From Creativity to Connection: A Reflection on My Creative Growth

At the beginning of my Creativity in Teaching and Learning course, I saw myself as a creative problem-solver—someone who could adapt and innovate within the structure of my teaching. However, my understanding of creativity has expanded beyond adaptability. I now see creativity as an intentional practice, a way of thinking that blends different disciplines, perspectives, and sensory experiences to create something meaningful. My initial definition focused on creativity as generating new ideas, but now I recognize it as a synthesis of inspiration, risk-taking, and transformation.

One of the most eye-opening activities was creating a restaurant menu to represent my evolving view of creativity. This artifact challenged me to think beyond traditional teaching methods, using an everyday format to present complex ideas in an engaging, playful way. It reinforced that creativity isn't just about artistic expression—it's about making information accessible and memorable. Similarly, designing a game board as a teaching tool further solidified my belief that learning should be interactive, hands-on, and multidisciplinary.

This course emphasized the importance of teaching creatively and teaching for creativity. The Root-Bernsteins’ idea that it's not about changing what we teach, but how we teach, resonated deeply. Moving forward, I plan to integrate more cross-disciplinary connections into my lessons, drawing from fields like art, music, and design to create immersive learning experiences. The Pause, Paraphrase, Pose-a-Question (PPP) technique from my coaching course will also support my goal of fostering a more reflective and student-centered classroom.

My biggest takeaway is that creativity thrives when we encourage curiosity, allow room for experimentation, and embrace failure as part of the process. I want my students to develop this mindset—not just as learners but as future problem-solvers. By incorporating more sensory-rich, interactive, and playful learning experiences, I hope to cultivate a classroom where creativity isn't just an activity but a way of thinking.

Ultimately, this course reinforced that creativity is a bridge between disciplines, experiences, and perspectives—and as an educator, my role is to help students walk across it. Click the creations to explore more!