Traditional instructional teaching models adhere strictly to a standard curriculum. This straight-line teaching model seldom allows time for innovation or creativity where student learning takes flight.  Instead, traditional models leave students stifled with a focus on compliance within the straight-line road of a curriculum. There is an emphasis on discipline, should ‘learning’ become wildly interesting and uncooperative within a schedule. This type of model although predictable, does not allow for students to be curious and innovative with learning. As educators, we need to empower ourselves as ‘Captains of Student Creativity’ in the classroom. We need to expect more out of learning and create environments that are inclusive and flexible where children excel and can come to school to embark on a winding road of learning. This learning may not always follow a straight-forward path but may be an exciting journey along the road of creativity and innovation. The program coursework has changed the way I see my role as an educator. More importantly, it has left me asking, “Why not? Why not try something new?” It has opened my mind about what constitutes a productive learning environment and changed my approach to practices within the classroom.

An initial goal of mine when embarking on this degree program was to engage in coursework that continued to expand my personal growth as an educator, sharpen my critical thinking skills, and foster creativity and student engagement. Much of the coursework aligned with my objectives, with concepts that were immediately applicable to the classroom. One course that impacted my thinking and inspired my practices in the classroom was CEP 811-Adapting Innovative Technologies to Education. The coursework enhanced my understanding of technology from what I used to know as the use of digital tools and online resources, to a broader understanding of the concept of technology. This course focused on having a maker’s mindset with a goal of inspiring students to be innovative and challenged us as educators to create learning environments based on constructivism where students actively build their own knowledge through interaction and experience. The Maker’s Movement allows for students to be creative with problem solving by allowing them to experiment and create. This course allowed for us to foster the “maker” in all of us with a final project that I have been able to replicate in the classroom. As a “maker”, during the course I was enlightened by learning to use available resources to create a model that would inspire learning and understanding of concepts through hands on making. I used this same model to inspire my own students to be makers. As the teacher, I simply had to ensure that the classroom environment was that of a maker space with various materials of their own choosing. After a brief amount of instruction, in this case science involving the anatomy of a flower, students reconstructed their own flowers from various materials, talking to other students and coming to consensus by correctly labeling the parts of a flower along with each function. Before I knew it, science had come alive. As a result of this engaged learning style the students were able to demonstrate that they had quickly learned the anatomical parts of a flower and students had fun expressing their own creative designs. In another maker’s moment, students played the role of paleontologists where they used a 3D printer platform on laptops to learn about fossils and tools used by paleontologists. Students choose to build their own paleontologist, fossil, or imprint.  Learning took off as students then discussed how animal prints spaced closer together were reflective of slower movement or smaller sized animals whereas, prints farther apart were indicative of larger or faster moving animals. The lesson evolved on its own through child-directed learning. The project allowed for reflection and creative expression and allowed for the student as “maker” to have fun while learning. The process made clear the benefit of creating this kind of learning experience for students in the classroom as student’s were more engaged in the learning process than ever before. I am inspired as an educator to create learning environments that allow for this freedom to explore in a curious way and be inspired by materials and other students. My role as an educator has changed to be a facilitator of knowledge. I simply guide learning within the parameters of the curriculum, but the creativity and innovation comes from student exploration within a stimulating environment.   

When thinking about additional ways to be creative and inspiring to students, CEP 818-Creativity in Teaching and Learning, was another course focused on developing creativity in the classroom. The course allowed for exposure to several teaching tools to foster student creativity such as play to inspire learning, forming patterns or connections between concepts to inspire new ideas, and exploring different perspectives to foster innovation and challenge traditional thinking patterns. One concept from this class that really resonated with me was the concept of global learning and the idea that creativity in the classroom is valued worldwide, not just in the arts but across all subjects.  Examples like Finland’s Project-based Learning, Japan’s approach to failure as a learning opportunity, the Reggio Emilia Approach in Italy with student-led exploration, all exposed me to the idea that there is interest and support on a global scale to integrate flexible learning models where student learning is self-driven and infused with creative exploration and problem-solving. I was inspired to create open-ended projects within my classroom where students felt empowered to take risks, express themselves, and be free to learn in an environment of creativity. One powerful example of this involves a student in my classroom who happened to develop a personal interest in the Titanic following a visit to the school library. The student expressed an interest in learning more on the topic and it is amazing what evolved thereafter. The student shared what they knew about the Titanic within a small workgroup formed out of several other students who expressed interest in the topic.  The group used technology to research more information on the Titanic and presented this information to the rest of the class. During this process, the group engaged in researching, delegation of workgroup duties, planning and decision making. More importantly, students engaged in prosocial skills such as communicating and leading. While the Titanic was certainly not part of the traditional curriculum, this project served as evidence of the endless possibilities that come with open-ended, student directed hands-on learning, with the teacher serving as guide or facilitator. Against the backdrop of a required curriculum, this approach does take some creative reflection by the teacher to tie required learning with this open-ended student-directed learning format. It also requires the teacher to take a less instructional approach to learning, however, learning is inspiring under this model. As educator I had to challenge my own thinking and reflect on reasons why I wouldn’t adopt this learning format, which there were few.

CEP 800-Psychology of Learning in School and Other Settings based on key learning theories, introduced me to the idea of Situated Learning as a teaching model that transcends learning beyond the traditional four walls of a classroom. Situated Learning refers to the idea that context is of utmost importance to student learning and that student learning comes out of exposure to real-world problem solving. The most effective learning comes from when students are faced with a problem or task that requires critical thinking through experience. In simple terms, students learn information through observation and practice. In this learning theory, the teacher serves as role model rather than a transmitter of information. Learning in this type of setting does not come from packaged information distributed to students via traditional teaching methods, but instead learning comes from contextual real-life experiences where students learn while in the situation. This type of learning made me re-think my traditional role of teacher as the conveyer of information. Another part of this type of learning that made me reflect differently on how students best learn is the premise that in situated learning, students acquire knowledge as they interact with others AND in doing so, learn their function within the larger society. It is a good method for learning through social theory where student learning is largely connected to their interaction and knowledge sharing with others. I had to reflect on how I would use my role as the facilitator to foster relationships and experiences in a real-world context. I was inspired to think of opportunities for students to be immersed in an environment outside of the classroom and challenged myself to take on the school’s Videography Club (News Crew). As facilitator of this club, I have encouraged students to apply for membership to try something new that they may not necessarily be comfortable with in order to promote growth. What has transpired has been truly amazing. In News Crew, students have the responsibility of carrying defined roles and responsibilities that are inter-related and dependent upon each other for project completion. Students work together to select newsworthy content from around the school and have the responsibility of working together to produce, edit, and present the stories via a daily video played to the entirety of the student body at the top of each morning. The morning video is meant to be inspirational and motivational for all students and to start the school day with energy and creativity. But equally important, the evolution of students in the club has been nothing short of amazing and very inspirational for me and other staff. For example, one shy student now talks about what the club has meant to her as far as bolstering self-confidence, another student with some attention difficulty has learned to focus, a student with fear of public speaking has learned to overcome the limitations they had placed on themselves, and everyone has learned a thing or two about media, broadcasting, and videography through practice and experiences outside of the classroom by visiting media outlets. Learning through experience has proven to be beneficial to students on several fronts. This type of learning has challenged me as educator to step back from a lead role to a partner in the learning process. The value of this type of learning was most evident.  

The coursework in this master’s program has challenged me to reconsider my role as traditional educator, to instead be the creator of spaces where students can best grow and achieve a more connected and engaged level of learning. Teachers are ‘Captains of Student Creativity’ and all three of the noted courses allowed me to transcend beyond my role as teacher in a traditional way to be that leader of creativity. New theories on learning served as opportunities to try out something new in the classroom. This program also inspired me to consider a new definition of technology where resources can hold the promise of an unchartered path to learning should educators only choose to challenge themselves to transcend beyond the impracticality of traditional instructional learning.  This coursework impacted my approach to the classroom and my responsibilities to the students I serve. Teachers can spark creativity and student engagement in the classroom by allowing their minds and practices to evolve so that students may learn beyond the confines of traditional classroom settings. Classroom environments where student learning is a creative, self-directed expression sparked by inspired learners can only limited by the mind of an educator.