibilities there for the taking.

They are also durable, reliable, steady…. made for the long haul. Hiking boots are usually not swift of foot, but built to get you through the tough moments. They are meant to get messy, scuffed-up, and dirty. Hiking boots provide Support to get you up the tough climbs and down the steep descents, too. Life and learning is a lot like this.

A good hike in this type of shoe cleanses the palette of the mind and puts things in perspective for objective and meaningful Understanding. Sometimes learning can be confounding. Sometimes we need to reframe our thought process. From confusion comes the A-ha moments. My preferred shoe of choice for educating does just that.

Exploration. Support. Understanding. Effort. This is my approach to teaching.

I just may need to start wearing hiking boots to school!

But what about you? What is the shoe to represent your style of teaching? (By the way, Stephen’s are Hush Puppies).

Learning Is A Leap Of Faith

This short video piece is so awesome I can't help but smile.  Maybe you've seen it.  It's this girl about to ski jump for the first time. She is at the top peering down trying to talk herself through this scary, uncertain moment.

Think about it.  Significant practice and effort led her to this precipice.  Now, here she is.... Can she do it?  Will she do it?  What is holding her back?  What will allow her to go through with the experience?

Watch this: As she says, Here goes something, I guess.

Did you notice the voices in the background of the people teaching and coaching her through this leap of faith?  Encouraging, not hollering.  Patiently talking her through the jump. Totally supportive of her endeavor at this place and in this moment. To me it is beautiful to behold.

For the past few years I have engaged in a lot of thought and discussion about getting comfortable with feeling uncomfortable, the growth mindset, and the process of learning.  To me and my way of thinking, this video encapsulates that:  being flexible and fluid rather than rigid and stuck; being open and willing to take that step into the unknown, as well as nurturing and being fully present for someone.

Hopefully, we have all had such moments.  The first (and only) time I went scuba diving was one. Watching my kids ride a bike for the first time was another.  The moment college algebra equations finally clicked was yet another. How about you?  What leap of faith learning experiences have you encountered?

I believe we all need to hoot and holler (like the girl in the video) over our accomplishments! Let me hear you!

Filter

Filter. 

That is the word I chose to reflect the way I want to live in 2012. 

Why Filter?  Some foods have been giving me wicked headaches and I decided it was high time to be mindful of what I put in my body.  Food-related headaches were wiping me out.

As I pondered this I also decided to Filter what/how I thought and the manner in which I spoke as well.  Sometimes I find myself fretting over that which I have no control.  Other times I found myself wanting to be more mindful with how my words were being received by others. 

Filter seemed to be a good fit for the word I selected to emulate in the the year 2012.

So,  as Fate would have it, just as I began to acquire a comfort level with my blogging voice and used that as a springboard to Twitter and picked Filter as my word for 2012 you will never guess what happened next. I was diagnosed with left vocal fold paralysis.  I literally lost my voice. 

No one wants to hear the word paralysis applied to oneself. 

Not ever.

This got my attention.

On the day of my diagnosis, I came home to find this on my NPR feed:  How My Voice Went Silent.

What a coincidence.  The same day I learn of my left vocal fold paralysis an NPR reporter writes an article about his own diagnosis with it.  Small world. The timeliness of reading his article was uncanny and helped so much to realize I was not the only one to experience such a thing.

Naturally, going though something like this provided the opportunity for me to learn about myself very quickly.  There is no ignoring or putting it off for later.  One thing I learned-- no matter how I try, I do not think I truly appreciate something until I no longer have it.  Everyone is probably like that.  I took my voice for granted-- the sound of it, the laugh, a whisper, a shout, everything...

Another thing I learned, crazy as it seems, is I did not worry over it.  It did not cause me to be afraid.  Nor did I have any anger regarding it. I accepted it from the get-go. That definitely helped me to move forward.

My word for the year is playing a part in my Voice coming back.  I Filtered-out the words and patterns of habit that could be unhealthy and negative and Filtered-in thoughts and beliefs that were positive and healing.  It is definitely an on-going challenge, but one that is making me better.  Isn't that what it is all about? 

What is your word for 2012 and how is it progressing thus far for you?  If you have yet to select your word I encourage you to do so. It could make all the difference.

Make Your Day

Watch this short film, Caine's Arcade.  It will make your day. 

Creativity. (check) Imagination. (check) Passion. (check) Engaging. (check) Charming. (check)

The story of Caine and his arcade has spread like wild fire.  If you have yet to watch this, please do.  It is something to behold. 

To me, Caine is the epitome of the saying, "Do what you like, like what you do."

Enjoy.  I am off to buy a Fun Pass.

Set Your Intentions #6

The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore...unlike the mediocre, intrepid spirits seek victory over those things that seem impossible...it is with an iron will that they embark on the most daring of all endeavors...to meet the shadowy future without fear and conquer the unknown.
                                  ~Ferdinand Magellan