From Safe to Brave

 A couple of years ago, we started our year in grade 8 Humanities by having the students create a user manual. It was good, but it missed the mark in a couple of ways, namely, the students didn't use them beyond the assignment. In an effort to more purposefully set students up for the work they would do throughout the year in Room to Breathe, we hacked it, and came up with From Safe to Brave.

The purposes of this beginning of the year task are:

• We all learn more about the people in the room.
• We can start to build trust in order to take creative risks. We want to become brave so we can do outrageously awesome things this year.
• Students can hone in on the things that fascinate them, and their learning preferences, so they can make good decisions about what they want to read, write, speak, view, listen to, and represent about in Room to Breathe.

Feel free to make a copy of the slidedeck and hack it at will so it serves your learners.

A Little Bit of Magic to Start the Day

By Stephanie Bartlett

Although I greet each morning with anticipation, rarely does the day begin with magic. We normally begin our day with about 15 minutes of activities that target fine motor development or skill competencies and then move on to the rest of our day. Until today.  One of the activities I had left out was a container of loose metal pieces and magnets for sorting, patterning and fine motor development.  When the group began to grow, I started to pay attention.

 “We need a screw driver thing.”

“We need wood.”

“How can we make a door?” 

“Can I help?”

“Here, hold this.”

 “We need instructions.”

“I can draw instructions. My mom is a designer.”

“I’m good at this. Here, let’s do it like this.”

 Now, if we are going to look at the seven strands of creativity, these students were touching on many of them without even trying. Collaborative Development, Experimentational Development, Analytical Development, Generative Development were all evident as students figured out what to make, how to assemble the materials and what to do when the first idea didn't work.  I sat listening and watching in awe wondering at what point the work of transforming my practice had arrived at a point where students were generating sophisticated ideas and creating on their own...in September!! 

So far, I think it is the culture I am co-creating with my students. I speak regularly to them about drawing plans and using the writing materials in every centre to explain their thinking. It must also be the predisposition that many of the students bring to the class, and the materials and tools in the maker space that are readily available for such explorations. Regardless of the reasons behind the magic, today I was spellbound and the feeling lingers on.  I got to know my students and their interests just a little bit more today and will sprinkle this magic liberally as the year gets going!

Collaborative Spirit Fuels Creativity

by Stephanie Bartlett

Co-lab-o-ra-tionkəˌlabəˈrāSHən/

noun: collaboration; plural noun: collaborations1. 
the action of working with someone to produce or create something."he wrote on art and architecture in collaboration with John Betjeman

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending and presenting at the Innovate West conference at Connect Charter School in Calgary. I was in the company of some amazing innovators.  No matter what workshop we attended, discussions were deep, thoughtful and forward thinking. Here is a common theme that resonated:

Collaboration is amplification. Just like they say at Pixar, when we collaborate we bring more depth, breadth and diversity to any topic than we could on our own. Collaboration is the driving force behind creativity in educational practice.  I was reminded of this as I attended Michelle Baldwin’s inspiring workshop on creativity.  Not only do we speak the same language and share the same enthusiasm, we cultivate the same message. Learn by doing. Laugh. Share. Reflect. Question. Collaborate. Repeat all of it as much as possible.

 And so, as Michelle thoughtfully guided us through an activity entitled The Selfie, where we had to take selfies that included reflection, perspective and shadow, I was reminded of the true spirit of creativity.

Michelle Baldwin‏@michellek107

Friends, please follow #iwest & #iwestcreate today. I just saw adults laughing, running around, taking incredibly fun & creative selfies.

11:48 AM - 24 May 2014

stephanie bartlett ‏@sj_bartlett  May 24  @michellek107 As one of the adults who was running around, you should know that was the highlight of my day! @luckybydesign #iwestcreate

Michelle Baldwin @michellek107 · May 24

#iwest #iwestcreate selfie challenge participants pic.twitter.com/IUkIGrwxp4

Engage in thoughtful task design embedded within play, laughter and choice within constraints and you will learn great things about yourself as a learner, the people you are working with and the subject at hand. And guess what? Through all that laughter and running around the room to capture the best selfies, we quickly established the mood and trust with strangers…so we learned, and we networked. It was an absolute pleasure meeting and learning with @luckybydesign, @michellek107, @MrodgersRodge, @chrisdittman @HeatherMMckay, @JaimeHatchette and @PaulKelba. I look forward to collaborating with all of you in the very near future.  #micdrop

                         

             Caught in the spirit of creativity with my CreativityCollective partner @luckybydesign

The Importance of Collaboration and Being Connected in Creativity

by Dana Witte

The relationships in our lives that fuel the creative process are key, and the importance of a group of like-minded, supportive creators cannot be underestimated. Connections you find that are deep and positive are a rare gift. Some connections seem to initially light a fire, but become competitive or incestuous, and eventually burn out. There seem to be some key underlying factors that are inherent in our cohort, a group that works to build individual and collective creativity in its members.

• Readiness. Boy meets Girl. One or the other, or both, are not ready for a relationship. Time passes. Each goes through a variety of experiences that shape them. They meet again, years later, and, if all the stars are aligned, they may then be ready. We know this story. It is not reasonable to think that one champion could bring the creative process forward to his/her staff members and have it take off. We all need to be in a place where we are ready to first embark on the journey ourselves, and then to bring the process forward with our students.   Each of us chose to put ourselves in a graduate class that focused on creativity in education.   We all came to the table with teaching experience and a desire to move both our personal and professional creative practices to a new place.
• Trust. The members of our collective shared experiences that were constructed to be personal and to elicit self-reflection. If we took the tasks to heart and sincerely risked in front of the group, there was an inherent vulnerability. We all entered into the experiences with openness. If we had not gone through that process together, the result would not have been the same. The trust that became the foundation of the group was built on acceptance and lack of judgment in moments of fragility. From that point forward, each of us was able to grow. Because we were all interested in self-instigated creative development and the creative process, we were able to accept the variety and individuality of our pursuits without competition. There was, and continues to be, a lack of judgment. Feedback about the work was for the sincere sake of growth, and was ‘plussed’.   We celebrated one another’s creative accomplishments and revelations.
• Respect. There is an unspoken understanding within the collective that we honor each other and bring the very best of ourselves to all of our interactions. There is an expectation that there is positivity. We may not all be able to contribute the same amount to group pursuits at the same time – busy lives demand flexibility – but there is respect for whatever contributions are possible. There is no room for negativity, no jockeying for power, no side-bar conversations. There is a purity within the interactions that comes from a sincere desire to keep the magic happening. We each choose to preserve the integrity, and are intensely aware that having six people to back us up as we sustain our creative efforts is unusual and special.

A year after our coursework was completed, our group is still tight. A group text feed includes seven members whose input is ongoing. It is a lifeline for our creative selves and for personal challenges. Members have gone on vacation and turned off their phones for a weekend, only to return to 137 texts that document lives, best practices in teaching, and explorations in creativity. We meet formally every few months, with some members driving long distances to participate. Our group began with intense face-to-face interactions and experiences. While the texts allow us to reach out to one another frequently, coming together as a group is what really grounds us and is the foundation of our desire to sustain the creative development of our practices and ourselves.

Looking Closely at Student-Owned Documentation

by Stephanie Bartlett

A big part of my journey this year has been exploring documentation panels.  Inspired by the many talented educators on twitter, I have read, thought, researched, reflected...and the cycle repeats.  I take photos and videos and must admit that I am still figuring out a process to post the photos in the classroom in a timely manner.  (I would appreciate any techniques from those well versed in the world of documentation panels.)

The other day, I printed the photos of our coconut explorations. I thought that if Hunter cut out the pictures, and we explained them together, then the panel would be meaningful to him rather than the parents coming for conferences as had been my original intention. He got some fine motor and sequencing practice cutting and ordering the pictures before we got ready to document the story.

I settled in with sticky notes and proceeded to be amazed at what I learned from Hunter. I thought he would label each event in each picture.  Instead, Hunter labelled the steps of collaboration. The first step was Hunter finding the coconut and exploring on his own. The second group of pictures was when Erik came to join him, the third was the class (spelled phonetically KSE) and the fourth was the opening of the coconut. 

Together we reflected on the different questions that he had been asking and I scribed those underneath.  The message had come through loud and clear for me and I was thrilled: collaborative development is an integral part of creativity in educational practice.  Hunter showed me in his own words that collaboration has been embedded in our classroom culture.

There is an important place for teacher-directed documentation panels to explain our programs to adults, and to celebrate the learning of our students by showing the thinking process.  Dylan William states in his book  Embedded Formative Assessment that "teachers have a crucial role to play in designing situations in which learning takes place, but only learners create learning." (William 158)  I provided the learning provocation and then the pictures; Hunter responded with a high level of engagement and showed me how students can help manage their learning process.  It is now up to me to take everything Hunter shared with me to help design new learning experiences for him and the class. 

Citation:

William, Dylan (2011.) Embedded Formative Assessment. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press

Blow, Blow, Blow Your Boat

by Stephanie Bartlett

A play-based program is the ultimate backdrop for the most incredible learning opportunities.  It is our job as educators to pay attention and listen carefully. As facilitators, we  can then offer tools and experiences for students to become mindful learners, all in the midst of play.  Take boats, for example.

Over the course of the last couple of months, B, H and C have often sat and drawn pictures of boats.  We have hung them on the wall near our water table and I have waited for the right moment to take their learning to a deeper level.  It all came together this week when many students were involved in a pirate game.  They created treasures to hide and drew maps for everyone to take part. (Hello, collaboration!!) For two days, I watched and listened carefully, wondering how to decide the best way to guide their thinking. I asked my three students to sit the next day and draw plans for boats they could build.  Their plans initiated a class discussion about motor boats and sail boats, and pirate ships, of course!

 B went to the next step and created a materials list.

The next day, B arrived and spent a large amount of time building a model boat out of popsicle sticks, telling me "I thought and thought at home about how I could build a boat with buttons, popsicle sticks and string. This boat collects garbage on the ocean and I need to build a claw on the back."

Coincidentally, my colleague mentioned earlier in the week that she had many students who were very taken with machines, motors and boats in particular.  There was my point of convergence. We could create boats together!  As a team, we have decided to offer the opportunity to students in all three of our kindergarten classes to work together. Today, we had two parent volunteers come in and set up an area with materials, paper and writing tools to draw plans and a tub of water to test for seaworthiness. Knowing that sparks catch fire, we started this idea with the interest of a few students, knowing that others would jump on board, so to speak. The environment was focused and highly engaged. There was a quiet hum of happiness and excitement, peppered with observations, in the most natural form of analytic thinking and feedback.  

"I think your boat is leaning too far to one side." 

"How can I get my boat to move?" 

"You need some wind. Can you blow?"

"Mine is sinking." 

"My boat is heavy on one side. It keeps leaning."

Some students drew plans and then proceeded to build without referring to their plan.  There is an interesting focus point for the next projects, always keeping in mind that some learners are unable at this point to articulate what their plan is before they execute and we believe that is ok.

Others, drew their plans and build their boats accordingly.

Genius Hour has been very fluid in my class this year.  My original intent was to spend every Friday morning engaged in different projects.  In the ever-changing world of Kindergarten, if students are protopying an idea or developing an idea, they are not all going to put it away until the following week...they will keep playing until they are ready to discover new things or play with different people.  So, on Fridays when I have two parent volunteers, I now create the space and provide the materials for students who are experimenting with certain ideas. 

As educators, we can help students discover new concepts and play with intention. Teaching without themes in the traditional sense of the word is perhaps best understood through the lens of creative development.  The vocabulary and disposition of creative development is the common thread that helps my students to open their minds and apply the skills we are learning in a very real context that is relevant to them.  

What's next? On Monday morning, when the students enter the room, their boats will be waiting for them.  Will they return to their boats and continue tweaking their models? Will others have decided that they would like to build another prototype? Will they play with their boats in the water table? Will some draw another picture or write a story? Will they naturally group the different types?

One thing is certain: I will be nearby, listening to the feedback and analytical development and watching the magic of engaged students, waiting for the next possible spark.

Drama 20: Implementing the Learning Design Model in High School

By Trina Penner       

A note about Collective Theatre:

Mrs. Penner describes Collective Theatre as a salad.  You add a variety of ingredients to contribute to the deliciousness of the salad.  Each ingredient added represents a scene in Collective Theatre. The salad is the end result which is the production. Ingredients are strung together by the theme or topic. We are all trying to make the most delicious salad possible by growing, developing, and contributing a variety of ingredients in the most collaborative way. Students are first hand contributors and creators of the salad. (P.S. Some ingredients are cultivated better than others which has a direct effect on the quality of the salad in the end.)

I made a very conscious choice to approach the Collective Theatre project in my Grade 11 Drama class (Alberta, Canada Curriculum) differently this time around.  My goal was to increase the creative confidence of my students so much that they ended up immersed in Type 3 learning, controlling the creativity without even noticing it was all them. I was intent on trying out the learning design model for real with students and see what the results would be. This is our experience….

TYPE 1: The Hook or Launch

I started by sending them on their way from class one day to think about what is really important to them right now at this age or something that is pressing on their minds when they go to sleep at night. The purpose for thinking about these things was to come up with a potential topic for our Collective Theatre Project. I knew the importance of ownership within the human spirit. If the topic comes from them, then the meaning is intrinsic when it comes to the creating part of the project.

When the students returned to class the next day, I asked that they write down all the ideas generated from the two items I had them ponder the night before.  The purpose for the writing of the ideas is to generate currency that they can use in the next activity, or ‘bank’ ideas for use later.

TYPE 2: Fuel & Guided Strategies

Speed Dating

Once students had currency to share, we assumed the speed dating (aka idea sharing) formation (see picture). These Grade 11’s spent a large amount of the class cycling through the speed dating: sharing, listening, adding, asking, etc.  It was loud and energetic and great!  They were fully engaged in the exercise. At the end of the speed dating, I asked that some share what they learned from speaking with others.  This was a beautiful way for peers to establish a sense of safety and belonging in a classroom environment. When a student hears someone else share their idea it’s like a compliment that they were heard and acknowledged. Only good came out of this exercise.

Ideas Converge and Diverge

After we had papers full of ideas for potential topics to explore for our project, we started to connect the similarities on the whiteboard. It was messy and loud!  It was interesting to note how many topics / issues / ideas were connected.  As we drew more lines from idea to idea, I assisted with the big picture view and provided words and terms that would allow suggestions to connect and coagulate more easily.  Little by little we got closer to the one topic that would become our base for creativity.  Below is an example of one mind map in its early form that we drew on the board to connect ideas. In the end, we chose IDENTITY as our topic to explore for the Collective Theatre project.

Scripting (from Idea to Form)

After we chose a topic / theme, students started the process of turning their ideas into scenes.  This process involved a lot of prototyping.  The only way we know if something will read well on stage is to actually try it out on our feet; work the scene.  Hours were spent polishing and refining details within each scene.  Technical aspects were added and specific actors were assigned roles.  Lines were typed and formatted into script form. The smallest of ideas converged into form, a scene. This process took weeks and I needed to always monitor the energy of the group. I reminded them constantly of what was working and what needed polishing. Step by step, complimenting their creative process and asking specific questions about areas that needed refining.  Eventually, the group started to be able to see what was working on their own.  They were in flow and it was great to sit back and allow them to ride on their own at these times. Trust, safety, belonging, and a real sense of mutual support grew more and more each day.

Type 3: To Perform or Not To Perform?

The students were scheduled to perform their Identity Collective in class.  My goal was get these students to such a level of creative confidence, that one in-class performance just would not satisfy their creative spirits. We had an opportunity to enter the original collective work into a local Drama Festival for High School students. The decision was unanimous.  Everyone wanted more. The students performed their original work and it was adjudicated by a hired professional. The feedback they received boosted their creative confidence even more.  This group was fearless together in this moment.  The hard work of creative collaboration showed and made them want to stick together and support each other in that precious moment with the adjudicator. I was a proud teacher sitting at the back and watching many of their eyes tear up as some of their classmates experienced their own proud moments. I was no longer driving the learning….they were doing it on their own.

Accolades:

My Drama 20 class was awarded with the only BEST ENSEMBLE 2013 award at the festival. This was icing on the cake (dressing on the salad)! As their teacher, I told them that the award might as well have read BEST COLLABORATORS.  I also explained that being a great creativity collaborator is a huge skill and one that not many people can do well. My experience using this learning design model and the activities from my Creativity In Educational Practice courses with Robert Kelly at the University of Calgary were effective.

Best Ensemble award 2013 Zone 4 West

Please contact Trina Penner trinapenner@gmail.com should you wish to have her actual learning design blueprint for the Drama 20 Collective described above.