Creativity And Creative Pedagogies In The Early And Primary Years

Whilst recognition of the role and nature of creativity and interest in creative pedagogical practice has grown, tensions persist at several levels, particularly in accountability cultures, where international comparisons of literacy, numeracy and science frame, shape and often limit policy, practice and curricula. Responding to this context, the book draws together the work of a number of eminent scholars of creativity and creative pedagogies. It offers diverse perspectives from Colombia, Denmark, England, France, Poland, Hong Kong, and the USA and highlights differences as well as similarities across cultural contexts. Individually and collectively, the authors reveal both the complexities and the possibilities of creative pedagogies. While some focus more upon conceptual challenges, others examine classroom practice, both that of teachers and visiting artists, and identify difficulties as well as potential possibilities. In offering hope as well as challenge, creative approaches to learning are of interest to all educators. This book was originally published as a special issue of Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education.

Creativity is firmly embedded in curricular, exam and inspection schemes. Focusing on children aged three to eight, this book discusses the teaching of creativity, explaining the implications for practice, theory and policy, through a consideration of pedagogy, curriculum, learning and assessment.

Ways by which teachers can enhance creativity skills of children in the classroom are addressed in this monograph. An overview of creativity first sets the stage for discussions on the child, curriculum, teacher, and environment. The goal is to show the many faces of the development of creativity in children and to recognize ways to enhance the child's potential to meet challenges. Following the introduction, chapter 2 (The Child) covers early creativity, developmental creativity, and how to recognize creative potential. Chapter 3 (The Curriculum) discusses the relationship of creativity to curriculum, the role of exploration and play, ways to organize classroom activities for creativity, feeling trapped by textbooks and curricula, research on creativity and schools, and curricula to encourage creative thinking. In chapter 4 (The Teacher) focus is on attitudes and styles that foster creative potential, including learning objectives versus performance objectives, the teacher's role as observer, and teacher characteristics that facilitate creative development. Fifteen key points are summarized in chapter 5. Supplementary materials, including a Preschool Creativity Rating Scale, are appended. Contains approximately 175 references. (LB)

A rounded, comprehensive, guide to issues of practice, pedagogy and policy concerned with creative education.

Taking a fresh look at the role of creativity within the early years, this accessible guide explores what is meant by creativity and considers how creative skills, behaviours, and thinking can be identified and fostered in the individual child. Underpinned by the latest research and policy, chapters illustrate how creative attitudes can be adopted in all subject areas, and opportunities for creativity maximised. Creative Learning in the Early Years acknowledges the power of creative processes in helping children reach their full potential in the early years and beyond. Photocopiable work tools enable the reader to plan, observe, assess, and record progress as they develop playful and creative approaches, whilst practical advice and demonstrable examples are easily integrated into existing practice. Topics addressed include: recognising and encouraging creative tendencies stimulating the child’s imagination developing adult creativity and self-awareness creating enabling environments and creative spaces using documentation and planning to inspire creativity. An exciting and accessible guide which encourages exploration, experimentation, reflection, and development, Creative Learning in the Early Years will support current and future early years practitioners as they discover the rich opportunities opened by creative practice.

The creativity of children and the adults in their lives is explored here with particular reference to engagement, the learning environment, the arts, technology and global trends.

This book offers an accessible and comprehensive new introduction to the subject and practise of creativity in early years education. Taylor takes a uniquely rights-based and inclusive approach to creativity, providing students with a holistic, internationally-minded overview of creativity and its place both inside and outside the classroom. Sections focus on: Defining creativity and its benefits Different modes of creativity Creativity in a policy and social context Creative pedagogy in practice Creative leadership Each chapter offers questions for critical reflection, illustrative contemporary case studies, and ample suggestions for further reading.

This title provides a meaningful account of what creativity really means in the context of children's learning in the primary school, and describes in practical terms what teachers can do to foster it.

Reviews of the first edition “In addition to expected information about developmental stages and caregiver response, Duffy discusses diversity and accessibility issues that affect children’s response to opportunities to express their creativity … an admirably detailed guide to creativity for persons involved in caring for young children.†Education Review “The strength of Bernadette Duffy’s book is her ability to share through tables, examples, theory and reflections her deep understanding of children’s creative process…†Montessori International Magazine Learning through the arts has the potential to stimulate open ended activity that encourages discovery, exploration, experimentation and invention, thus contributing to children’s development in all areas of learning and helping to make the curriculum meaningful to them. Bernadette Duffy draws on her extensive experience of promoting young children's creativity and imagination to examine how visual representations, music, dance, imaginative play and drama can enable children to express their feelings, thoughts and responses. She highlights examples of good practice and provides practical guidance for those working with young children in a variety of settings, including home, school and centre-based care. Updated throughout, this second edition considers creativity and imagination in the light of contemporary initiatives such as Every Child Matters, Birth to Three Matters, Sure Start and the Foundation Stage curriculum. Supporting Creativity and Imagination in the Early Yearsis essential reading for early years practitioners and students, as well as anyone who delights in young children's learning and development and wants to explore new ways of supporting it.

Recently, a new understanding of creative thought and creative performance has surfaced. It has also attracted the attention of early childhood professional organizations and researchers. Professional organizations have included it in their publications and conferences. While current creativity researchers have initiated a far more sophisticated understanding of young children’s creative thinking, ways to assess creativity, strategies to promote creativity, and research methodologies. The purpose of this volume is to present a wide range of different theories and areas in the study of creativity to help researchers and theorists work toward the development of different perspectives on creativity with young children. It focuses on critical analyses and reviews of the literature on topics related to creativity research, development, theories, and practices. It will serve as a reference for early childhood education researchers, scholars, academics, general educators, teacher educators, teachers, graduate students, and scientists to stimulate further “dialogue” on ways to enhance creativity. The chapters are of high quality and provide scholarly analyses of research studies that capture the full range of approaches to the study of creativity --- behavioral, clinical, cognitive, cross-cultural, developmental, educational, genetic, organizational, psychoanalytic, psychometric, and social. Interdisciplinary research is also included, as is research within specific domains such as art and science, as well as on critical issues (e.g., aesthetics, genius, imagery, imagination, insight, intuition, metaphor, play, problem finding and solving). Thus, it offers critical analyses on reviews of research in a form that are useful to early childhood researchers, scholars, educators, and graduate students. It also places the current research in its historical context. The volume is also of interest to the general readers who are interested in the young children’s creativity. The chapters are authored by established scholars in the field of young children’s creativity.