Creative Process

Creative Process

The beginning of my creative process was highly focused on cultivating a creative environment in the classroom. Much of the pre-workshop research was on the benefits of poetry and how best to teach it to maximize these benefits, some of which include mental and emotional comfort, interconectivity with community, and many others. In CPSA260, we learned about the concept of using your classroom's attributes to their full advantage. This includes eliminating a separation between lecturer and student to improve the teaching relationship, and allowing movement and change in the desk or table space (Rands & Gansemer-Topf, 2017). I found staying on the same level as my workshoppers physically made conversation, questions, and all interaction easier and seemingly less intimidating for them, which allowed for a great deal more creative exchange. It was of utmost importance for the participants to feel supported and free to experiment in their writing, which was achieved by our research into classroom environments and student relationships. The creative development of our project emerged through the development our teaching skills, moreso than even the technical skills we prioritized.