To foster 'Inventive Thinking', teachers first need to have the right mindset. A growth mindset is essential, where teachers believe that 'Inventive Thinking' skills can be developed. By being flexible and embracing diverse and creative ideas, teachers can encourage students to explore new ideas without fear of failure. This helps cultivate confidence and resilience in dealing with unfamiliar and ambiguous problems, curiosity in learning, the ability to adapt to changes, the courage to take risks responsibly and explore novel ideas and perspectives. 

Intentionality in teaching 'Inventive Thinking' is equally important. Teachers need to purposefully design lessons that spark students' curiosity, encourage diverse and creative ideas, and provide well-structured opportunities for reflection. Activities that promote idea generation, exploration, problem-solving and reflection help students engage deeply with learning, thereby fostering 'Inventive Thinking' in a more intentional and effective manner. 

In addition, teachers should focus on the learning process rather than just the final outcome and encourage students to reflect on their progress and make adjustments based on the feedback they received.

To foster a positive classroom culture that promotes 'Inventive Thinking', teachers can adopt several strategies aligned with the STP to create a nurturing environment where students feel empowered to explore and innovate. A key approach is to celebrate mistakes and learning from failure. By implementing activities such as 'failure Fridays', students can share and reflect on failed attempts, shifting the focus from success to growth and resilience, which encourages risk-taking and creative problem-solving.

Encouraging collaboration can also contribute to a positive classroom culture.  When students with different backgrounds, interests and needs work together collaboratively on group works, they tend to think more creatively. Collaboration encourages them to share and build on each other's ideas. 

Designing open-ended tasks that allow for multiple solutions gives students the freedom to think creatively and approach problems from different angles. This aligns with the STP’s emphasis on skilful questioning, which promotes deeper engagement and fosters 'Inventive Thinking'.

Open-ended tasks are most effective when they are linked to authentic problems. Teachers can plan problem-based learning in their lessons to foster Inventive Thinking as it requires students to think creatively and critically to solve real-life problems. 

Additionally, Open-ended tasks also fit well with the Assessment for Learning in the STP, as they encourage deeper reflection and creative problem-solving. 

Below are some suggestions for effectively incorporating these tasks without overwhelming the schedules:

Integrating Open-Ended Tasks into Core Objectives:
Teachers can align open-ended tasks with the existing curriculum by connecting them to core learning objectives. For example, instead of treating these tasks as extra activities, they can be framed as methods to achieve essential skills, like critical thinking, problem-solving, or content mastery. 

Starting with Small-Scale Activities:
To ease into using open-ended tasks, teachers can begin with smaller, manageable projects that require less time and complexity. For instance, a simple brainstorming activity or a quick, reflective writing prompt can be effective in fostering inventive thinking without consuming too much class time. Gradually, as both teachers and students grow comfortable with open-ended tasks, the scale and scope of the activities can be expanded.

Setting Time Limits:
One of the major concerns is how much time open-ended tasks might take. To mitigate this, teachers can set clear time limits for each task. For example, designating 15–20 minutes for a quick problem-solving exercise allows students to engage with the task while ensuring it stays within the planned lesson time. This approach encourages efficiency and focus, while still offering the benefits of inventive thinking.

Encouraging Collaboration:
Group work can help maximize the use of time while fostering Inventive Thinking. By working in groups, students can share ideas, divide responsibilities, and generate more creative solutions faster than they might on their own. Collaborative tasks also allow students to support each other, reducing the amount of individual guidance required from the teacher and making class time more productive.

Using Scaffolding Techniques:
Teachers can gradually build up the complexity of open-ended tasks by scaffolding them. This involves breaking larger projects into smaller steps or offering structured guidance in the early stages of an activity. This way, students can develop confidence and problem-solving skills progressively, while still making steady progress toward larger goals without feeling overwhelmed by the open-ended nature of the task.

Providing Templates or Examples:
Offering templates or examples can help students get started quickly and stay on track. Teachers can provide models or guidelines for students to follow while still leaving enough room for creativity and Inventive Thinking. This method can streamline the process and save time, as students won’t be starting from scratch but still have the freedom to innovate within the provided framework.

Facilitation skills are essential for fostering Inventive Thinking in students, as they guide exploration, creativity, and critical thinking in a supportive classroom environment. Teachers can enhance these skills by linking learning to real-world applications, encouraging students to reflect on their progress, and tailoring instruction to meet individual learning needs. Group discussions, peer feedback, and collaborative projects are particularly effective in allowing students to exchange and refine ideas, building trust and fostering creativity.  

Additional resources and training would further support teachers in this area. To assist teachers in incorporating Inventive Thinking into subjects teaching, this Google site will also provide specific strategies and approaches that can be used in the Art and Music lessons.