Creative Partnerships Conference June 28 & June 29 2007
Creative learning: crossing boundaries
“Creativity takes courage”
Henri Matisse
Being creative – that is what we all want to be, right? I was fortunate enough to spend two days at a conference in the north of England (in a remote place called Keele, near Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme) where everything was focused on creativity and how to make learning at schools more creative for both pupils and teacher (yes, although they are grown-ups, they like to be creative as well - sometimes you kids just need to remind them of their creative potential!).
Creative Partnerships (http://www.creative-partnerships.com/) aims to put schools in touch with artists or Creative Practitioners as they are called. The Oddies are involved and Oddies author Grant Slatter and Oddies director Kate Bright regularly visit schools that have joined the Creative Partnerships programme. Maybe Oddies has already been to your school?
As an introduction to the conference, the leader of the conference showed us some examples of definitions of CREATIVITY. My two favourite quotes come from children, no surprise! :-)
“Creativity is when stuff is everywhere”
“Being creative gives you a nice feeling inside”
I like the first quote because it excuses my chaotic trait and it unmasks me as a creative person rather than a messy one, well that’s how I justify it to myself. I like the second quote because it does not use any complicated words to describe one of the nicest things in life… It keeps it simple. Yes, being creative gives you a nice and cosy feeling inside – everyone must remember their childhood paintings, completely absorbed in producing your piece of art, and forgetting about the world around you… your imagination took over!
On the second day of the conference, we had a chance to listen to an interview with Paul Collard (the National Director of Creative Partnerships). He told us a very interesting story about a woman who went to the North Pole and claimed that the power of imagination actually saved her life. Imagine that! In order to stay alive in freezing cold water surrounded by polar bears, she imagined a raging fire inside of her. Obviously, the extent to which your imagination can impact on your life should never be underestimated!!
Then, Jonathan Hare, a well-known physicist (he featured in the programme Rough Science, BBC) gave a speech about creativity from a scientific perspective. His work can be found at: http://www.creative-science.org.uk/ and for all the bookworms among you there is a selection of Jonathan’s ‘good books’ (see “Jonathan’s ‘good book’ guide” under “STORIES OF SCI.”). Don’t worry - they are not all about science! :-)
Jonathan Hare also spoke about Astronomy and the Chemistry between the stars (he did not mention Oddieworld though… maybe he does not know this planet yet!). He informed us that planet Earth would not be here today if the stars had not exploded a very long time ago. Human beings are – to put it in Jonathan Hare’s words – all stardust. What a nice image!!
I really enjoyed this conference as well as my time here with the Oddies and as I say goodbye to you, I hope that each of you all go to the stars and back in whatever it is that you do. And remember… Creativity is key!!
Take care.
Sabrina.
Creative learning: crossing boundaries
“Creativity takes courage”
Henri Matisse
Being creative – that is what we all want to be, right? I was fortunate enough to spend two days at a conference in the north of England (in a remote place called Keele, near Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme) where everything was focused on creativity and how to make learning at schools more creative for both pupils and teacher (yes, although they are grown-ups, they like to be creative as well - sometimes you kids just need to remind them of their creative potential!).
Creative Partnerships (http://www.creative-partnerships.com/) aims to put schools in touch with artists or Creative Practitioners as they are called. The Oddies are involved and Oddies author Grant Slatter and Oddies director Kate Bright regularly visit schools that have joined the Creative Partnerships programme. Maybe Oddies has already been to your school?
As an introduction to the conference, the leader of the conference showed us some examples of definitions of CREATIVITY. My two favourite quotes come from children, no surprise! :-)
“Creativity is when stuff is everywhere”
“Being creative gives you a nice feeling inside”
I like the first quote because it excuses my chaotic trait and it unmasks me as a creative person rather than a messy one, well that’s how I justify it to myself. I like the second quote because it does not use any complicated words to describe one of the nicest things in life… It keeps it simple. Yes, being creative gives you a nice and cosy feeling inside – everyone must remember their childhood paintings, completely absorbed in producing your piece of art, and forgetting about the world around you… your imagination took over!
On the second day of the conference, we had a chance to listen to an interview with Paul Collard (the National Director of Creative Partnerships). He told us a very interesting story about a woman who went to the North Pole and claimed that the power of imagination actually saved her life. Imagine that! In order to stay alive in freezing cold water surrounded by polar bears, she imagined a raging fire inside of her. Obviously, the extent to which your imagination can impact on your life should never be underestimated!!
Then, Jonathan Hare, a well-known physicist (he featured in the programme Rough Science, BBC) gave a speech about creativity from a scientific perspective. His work can be found at: http://www.creative-science.org.uk/ and for all the bookworms among you there is a selection of Jonathan’s ‘good books’ (see “Jonathan’s ‘good book’ guide” under “STORIES OF SCI.”). Don’t worry - they are not all about science! :-)
Jonathan Hare also spoke about Astronomy and the Chemistry between the stars (he did not mention Oddieworld though… maybe he does not know this planet yet!). He informed us that planet Earth would not be here today if the stars had not exploded a very long time ago. Human beings are – to put it in Jonathan Hare’s words – all stardust. What a nice image!!
I really enjoyed this conference as well as my time here with the Oddies and as I say goodbye to you, I hope that each of you all go to the stars and back in whatever it is that you do. And remember… Creativity is key!!
Take care.
Sabrina.
1 comment:
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