You too can be creative; it just takes hard you desire to be a more creative person but don't think you have the "creative" gene? You may have some hard work ahead, but it's possible to become the next Walt Disney or Martha Stewart, says an expert on creativity at Washington University in St. Louis.
"No one is born highly creative," says R. Keith Sawyer, Ph.D., associate professor of education and of psychology, both in Arts & Sciences. "Psychologists studying creativity have discovered that it is based on cognitive processes we all share. Creativity is not the result of some magic brain region that some people have and others don't."
Creativity is not some magical trait, says creativity expert R. Keith Sawyer, Ph.D. "You have to work hard to be a more creative person. You have to be diligent."
Oxford Press has just released Sawyer's latest book, "Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation," a seminal overview of the history of creativity and of research into traits that highly creative people all share.
Designed as a textbook for his Washington University course Psychology of Creativity, "Explaining Creativity" is a general overview of the science of creativity for anyone who wants to know more about it. In the book, Sawyer outlines some of the myths that many of us hold about creative people.
Dispelling the myths
"When people say they aren't creative, it's because of some false ideas about creativity that we hold as a society," Sawyer says. "One myth is that if you're a creative person it's a trait and everything you touch turns to gold. That's not the way creativity works. It's not some magical trait. You have to work hard to be a more creative person. You have to be diligent," he says.
It's also a myth that creative people "have pierced body parts and tattoos and they sleep at odd hours and maybe they are not socially smooth or skilled — maybe they are loners."
Actually, when researchers study creative people, Sawyer says, they find that most of them are normal, happy and healthy. Most aren't depressed or alcoholics or schizophrenic.
"Another myth about creativity that many people in our society believe is that there is a link between mental illness and creativity," Sawyer says.
"Hollywood loves this myth. Oftentimes, the role of a highly creative person in a movie is portrayed by a character who is also mentally ill. There certainly are examples of creative people who do have mental illness, like the author Sylvia Plath. But she even said she was a better writer when she wasn't depressed. She wanted to get rid of her mental illness and didn't think it helped her be more creative."
R. Keith Sawyer
Sawyer says that many people have a vision of highly creative people as "lone geniuses." "In reality," says Sawyer, "creative people network with other people. A lot of creativity happens through collaboration. Much of my own research focuses on the relationship between collaboration and creativity.
"In today's technological society, many of the more important or popular creative products are made by large organizations," he adds. "For example, PlayStation® video games are created by a team of more than 100 people."
Sawyer insists that to be creative, one has to have organizational structure and collaboration.
"If you are a loner in a room somewhere doing your own thing, you aren't going to be employed very long," Sawyer says. "Video games are just one example. Think of any major creative organization. Increasingly over the past 20 to 50 years, the important kinds of creativity and innovation have involved large groups of people."
Any Hollywood movie has a large staff, "as you always see in the credits," Sawyer says. "Of course, all the fame goes to the director, the actors, and sometimes the writer or the cinematographer; but unless you're really into movies, you probably don't know that many movies have multiple directors and producers, and most scripts include contributions by as many as 10 different writers. And then there are almost a 100 other creative experts who contribute to the final product."
A computer software application like the Microsoft Windows® operating system is never created by a single individual, Sawyer adds. "There's a large staff, grouped into a complex organizational arrangement, and each programmer and designer makes an essential creative contribution."
Conventional thinking
But the myth of the lone genius still persists because many people, when they think of the stereotypical creative-type person, they think of the ultimate lone genius — the poet. "People see poets as being very solitary and yet very creative. Many people think all a poet needs is a pencil and some paper and he or she never has to talk to anyone. People tend to view painters the same way. They think all the artist needs is a canvas and paint and he or she doesn't require social interaction."
However, Sawyer says, research shows that even writers and painters are very social and creative and they spend a lot of time interacting with other people. "They have to get ideas from somewhere," he adds.
Another myth about creativity held by many is that creativity is the opposite of convention and constraint. "Many people think the best way to be creative is to break all the rules. Anytime you are constrained or limited, that will get in the way of creativity. That's just not true. In fact, creativity could not happen in the absence of convention."
An example of this is something as basic as musical creativity.
"All music, at least in the West, is based on 12 tones and has certain rhythmic patterns," Sawyer explains. "There are structures to songs and a finite number of instruments are available. Those are all conventions for creating music. You wouldn't say that a composer is not creative because he composed a tune in the 12-tone scale. We don't insist that every composer make up a whole new scale. We don't insist that every composer invent his own instruments.
"Music wouldn't exist without this complicated set of conventions that we often don't even think of as conventional. Musicians never get frustrated because they only have 12 notes in the scale. Writers don't get upset because they only have 26 letters to use."
Creativity in everyday life
Many people don't realize they're being creative by just carrying on a conversation.
"Everyday conversation is a great example of creativity that everyone does on a daily basis," Sawyer says. "I wrote a book in 2001 called "Creating Conversations" that focused on my study of a Chicago improvisational theatre group. I found that what improvisational groups do on stage mirrors what people do in good conversations.
"There's a lot of give and take and everyone is listening to everyone else," Sawyer explains. "You hear what your partner says and really absorb that and build on it. So a good conversation is truly collaborative and emerges from what everyone is doing together."
He thinks a lot of people are good conversationalists. "You don't have to be Van Gogh or Picasso or Einstein to use good creative conversation skills.
"We just don't think of conversation as being creative because a lot of people do it, we use it every day and it doesn't seem to require any special abilities. When we have a conversation, we don't feel like we're being creative, but we are. It's hard to realize because conversation happens so fast. The creativity is somewhat hidden."
Work hard and work smart
So what's the secret to becoming more creative?
"You can't be creative without knowing a lot about what you are trying to be creative in," Sawyer says. "You can't just decide to be creative in something. Really creative people spend a lot of time in preparation.
"For example, it takes a long time to become a good jazz musician. It's not something you do on your first try. If you try to sit in with a band before you're ready, you'll get booed off in a hurry. It's like that with nearly every creative domain."
If you want to be creative, Sawyer says, spend a lot of time learning about the subject and what others have done before. "Network and find out who else is working in the area. A lot of good creativity comes from collaboration. Creativity takes a lot of time and hard work."
Sawyer thinks much of the difference between highly creative people and the rest of us is hard work and work habits.
"Creative people work hard but they also work smart," Sawyer adds. "There is a certain way they structure their work habits. They structure their day so they alternate between hard work and time off. Researchers call it idle time.
A common pattern for creative people is to work hard in the morning and then take some time away during lunch to take a walk or garden or ride a bike. A lot of creative people have their great ideas when they take time away from their work. Idle time allows them to think of their problems in new ways. People talk about the 'aha' moment emerging when you are doing something else."
Creative people also tend to have multiple related long-term projects going on at the same time. "When they are working on one thing and they get stuck, they shift to another project. That creates potential for unexpected connections between the projects."
Creative people also take breaks to do something radically different from their current project. "They might read a book, play a board game or take a walk. These are times where distant analogies can happen — meaning something on the board game might provide an idea regarding the current project. Something in a book might connect two ideas together. A walk might allow for viewing of new concepts."
When Sawyer talks to corporations about creativity, he always emphasizes the importance of making employees take all of their vacation time.
"Many people don't take their vacation and they end up rolling over all of their off time. If I were a senior manager, I would make everyone take all of their vacation time," Sawyer says. "Time away from work is essential for recharging the batteries, so to speak, and to help people think more creatively on the job. People need freedom in their schedule for idle time."
'Seeing the burr in the dog's fur'
Sawyer says that the brain processes we use for creativity are based on the same building blocks that we all use everyday, like brushing your teeth or taking a shower or fixing breakfast.
"The story of the man who invented Velcro is a good example," Sawyer says. "He was taking a walk with his dog and the dog got a burr stuck in his fur. The guy examined a burr under a magnifying glass and noticed the little hooks. He had the idea that a string of similar tiny hooks could be used as a clothing fastener, replacing the zipper. There's more to it, but that's the basic idea.
"We all have ability to see the burr in the dog's fur," Sawyer explains, "but the more creative person is able to make the connections more easily. Creative people are able to gain insight by forming an analogy between two things that seem really dissimilar."
You too can be creative; it just takes hard work
C r E A t I V i T y
Creative thinking is much more than using our imaginations to invent lots of new ideas. Creative thinking is a lifestyle, a personality trait, a way of looking at the world, a way of interacting with others and a way of living and growing. Living creatively means developing our talents, tapping our unused potentials and becoming what we are capable of becoming through self-discovery and self-discipline. Anytime we are faced with a problem or dilemma with no learned or practiced solution, some creativity is required (Torrance, 1995). It takes courage to be creative.
Creativity is a vital ingredient in meeting the challenges of a continuous life cycle, a cycle in which growth and change are the norm from conception throughout life. A life filled with growth and change requires a conscious effort to think creatively, it takes practice. To develop creativeness, the mind needs to be exercised as well as filled with materials out of which ideas can be formed. The richest fuel for ideation is first hand experience (Osborn, 1963).
Creativity is the ability to see a situation in many ways and continue to question until satisfaction is reached. This satisfaction can be defined in as many different ways as there are people experiencing it, but it basically boils down to personal satisfaction and how you choose to define satisfaction.
Creativity is a vital ingredient in meeting the challenges of a continuous life cycle, a cycle in which growth and change are the norm from conception throughout life. A life filled with growth and change requires a conscious effort to think creatively, it takes practice. To develop creativeness, the mind needs to be exercised as well as filled with materials out of which ideas can be formed. The richest fuel for ideation is first hand experience (Osborn, 1963).
Creativity is the ability to see a situation in many ways and continue to question until satisfaction is reached. This satisfaction can be defined in as many different ways as there are people experiencing it, but it basically boils down to personal satisfaction and how you choose to define satisfaction.
The creative process can involve tiny creative leaps or giant breakthroughs in thinking. Both require that an individual go beyond where she has gone before, embracing the unknown, the mysterious, the change, the puzzling, without fear. Creativity involves risk-taking. Whether it's a small risk or a huge risk, it takes courage to take a risk and be creative.
Nurture your childs creativity...
It only needs a free rein for the child to express it properly.
Moreover, a child's mind is extremely sensitive to his environment
and all kinds of influences help give shape to his creative impulse
• To help nurture your child's creativity, you needs to provide opportunities as well as an environment where the child's latent talent can find expression and blossom.
• Leave it the child to choose the medium for expressing his creativity-be it poetry, painting, music, sculptures, etc. All you need to do is to introduce the child to these different media and provide the necessary accompaniments like colors, brushes, instruments, etc.
• Never try to chart out a course for your child which you want him to follow. Let the child decide how far he wants to pursue his interests. Give counsel only when required.
• Appreciate every effort of the child and laud his achievements irrespective of their artistic merit.
• Avoid falling into the trap of over expectation. It will only result in disappointment and frustration if the child falls short of your expectations. Further, your disappointment might get transferred to the child which can sap his self-confidence and creativity.
• Understand that not every child is a genius or exceptionally talented. Hence, pushing the child to keep raising his performance higher and higher, is impractical.
10 Ways to Generate Ideas & Increase Productivity
- Take a nap. If you’re struggling to find a new solution to an old problem or trying to generate new ideas, put all the creativity exercises aside and take a nap. Increasing your creativity is easier when you’re alert and refreshed.
- Make small talk with strangers. Even if you’re an introvert, you’ll find that small talk at parties, in the grocery store, or while you’re watching your kid play baseball helps to generate ideas.
- Go to classes, workshops, or conferences. Generating ideas and increasing creativity can be sparked by learning new things in educational settings. When you listen to others’ ideas and presentations, you make connections that will increase your productivity at work.
- Hang out with creative people. Spend time with people you don’t normally hang out with. If you normally push paperwork in a cubicle, hang out with an artist or preacher. If you’re married with three kids, spend time with a single adult or senior citizen. Bounce your ideas off creative people or folks you simply never spend time with. You’ll be surprised at how this increases your creativity and helps you generate ideas.
- Allow yourself some creative loafing time. Watching movies, reading magazines, staring out the window and watching people at the mall are ways to generate more ideas. It may not look like you’re increasing your creativity or productivity, but your brain is percolating during your downtime. Thousands of brilliant ideas were hatched in the shower or garden. Increasing your creativity doesn’t necessarily involve formal creativity exercises.
- Walk, bike, swim or jog. Let your mind wander as you exercise. Don’t censor your thoughts; rather, follow them as they waltz through your mind. Increasing your creativity involves being open to new ideas – all the way to the end.
- Work in different places. To generate new ideas, take your briefcase, notebook or laptop on a field trip. Go to a park, coffee shop or friend’s backyard. You don’t have to do creativity exercises: simply look around, let your mind wander, and let your creativity increase naturally.
- Let your brain reboot. Similar to creative loafing, letting your brain reboot involves getting away. Solitude, a change of pace or even a bubble bath or work out at a different gym will help you generate ideas and increase your creativity. Exercising creativity isn't always about actively searching for new ideas.
- Brainstorm. Whether you brainstorm new ideas with others or by yourself with a pen and paper, let your mind flirt with all the possibilities. Don’t dismiss anything. When you’re increasing your creativity, you need to be open to anything. Even if it’s not a helpful idea now, it could be useful in the future – so don't throw away your notes, mind maps, lists, and doodles. Your productivity at work can also be increased by brainstorming new ideas.
- Get out of town. Go for a drive out to the country or take the Greyhound to the next town. Explore a new neighborhood or city on foot – and make sure you keep your notebook handy. Getting away from your familiar surroundings will increase your creativity and help generate new ideas.
Myths That kill Creativity
If you haven’t heard from your “still small voice” recently, it may be because of the misconceptions you have about your imaginative ability. The following are three common myths about creativity.
Myth 1:
Only geniuses are creative. In other words, superior intellect means superior creativity. It’s true that people with high IQs can be highly original writers. But the opposite is also true. Geniuses may be boring. They may be respected members of their communities and contribute to their professions, but their inventive achievement fail to match their IQs.
Myth 2:
If you have creative ability, your talents will be discovered. Every person has creative potential, but some of us are better at using it. The truth is, unless you write, your unique writing ability goes unnoticed.
Myth 3:
You don’t have to work at being creative. Sometimes our best ideas seem to pop out of nowhere.
Rhonda Swillinger, in an article written for Psychology Today, says this: “It takes at least 10 years of immersion in a given domain before a creator is likely to make a distinctive mark. Einstein, for example, who is popularly thought to have doodled out the theory of relativity at age 26 in his spare time, was in fact engaged in thinking about it from the age of 16.”
WhaT Is CREATIVITY?
“You need your broccoli in order to write well,” says Anne Lamott, author of Bird by Bird. “It means, of course, when you don’t know what to do, when you don’t know whether your character would do this or that, you get quiet and try to hear that still small voice inside. It will tell you what to do.”
Some experts believe that the “still small voice inside” that Lamott describes, gave way to rote learning and literal thinking when we were elementary school kids. Around the third grade many of us swapped our imagination and creativity for left-brain logical thinking.
Colour psychology
Do different colors affect your mood?
Why are people more relaxed in green rooms? Why do weightlifters do their best in blue gyms?
Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. And even in Western societies, the meanings of various colors have changed over the years. But today in the U.S., researchers have generally found the following to be accurate.
Black
Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. Villains, such as Dracula, often wear black.
White
Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, aneswith everythingowever, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.
Red
The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.
The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.
Blue
The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.
Green
Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. However, seamstresses often refuse to use green thread on the eve of a fashion show for fear it will bring bad luck.
Yellow
Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.
Purple
The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.
Brown
Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.
Creativity -Children's Health Encyclopedia
Definition
Creativity is the ability to think up and design new inventions, produce works of art, solve problems in new ways, or develop an idea based on an original, novel, or unconventional approach.
Creativity is the ability to think up and design new inventions, produce works of art, solve problems in new ways, or develop an idea based on an original, novel, or unconventional approach.
Creativity is the ability to see something in a new way, to see and solve problems no one else may know exists, and to engage in mental and physical experiences that are new, unique, or different. Creativity is a critical aspect of a person's life, starting from inside the womb onward through adulthood.
Although many people equate creativity with
Standard intelligence tests measure convergent thinking, which is the ability to come up with a single correct answer. However, creativity involves
Creative individuals tend to share certain characteristics, including a tendency to be more
Creativity in childhood is typically assessed through paper-and-pencil measures such as the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking. These tests are designed to measure divergent thinking, such as
Infancy
Scientific research in the late twentieth century revealed how the quality of interaction with
Parents can encouraged infants to develop creativity by singing to the infant and playing music, moving the infant's hands to music, hanging a colorful mobile over the crib, placing pictures and photos where the baby can focus on them, and playing sound games with infants, such making up nonsense words or using rhyming words when talking to them.
Toddlerhood
From ages 18 months to four years, toddlers have progressively better hand and eye coordination. Caregivers should give them opportunities to develop this coordination by allowing them to draw with water-based paints, with
From around 12 months, children may begin to imitate things that adults do. Real fantasy
Children who
Adults should start involving toddlers with creative activities as soon as they feel the child will enjoy them. Adults need to remember that young toddlers are not skillful enough to consciously produce works of art. At 18 months they may be more ready for creative play and even at this age, they may spend no more than five minutes of concentration on any one activity.
Preschool
Preschoolers can use the same materials as toddlers but can use them in more complex ways. By age five, many children start drawing recognizable objects. By age six, they are usually interested in explaining their art works. They also like to tell stories and can make books of their stories, including drawing pictures to accompany the writing.
At this age fantasy play becomes more complex. Preschoolers often direct each other on what to do or say as they play "Let's
School Age
Early school-age children, six to nine years, incorporate lots of fantasy into their play, including action games with superheroes. Children of this age group spend much of their time daydreaming. Some daydreams become "real" as children begin to act them out in stories and plays.
Many researchers believe that in order to foster creativity in schools, education should be based on the discovery of knowledge and the development of critical attitudes, rather than on the passive absorption of knowledge. They believe this applies whether the class is in art, history, science, or humanities. However, most school teaching in the United States is based on the child's ability to memorize. The highest marks are often given to those who merely studied their lessons well. The pupil whose creative side is more developed may be considered a
For this reason some educators decided to encourage creativity outside the school system. Science clubs are open to the young, in different countries, in which students can
In the United States, children who participate in the nationwide invention contest organized by the Weekly Reader do not have to submit a model. A drawing or a photograph is sufficient to enter the contest, the purpose of which is to stimulate creative thinking among all the students in a class, all becoming involved in the process of invention either individually or in small groups. The class then chooses the best invention that will be presented later at the level of the national contest.
At ages nine to 12, children's creativity is greatly affected by peer influence. They increase the amount of detail and use of symbols in
Teenagers are highly critical of the products they make and ideas they have. They try to express themselves creatively in a more adult-like way. Their creativity is influenced by their individual differences, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. In most high schools, classes that stress creativity, such as art, music, writing, and drama are electives and many may not be required. For many adolescents, high school is their last opportunity to take these creative classes.
Also, teens become more self-aware and self-conscious. This focus often causes them to conform to their peers, which stifles their creativity and makes their thoughts less flexible. Flexibility refers to the ability to consider various alternatives at the same time.
Common Problems
Rewards or incentives appear to interfere with creativity and reduce children's flexibility of thought. Studies show that any constraints such as structured instructions reduce creative flexibility in children. Many parents and teachers do not understand that children who are creative are often involved in imaginary play and are motivated by internal rather than external factors.
Parental Concerns
Environment appears to play a greater role than heredity in the development of creativity: identical
On the whole, the families of creative children discipline them without rigid restrictions, teaching them respect for values above rules. Similarly, they emphasize achievement rather than grades. The parents in such homes generally lead active, fulfilling lives themselves and have many interests. Finally, they reinforce creativity in their children by a general attitude of respect and confidence toward them and by actively encouraging creative pursuits and praising the results. It has been found that creativity in both children and adults is affected by positive reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement has also been shown to boost fifth graders' scores on creativity tests, help sixth graders write more original stories, and lead college students to produce novel word associations. Studies have also found that positively reinforcing one kind of creative activity encourages original thinking in other areas as well.
Just as certain actions and attitudes on the part of parents can encourage creativity, others have been found to
Schools as well as families can encourage creativity by offering children activities that give them an active role in their own learning, allow them freedom to explore within a loosely structured framework, and encourage them to participate in creative activities for the sheer
When to Call the Doctor
Several studies have shown relationships sometimes exist between creativity and mental illness, including depression,
For decades, scientists have known that eminently creative individuals have a much higher rate of manic depression or bipolar disorder than does the general population. But few controlled studies have been done to build the link between mental illness and creativity. One study that does support such a link was presented at the 2002 annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association by Stanford University researchers Connie Strong and Terence Ketter. Using personality and temperament tests, they found healthy artists to be more similar in personality to individuals with manic depression than to healthy people in the general population.
While creativity itself is not a sign of mental illness, parents should be aware that there is a much higher degree of mental illness, especially depression and bipolar disorder, in creative children than in their less creative peers.
Resources
Books
Bruce, Tina.Cultivating Creativity in Babies, Toddlers, & Young Children. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2004.
Einon, Dorothy. Creative Child: Recognize and Stimulate Your Child's Natural Talent. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 2002.
Fisher, Robert, and Mary Williams. Unlocking Creativity: A Teacher's Guide to Creativity Across the Curriculum. London: Taylor & Francis, 2004.
Runco, Mark A., and Robert S. Albert. Theories of Creativity. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, 2004.
Periodicals
"Biological Basis for Creativity Linked to Mental Illness." Mental Health Weekly Digest (October 27, 2003): 4.
Carruthers, Peter. "Human Creativity: Its Cognitive Basis, Its Evolution, and Its Connection with Childhood Pretence." British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (June 2002): 225–49.
Mindess, Mary. "Play: The New Dirty Word." The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter (August 2001): 1.
Talsma, Julia. "Encourage Creative Process to Spur Innovation: Dr. Kelman Outlines Three Elements of Creativity: Inspiration, Insight, Intuition." Ophthalmology Times (June 15, 2003): 50.
Tecco, Betsy Dru. "Unleash Your Creativity! When You Take the Time to be Creative, a World of Possibilities Unfolds." Current Health 2. (December 2003): 14–18.;
Underwood, Anne. "Real Rhapsody in Blue: A Quirky Phenomenon that Scientists Once Dismissed Could Help Explain the Creativity of the Human Brain." Newsweek (December 1, 2003): 67.
Organizations
American Creativity Association. PO Box 5856, Philadelphia, PA 19128. Web site: www.amcreativityassoc.org.
Web Sites
Fowler, Lynda K. "Encouraging Creativity in Children." Ohio State University Extension, 2004. Available online at www.ohioline.osu.edu/flm97/fs06.html (accessed November 23, 2004).
"Good Times Being Creative." National Network for Child Care, February 2004. Available online at www.nncc.org/Series/good.time.creat.html (accessed November 23, 2004).
[Article by: Ken R. Wells]
Creativity
Creativity is a mental process involving the generation of new ideas, or new associations between existing ideas or concepts.
We all have Creativity within us but we seldom realize the amount of creativity we posses.
"To live a creative life,
we must lose our fear of being wrong."
Joseph Chilton Pierce
Being creative is fun and creative people enjoy every inch of their life.
As joseph chilton Pierce says we must lose our fear of being wrong.
If you are a creative teacher in the school you can experiment creativity in many ways and you can enjoy teaching.
On the other hand if you are a very serious type of teacher it is more likely that you will be attached only to text books and exams.Probably your students won't enjoy you much.
whenever you come across cooking you always make the same curries,exactly like your mother taught you ,or your grandmother,or your cookery teacher.
Why can't you make a new dish by adding the same ingridients but in differents measures?
You fear that it will not become as good as the old recipe.
Don’t force your creativity. Rather, eliminate blocks, hindrances, obstacles. The most common obstacles are fears (of inadequacy, of solitude, of passion, of pain, of failure, of success, of change, of judgment, of the unknown), perfectionism, rigid habits of mind and action, and social conditioning that devalues/represses creativity. Probably all of these obstacles are based on fear! Let go of expectations and judgments about the process and results. Attend to what is happening in the present moment.Try this....
- Brainstorm. If properly carried out, brainstorming can help you not only come up with sacks full of new ideas, but can help you decide which is best.
- Always carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil around with you. That way, if you are struck by an idea, you can quickly note it down. Upon rereading your notes, you may discover about 90% of your ideas are daft. Don't worry, that's normal. What's important are the 10% that are brilliant.
- If you're stuck for an idea, open a dictionary, randomly select a word and then try to formulate ideas incorporating this word. You'd be surprised how well this works. The concept is based on a simple but little known truth: freedom inhibits creativity. There are nothing like restrictions to get you thinking.
- Nothing kills creativity faster than criticism. Don’t share your work-in-progress with people who are critical or those whose opinions leave you vulnerable, no matter how much you love them. Good critiquing should leave you inspired, not deflated.
- Don’t be afraid to fail. Every successful creator has failed hundreds of times. Failure is an integral part of creativity. It doesn’t mean you’re wrong or stupid. It only means you’ve uncovered a path or technique that does not work.
- Be passionate. Creativity is passionate. Passion is always creative.
- If you can't think, go for a walk. A change of atmosphere is good for you and gentle exercise helps shake up the brain cells.
- Read as much as you can about everything possible. Books exercise your brain, provide inspiration and fill you with information that allows you to make creative connections easily.
- Exercise your brain. Brains, like bodies, need exercise to keep fit. If you don't exercise your brain, it will get flabby and useless. Exercise your brain by reading a lot (see above), talking to clever people and disagreeing with people - arguing can be a terrific way to give your brain cells a workout.
- Spend time with children.Children are overflowing resources of play and imagination. Of course you already know this, because you were once a child yourself!
Really, the creative energy kids have is contagious and will rub off on you when you put your "responsible adult" aside and join in on their fun. This is as simple as tagging along in some favorite outdoor games, sidewalk chalk drawing, kite flying, arts and crafts, or hobby projects. And let them make up the rules!
Experiment with this tip and pay attention to how you're feeling mentally after a productive playtime session with your favorite (or someone else's) rugrat.
- One of the most certain ways to get stuck in a creative rut is to keep doing the same ol' thing — the same way — every time. Get out of the rut by introducing a new 'twist' to your art projects.
For example, if your favorite medium is:
CLAY, infuse it with FOUND OBJECTS
PAINT, apply it to UNUSUAL SUPPORTS
COLLAGE, design it THREE DIMENSIONAL
Make it a point to try something radically different on your next art project or two, and see how quickly the 'rut' becomes a 'road'.
- Dare to be silly. Try it and see what happens. You never know what will become of your creations when you purposely make them unusual or odd.
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