A creative curriculum for teaching is one of the most important aspects of any successful educational program. It allows students to think outside the box, explore their imagination, and take risks in a safe learning environment. This is why we’ll delve deeper into why blending creativity into your curriculum is essential for students’ success. You’ll also find a few teaching strategies on how to do it effectively.
What is creativity?
There are a few definitions for creativity, but at the core, it’s the ability to develop new ideas or solutions, breaking from the status quo. Creativity is a process that requires the ability to explore, play with, and experiment with ideas. It is a process of making something new or original. It is often described as a “thinking outside the box” approach to problem-solving. Creativity is also about seeing the world in new ways, connecting seemingly disparate things, and creating original solutions to problems.
How the brain learns
There are three main types of memory: short-term, working, and long-term. Short-term memory is like a holding tank for information that we only need for a short period. Working memory is like a mental workspace where we manipulate information while trying to learn something new. Long-term memory is where we store information that we want to remember for a long time, such as facts or skills.
The key to effective learning is engaging all three memories. There are several ways to do this, like repetition and mnemonics. However, the most effective way is to engage multiple senses. The more senses engaged in the learning process, the more opportunities are created to make a synaptic connection in the neural system, i.e., retain information. Suppose something is taught from an auditory, visual, and kinesthetic viewpoint.
In that case, the brain is engaged on multiple levels, increasing its ability to recall, especially when repetition and heightened emotion is applied.
Importance of creative curriculum for teaching
A creative curriculum for teaching emphasizes the importance of creativity in the learning process. It also recognizes the importance of play in development and learning. Play allows children to explore their imaginations, try new things, and learn about themselves and their world.
Ultimately, a creative curriculum for teaching helps students remain interested and actively partaking in learning activities while retaining information. These teaching strategies create anchoring points because of an activity, discussion, or movement that brings about memory. For example, teaching focus by throwing balls in a sequence between students enables them to make an association, explaining what focus “feels” like.
Benefits of a creative curriculum for teaching
A creative curriculum for teaching offers many benefits to both teachers and students.
For teachers, it can:
- Provide a change from traditional educational approaches.
- Help them develop new skills and ways of thinking.
- Help them develop new teaching strategies.
For students, it can:
- Improve memory.
- Enable learning through exploration and discovery.
- Encourage critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Help them express themselves in unique ways.
- Help them explore interests and develop new ones.
- Boost self-confidence and self-esteem.
- Help develop their social and communication skills.
- Foster collaboration and teamwork.
- Cultivate creativity and innovation.
How to implement a creative curriculum for teaching
One of the best ways to promote creative thinking in the classroom is to incorporate hands-on, project-based learning experiences. Ideas to create an environment that values creative thinking:
- Roleplay
- Partner work
- Putting concepts to a familiar tune
- Teaching through story
- Collaborative problem-solving
- Doodling while listening
- Creating a concept through art
- Adding movement or gestures to keywords
- Using props and costumes, etc.
- Rearranging the learning environment
- playing music that coordinates with the theme or principle
Why the LEVEL UP program?
The LEVEL UP program is for teens to discover themselves and was created with the brain’s ability to learn and recall information in mind. For this reason, it’s taught experientially using auditory, visual, and kinesthetic principles in discussions and activities.
Educate by playing games
Rephraseology© an edutainment game for the whole family to level up language skills. This fun-filled game will employ all your skills and teach you to watch your words.
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LEVEL UP self-study/homeschool package
A creative curriculum that takes your teen on a journey of empowerment, helping them understand why they react the way they do and how to change that. In this package, you’ll receive a 12-chapter curriculum manual, companion journal, and support videos.
Click here to learn more about the LEVEL UP self-study/homeschool package.
LEVEL UP facilitator training package
The ultimate LEVEL UP package. It includes everything in the self-study package, as well as a facilitator training program. This will give you access to lesson plans, activities, a jump-start training certification, and a discussion board.
Click here to find out more about the LEVEL UP facilitator training package.
Why should you nurture the creative in you? Watch this for ideas on more creativity as well as some compelling advantages for teaching and modeling creativity in your own life.
