From the Mouths of Babes

After speaking with a number of my Kindergarten students, I was able to discuss the role of creativity in our classroom. When I asked them about creativity, many of them were unsure of the meaning in isolation, however when I described examples of creativity in our school, they were anxious to explain the impact it had on our learning. Creativity not only made learning “fun,” but allowed students to “learn in different ways other than paper.” One of the best parts of being a Kindergarten teacher is having discussions where they provide their input or opinion. I commend the ATT ad campaign, “it’s not complicated” for their rendition of Kindergarten classroom. Each and every one of these commercials reminds me of being a Kindergarten teacher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijeg-jeTUBs

Students thought that creativity was important for all students. More specifically they valued the time to play and express themselves through coloring, dance and songs. They thought art with Mrs. McTaggart was the best time to be creative because there was no “reading or writing.” They believed creativity was done often, but “we should try to use it more.”

When asked if the iPads could help us be more productive students responded with:

“Our second grade tech buddies help us be creative”

“Educreations helps me be creative.”

“I like being creative on iPads”

“Using my imagination is creative”

As one may see from their responses, creativity is important. Infusing creativity into their work allows kids to have fun while learning. Giving students choices allows for more creative work as everyone learns differently and they don’t want to create the same product. It’s important to remember that part of the fun in learning is the journey to reach the answer.

If students were to change anything about their learning using Digital Media technology they responded with:

“Everyone should get their own iPad”

“We should have Mrs. McTaggart every day.”

“More social center time because it lets us be creative with our friends.”

Overall, my five and six year olds associate creativity with having fun, art and the iPads. If they were to teleport directly to high school, they would be in for a rude awakening comparing the creativity opportunities we provide in Kindergarten. Looking forward, the biggest challenge is for students to remain as creative throughout their education as their first year of school. Before people’s opinions, stereotypes, scope and sequences rob the time they once had to explore and express themselves. It’s our duty as Kindergarten teachers to make the learning fun and creative. Like every grade, rigor has drastically changed the game leaving us with less time to promote a valuable skill we all need; creativity.