1. Use
encouraging language: "Interesting idea. Tell me more
about it." "How did you come to that conclusion?"
"Great question. Let's explore that inquiry." "You
decide how to report the information. I trust your decisions."
2. Place
a high value on fostering imaginative skills. Allow imagination
and curiosity to drive learning. Emphasize higher level thinking.
Welcome naturally occurring challenges that invite students to
view obstacles as opportunities for deeper reflection. Celebrate
diversity by appreciating the imaginative gifts each student expresses
uniquely. Invite projects that fire up imagination. Be hesitant
to demonstrate or suggest. Live more in questions and inquisitiveness.
Provide opportunities that offer freedom of personal choice as
often as possible.
3.
Be flexible. There's more than one way to do things. Release
"right" and "wrong" thinking. Open your mind
and heart to experiencing a whole new way of being with children.
Suspend judgment of the unusual. Be wiling to adapt to children's
novel ideas instead of trying to force the child to fit the adult's.
When in the presence of children's imaginative energy, pay attention
to your own imagination being ignited!
4. Provide space, time and permission for quiet contemplation
to daydream, fantasize, think, wonder, consider, imagine, envision.
Most children are not used to being quiet and may be resistant
at first. Start in small increments and build according to the
needs and desires of the classroom. Quiet time invites passions
to be born and interests to be developed.
5. Vow to never correct children's art, draw for them or
supply drawing books. This behavior generates doubt about children's
abilities. When they become dependent on others, they tend to
give up and shut down their minds. AND vow never to give
students worksheets to color or assemble. I am saddened every
time I walk down school halls to see the duplicate student products
posted on bulletin boards. Yes, they were given choice of which
color crayons to use and they still all look alike. Imagine what
could happen if students were given free range to create through
story, drama, poetry, music, art, or dance? School halls, classrooms,
teachers and students would be vibrating with aliveness!!! Then,
and only then, do reading, writing, and math serve as the means
to knowledge instead of being the goal.
6. Use reflective questions to stimulate imagination so
students explore their inner lives and relationship to content.
This type of questioning allows for personal responses, generates
further discussions and inspires even deeper questioning. Avoid
questions that are limiting or have only one acceptable answer.
Open-ended questions invite inquiry and exploration.
Examples of reflective questions are: What might be the consequence
of that character's behavior? If you were that character, what
would you have done and why? How has your view of ____ changed
as a result of this experience? How did this reading, topic or
experience affect you? What do you predict will happen when _____?
Why is _____ more important today than it was in the past? Why
do you suppose____? What is likely to happen if_____?
7. Tolerate messes on occasions or more often as comfortable.
Being present with imagination incites full engagement in the
process of creation. Imagination IS the limitless power that generates
creativity. The intensity of that power often has children hyper-focused
on a project with little regard to their working conditions. I'm
not suggesting classroom chaos. Keeping organized supplies accessible
and in the open within easy reach contributes to the invigorating
activity. Help students understand that the completion of their
projects partly consists of responsibility for clean-up so that
materials will be on hand for future projects.
8. Read aloud - no matter what the age. Reading aloud sparks
images of scenes unfolding, summons children to emotionally connect
with characters, and vision wondrous fantasy adventures for themselves.
It stimulates imagination, creativity and curiosity. Reading aloud
allows one to be instantly transported through space, time, human
conditions and to other worlds. It serves as a tool connecting
children with other cultures and imagining ways of living differently.
9. Be sure to have fun. Lighten up and enjoy new ways of
being in the moment. Relish new creations and children turned-on
to learning in bigger ways. Encourage, invite and make space for
original thinking. Enjoy doing things simply for pleasure instead
of trying to accomplish a goal. Learn to appreciate the offbeat
and let go of worry, judgment or criticism. And most importantly,
allow humor in imagination to tickle your funny bone every chance
you get.
Copyright
© 2005 Adrian Reznik
