Creative Thinking Syllabus

Perspective:  There was a time when creativity was something only considered relevant to the artists of society. Creativity was somehow considered a waste of one’s time. There were much more important things to do in life. Today in our complex world nothing could be further from the truth. Many people today believe they are not creative.  Again the truth is quite the opposite.

Some Thoughts on Creativity:

• “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook
• “Creativity takes courage.” ― Henri Matisse
• “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” ― Ken Robinson
• “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” ― Maya Angelou
• “To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” ― Joseph Chilton Pearce

Role of Education:  Many philosophers note that the role of education is sometimes incongruous with the concept of creativity. Schools have rules, procedures, and norms.  These can sometimes smother the creativity in all children.

The Course: The goal here is to allow the students to have time to simply think, play, and experiment without any apprehensions. We will simply “do thinks” as I or the students devise. The goal is to have a non-restrictive yet academic environment.

Possible Projects:

•  Yourself 10 Years later
• Writing about your Favorite Country
• Power Point on your Favorite Country
• Books in a Bag
• Coding/Decoding
• Creations around You
• Photographing your Family
• Interviewing a Teacher
• Letter to Mom and Dad
• Creative Walk Around Campus
•  Rewriting School Rules
• Choose a Topic
• My Pet or Sibling
• My Favorite ”    “

Requirements:  The only two rules are to be present and to participate.

Grades: By definition, these should not be an issue.

Contact: If there is an issue or concern, parents are encouraged to email me. Harold.levie@eu.dodea.edu

Finally, the Ultimate Goal:  To enjoy the creative process of thought.