Notes from Creativity Class

Drawing for learning matters

I do not know my community of students. They are new to me. I am new to them. We come from opposite sides of the world. In what ways might I provide content that is visually interesting and stimulating for students?

Put another way, what is the value of me sharing my visual world for their meaning making?

toward a collaborative approach

“Draw whatever you want,” was the instruction. One thing I do know about the student community, maybe even the communities in this part of the African world, is that people really love arts. That was enough to go on and take a risk.

With chalkboard, good quality chalk (my choice) and imagination, the students got right to work. I had no idea what would come.

As if the students knew exactly what to do, out came an explosion of imagery into another world.

The results: a stunningly bold, colorful, playful, collection of folk art. What little did I know...

-What might be the student’s world?
-In what ways could I learn from students?
-How could art making deepen learning?

and develop creativity

Also,

Not one person asked, “Is this good?”

Not one person said, “I’m not a very good artist.”

Not one person said, “I’m not very creative.”

Wow.

Wow because comments like these come up all the time among stateside students. Ten year old kids made exactly these comments to me, that’s how I know.

Drawings made by 18-25 year olds, an age group that might feel more intimated in the West did not flinch when given an open cavas. They were ready, hungry even.

Great art, great lesson on all sides -

First, a window though which to gain insight from my audience? That’s useful.

Second, a rich slide pack to use as content for learning? Novel indeed.

Third, student artwork used for classroom learning? How inclusive.

We all do our best work when the environment is open and encourages the community, whether student, employees or family members are encouraged to do what they can and want to do well.

These picture are bold, beautiful, visually interesting and absolutely something to stimulate English language learning.

Let’s face it, there’s enough white washed content used for learning. What if we invite local color, literally, from the community we want to engage and go for a rich, dynamic lesson and yes, collaborative education.

Learning is a multidirectional street.

Im chalking this one up to teaching creatively.

Fun while learning. Yep. Thanks students.

This blog documents an educational pilot in Madagascar at Wings of Change on teaching for Creativity.

Wings of Change is a vocational hospitality school and hotel social enterprise with the twin mission of lifting youth out of poverty through education and impacting the wider community.

More at Wings of Change

###

Cocoa by Nousca

Vanilla by Niola

A chameleon by Romeo

Coconut tree by Helena

Big bananas by Ismael