Reader's Theatre

It was such a coincidence that we did a readers theatre script in class and my AIG students were currently working on one. I selected the folk tale The strongest One by Joseph Bruchac. It is a great folk tale that teaches life lessons on understanding self-worth, roles and responsibilities.

After working with the script for a few days, I had my kids jot down their feelings about it...

"I like the strongest one, actually its only okay."

"I like being little red ant because I like the character. I like having the feeling of a real ant. I like the language that I use. It gives me the feeling of being a real ant."

"I would like to do a play again because it makes me happy. It is fun!"

"I wouldlike to have a knight script like Narnia. I would also like more lines to read because I only had three."

"I wold like to do more, but the next time no animals."

"I enjoy the play a lot. I wouldlike to do another play. I wnjoy the parts. I am getting better at making the voice."

"I wouldlike to have another readers theater. I would like for it to be about pirates."

"I feel when i do this it makes me feel like a movie star. And i would like to do it again someday."

"I like the strongest one, but I want to have more theater stories."

"I enjoy doing plays. I want to do a different play. I love my parts. I play third ant and fire. I have fun with the people I work with. i love the play."

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Is Creativity Too Difficult To Measure?

Mmm... I would most definately say that creativity is too difficult to measure. For starters, the term creativity is open to interpretation. Usually when people define creativity their responses are based off personal experiences and opinions, not facts and theory such as Torrance's and Rank's Creative Types. They quickly associate creativity with giftedness and/or performance skills, not knowing the differences and commonalities between them.

One of the most common responses that I've come across is that "creativity is thinking outside of the box." Well what exactly does that mean???? It all depends on that person's opinion and personal experiences. All sorts of questions come to mind when trying to evaluate that response:
*How BIG is your box?
*Does your box have a lid on it?
*Is your box full?
*Is your box empty?
*Did you make your box?

This course has helped me in so many ways when it comes to preparing materials, implementing ideas, and evaluating outcomes for my gifted learners. Just as unique as each learner is in my class, I've come to realize that so is creativity. There is no one size fits all definition, type, or list of characteristics. I still don't believe that our class has selected or designed one agreed upon definition of creativity (I wonder if we could come to consensus?). However, the text, activities, and discussions have greatly stretched my box. It has provided a plethora of information to sort, synthesis, and apply in my own personal life and classroom. The textwork pages in the book for this course are GREAT! There CLEVER and I never write on them because I want to reuse it someway.

So is there an assessment, checklist, or portfolio that will measure it all? No!
Should we expected are children (students) to possess EVERY creative characteristic on a list? No!

3 Bizarre Ideas

Here are my 3 bizarre ideas (sure to get you fired) to increase creativity in high school students:

1. Road Trip: As some people believe the best way to learn in through experience. What better way to stimulate creativity than to pack up an RV, hit the highway, and travel the 50 states? By altering the learning environment creativity can be sparked.

2. Test the "trees": I dated a musician and he swore up and down that it helped him to write some of his best music ever. Some of them are probably already doing this w/o any signs of creativity to show for it.

3. Sky Diving and Bungee Jumping: These two activities are considered thrill-seeking motivational traits. Lack of creativity, passion, and zeal...after this your students are guaranteed to never be the same! (for better or worse)

Creative Person-flexible,funny,and full of energy

5. Imagine that you are a teacher of young elementary school children. List five good ideas for PREVENTING them from becoming more flexible, creative thinkers and problem solvers.

Oh the horror... I've seen these in action.

a. Arranging student desks in rows instead of groups- Personally I believe that group seating promotes positive conversations, sharing of ideas, and cooperative play. All of the three encourage creativity.

b.Squelching your students' ideas- Responding negatively to suggestions, questions, and answers (even if there wrong) will crush creativity quick, fast, and in a hurry. Students will be hesitant to respond, participate, and take risks.

c.Put away the blocks-What better way to express your creativity than by using manipulatives. I can't tell you how many times I've had to say, "Land your airplane." (using cubes/dice/counting bears to simulate an airplane flying, with sound effects)


d.Do away with carpet time- Students are criss-crossed applesauce with hands on thier knees and eyes on me. The most questions are generated during read aloud and shared writing on the carpet. I can't tell you how many times I have to say, " I can't call on you right now, but catch that thought and hit it to me later."


e.Looking for the "one right answer"-When searching and acknowledging the "one right answer" you miss the life altering, a little wierd, I would have never thought of that one answers.