A creativity development model to enhance educator security : a labour law perspective

A CREATIVITY PROGRAMME

For the development of educator

creativity

MODULE 1

THE FOUR CREATIVE CATEGORIES

EXPLAINING THE 4 CREATIVE

CATEGORIES

The person: qualities and skills, attitudes and coping skills associated with creative ability

The process: creative processes, ways of doing and finding solutions which will equip you to put creativity into action in order to solve problems and to find new opportunities and possibilities

The product/outcome: ways to ensure that solutions (products or outcomes) are implemented and action

CREATIVITY FACTS

You do not have to be artistic to be creative Creativity can be developed by everyone

Creativity can be applied in teaching,

business, relationships, parenting and most areas of your life

Creativity demands a positive attitude towards life, problems and situations

CREATIVITY DEFINITIONS

Creativity is:

wanting to know

challenging the ordinary shifting paradigms

never saying never

MODULE 2

THE FIVE PRIMARY SKILLS OF CREATIVITY (1)

CREATIVITY:

THE PRIMARY SKILLS

Fluency

Originality

Focus on the essence Elaboration

FLUENCY

Quantity counts

Looking for alternatives Seeking new ways

ORIGINALITY

Making mental leaps

Having the courage to venture into the unusual

Being less judgmental regarding new ideas

MODULE 3

THE FIVE PRIMARY SKILLS OF CREATIVITY (2)

ELABORATION

Creativity in action Developing ideas Refining ideas

Building on original ideas

FOCUS ON THE ESSENCE

Discarding the irrelevant Establishing priorities

Allowing the single most important aspect, problem or idea to become dominant

Understanding and getting to “the point” Understanding the REAL problem

KEEPING AN OPEN MIND:

RESISTING CLOSURE

Staying open long enough to discover

possibilities and opportunities in ideas and situations

Asking “Why not?” instead of “But why?” Revisiting old habits

MODULE 4

INTRODUCING CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING (CPS)

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING -

CPS

Step 1: Problem Finding - understanding the essence of

the problem/the real problem

Step 2: Fact Finding - gathering the relevant facts

Step 3: Idea Finding - applying creativity techniques to

generate many ideas

Step 4: Solution Finding – selecting the best ideas and

CPS: STEP ONE

CREATIVITY TECHNIQUE:

WHY? WHY?

-no open-door policy -too busy

-fear of reprisals -no money

-old-fashioned ideas -lack of training -not enough staff -bad planning -restructuring -no empowerment -us and them

Bad

CPS: STEP TWO

CREATIVITY

TECHNIQUE:

FACT FINDING MATRIX

WHAT WHEN WHERE HOW WHY FEELINGS/

MODULE 5

CPS: STEP THREE

WHEN GENERATING IDEAS

BE:

Non-judgmental (do not criticise!) Courageous (even outrageous!)

Energetic (do not stop the flow with long discussions and explanations)

Fluent (do not stop until you have numerous ideas)

THE PROBLEM STATEMENT

Always state problems in a positive way Do not say: “We have too much work” Say: “In which ways might we cope with our workload?”

CREATIVITY TECHNIQUE:

COPY & PASTE

Your problem: In which ways might we improve school discipline?

SCHOOL Learners Educators Classrooms Periods Exams Grounds Building Fish DISCIPLINE Punishment Rules Self Order Army Germany

CREATIVITY TECHNIQUE:

WORK OUT

State a problem

Each group chooses an occupation (nothing close to your problem or organisation)

Write down everything you know about this occupation

Now relate each point on your list to your problem to find ideas

WORK OUT EXAMPLE

OCCUPATION: Fighter pilot

PROBLEM: In which ways might we improve discipline? Works in the sky

- Give “star” rewards for good discipline - “Sky” cameras to identify offenders

Needs to be courageous

- Adopt a zero tolerance approach - Invite “heroes” to talk to learners

Works only in war/battles & wears a uniform

MODULE 6

CPS: FINDING SOLUTIONS AND ACCEPTANCE

CPS: STEP FOUR

FINDING SOLUTIONS

Keep criteria in mind (money, time, resources)

Evaluate ideas generated Select the best ideas

CREATIVITY TECHNIQUE:

THE THREE BINS

Sort your ideas into the three bins

NOW bin: ideas you think are strong possibilities to work immediately

LATER bin: promising ideas, but a few other elements would have to come into place before proceeding

CREATIVITY TECHNIQUE:

MIND MAPPING

CPS: STEP FIVE

FINDING ACCEPTANCE

Your solutions may have good as well as negative points (for some people)

You have to sell ideas/solutions to different role-players

You have to prepare yourself for resistance and

MODULE 7

CREATING A VISION TO SUSTAIN CREATIVITY

POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS

FINDING SOLUTIONS AND

OUTCOMES

TO STAY POSITIVE, WE HAVE TO

Understand that the world is dynamic and few things will stay the same for long

Know that solutions that work today, may be outdated or ineffective soon

Stay flexible in order to cope with the changing world Remember that one failure, disappointment or setback

CREATING A FUTURE VISION

Decide on and write down your future vision

Decide what changes will have to be made to make the vision a reality

Find solution statements for all problems that have to be solved

MODULE 8

THE CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT:

PSYCHOLOGICAL

Empowerment/ownership

Personal growth opportunities Team spirit

THE CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT:

PHYSICAL

Use of colour in the environment Availability of resources

Furniture Space

“If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound

ourselves”

Thomas Edison