Creativity is a nebulous idea because it is mostly subjective and what one person considers creativity another may not. However, students who are unwilling or uninterested in coming up with their own ideas for projects or personal works may have major difficulties adapting to new situations or meeting new people that they have not experienced before. There are several ways to boost the creative juices in students of all ages in order to bring about novel ideas and topics in class.
- Speaking Is Believing
Any teacher will tell you that an average class will be a mix of students eager to answer questions and those who would rather stay silent. While the eager students may not need much help in creativity— especially since those hoping for attention will find new ways to get it—the wallflowers of a classroom may suffer from being unable to come up with new ideas or concepts. Getting each student to speak out and generate their own opinions on topics is an excellent way to ensure that creativity is generated. Students who speak out are more likely to come up with their own ideas since the brain functions with more energy when attention is being paid to the speaker. This increases mental and physical performances, generating better imagination.
- Make What You’d like to Have
A teacher can come up with a commercial product that any and all students would like to have. An easy choice is a car, since most students cannot drive (by age or by parental restrictions) but would love to have the freedom of their own transportation. An assignment that requires each student to come up with their own advertisement for their dream car, whether it is a stock racer or the Bat mobile, allows students to use their imagination to cater to what they would want most out of a car. Then, they may present whatever ad they think is most effective at producing interest, whether it is a drawing of the imaginary car, a short skit of a television commercial, or a radio recording of its features. Students can get even more creative by switching the ads with one another so that each has to emphasize the benefits of another student’s creation.
- Make Everyone Laugh
A lot of students want to be the class clown even if only a few act on these impulses. Kids who get the chance to make their friends and peers laugh will feel better about their own self-confidence and perhaps even widen their social circles. Creating in-class parodies of famous films or TV shows is an excellent way to stimulate a student’s ingenuity. Make sure these films are popular enough that nearly every kid has seen them (Star Wars, The Lion King, etc.) so that nobody is left out of the joke, and make sure they keep the humor PG. Teachers can even record these skits and let feature them in end-of-the-year prize celebrations for the best and funniest.
- Debate, Debate, Debate
Brain scientists constantly advocate the neurological advantages of thinking out a position and then arguing for it. Debates are a constant of human life, ranging from politics to family arguments, and getting kids started in proving their point eloquently and passionately will be an inspiration for many other creative actions. The subject of debate can be fun and breezy, like pizza verses hamburgers, or it can be more advanced for older classes, like whether it is necessary to get married and have children.
Kaylee Wilson is a proud single mom and a professional writer. She currently contributes at Help Your Teen Now – your alternative school of choice. If a more drastic change is necessary in a student’s life, a better option may be Help Your Teen Now— your alternative school of choice for students struggling with everyday life.
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