Building a Creative School
“This has genuinely been a really enjoyable course to be on and I’m so glad I chose it. It is so easy to go along with the everyday traditional sense of teaching a class: getting through the content, getting workbooks completed and tests done. There is more of a need than ever for creativity to be weaved into the everyday teaching and learning and spark joy in pupil’s schooling. This course has really helped me think more about creativity in a real and meaningful way… Thank you for all the resources: I’ve downloaded all the materials and I will be going through them again to help in my planning and preparation for my infant classroom.” – Participant
Course Information and Key Themes
This course is designed to facilitate creative teaching and learning. It is aimed at the average teacher, you do not need to consider yourself artistic!
In fact, visual art is just one of many components used in this course to highlight how you can be much more creative than you think! Creativity and ‘thinking outside of the box’ in a world of standardisation has become one of the most important human traits.
This course is an energising exploration of ideas such as Thematic Teaching, Project-Based Learning and integrating the Arts into other curricular areas to boost pupil engagement.
It shows how you can balance the wonderful opportunities for learning in digital technology and the powerful effect of the natural outdoors on children and teacher’s wellbeing.
This course has practical examples of how to embed a culture of creativity throughout your school and how this way of educating has a profoundly positive effect on children’s behaviour and motivation.
Course Overview
Course Outline
Module 1 - Creativity in Education
This module gives an overview of what creativity means, how it looks in a school setting and how linking up with outside agencies for support can boost learning in your school.
- To better understand the concept of creativity in a school setting
- To explore some outside organisations which schools can link with to support creativity
Module 2 - Creative Teaching and Learning
In this module we explore Project-Based learning, the Flipped Classroom model and Thematic teaching and learning. We examine practical activities and opportunities with Literacy, Numeracy and SESE.
- To examine innovative pedagogies and methodologies to promote creative thinking in students
- To understand the role of the teacher and how he/she supports childrens’ creative development
- To explore opportunities for creative integration through specific curricular areas
Module 3 - Creativity Through the Arts
We consider the versatility of the Arts in teaching and learning, with practical activities and opportunities in Visual Art, Music and Drama. We also identify differentiation opportunities for SEN with creativity being used as therapy for all children.
- To analyse the versatility of the arts as a means for creativity
- To investigate the use of creative processes as therapy for children
- To discover how to differentiate for children with Special Educational Needs during creative activities
Module 4 - Creativity Through the Natural and Digital Worlds
In Module 4 we consider how creative expression supports wellbeing especially through Aistear and Outdoor Education. We also explore activities and opportunities for creative expression with PE and SPHE. We also focus on creativity in Digital Learning through Maker-Space, coding, podcasting, videography and Book Creator.
- To explore the various ways in which creative expression supports Health and Wellbeing
- To explore the positive effects of nature on creativity
- To evaluate the importance of creativity in play and Aistear
- To consider the central role of creativity in digital learning experiences and problem-solvin
Module 5 - The School Environment
Module 5 focuses on the whole school approach to facilitating creative practice through the lens of SSE. It identifies the importance of leadership’s facilitation of the development of a culture and environment of creativity. We also highlight the Department of Education’s Creative Schools program and the benefits of taking part.
- To highlight the development of creative thinking skills as a School Self Evaluation priority area
- Leadership of the promotion of creativity
- To examine how both the physical and cultural environment can influence creativity in a school
- Can creativity be assessed, and can you assess creatively?
- To familiarise yourself with the Creative Schools programme
Course Author
Jason Byrne
“In today’s society creativity is valued more than ever but is seldom explicitly fostered among our school children. I designed this course to highlight the myriad of practical ways that creativity can be embedded in any school.”
Bio
Jason is a primary school teacher from Scoil Chroi Iosa, Galway City. He is currently working as a Home School Community Liaison Coordinator (HSCL) with Tusla Education Support Services (TESS). He also works as a Wellbeing and PE Associate with the PDST Primary Health & Wellbeing Team. Jason is an experienced primary teacher holding a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership from NUI Maynooth. He is committed to lessening the effects of educational disadvantage through his work as a HSCL, and as a teacher in the classroom.
What Participants Say About This Course
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