Fueling Creativity in the Classroom

All teachers want children to fulfill their creative potential, but teachers and other adults often unintentionally stifle creativity. Fueling Creativity in the Classroom is designed to help teachers know and understand the skills that children need to thrive in the future: knowing how to learn, passion and curiosity, people skills, and creativity. Teachers need to ensure that every single early childhood setting is a place where ideas can grow and our course will help new and seasoned teachers with their approach in fostering creativity for the students in their classrooms.

After completing this course, you should be able to:

• Identify how creative thinking will create a better future
• Recall strategies to use to inspire creativity in children
• State the correct actions to use when examining a child’s efforts
• Identify the critical responses of active listening
• Recognize various games that will fuel creativity

Module 1 - Supporting Creative Thinking

Module 2 - Valuing Creative Thinking

Module 3 - Inspiring Creative Thinking: Curiosity

Module 4 - Inspiring Creative Thinking: Arts, Language, and Early Literacy

Fueling Creativity in the Classroom Module 1

Supporting Creative Thinking

As we begin our study of fueling creativity in children, we need to first consider how we can boost creative confidence. Active listening emphasizes the importance in understanding others’ feelings, but it is also essential for affirming children’s creative thinking. To be truly supportive of children’s creative thinking, we need to notice when they are thinking creatively. Module one share ideas of how to help children express their creative ideas in their own unique styles.

• Listen Out Loud
• Lead By Following
• Help by Not Helping
• Approach Slowly and Sideways
• Make Lots of Mistakes

Fueling Creativity in the Classroom Module 2

Valuing Creative Thinking

Module two will examine the concept of using praise as a helpful teaching tool. In too many instances, adults may squash children’s creativity without even realizing what they are doing. This week, we will look at nonverbal and verbal language and the roles they play in fueling creativity. Additionally, we will learn more about how to share a positive attitude and how to help children persevere in thinking creatively in the face of difficulties, pressures, and obstacles.

• Value without Evaluating
• Look Beyond the Behavior
• Take Pride in Your Own Creativity
• Value the Group’s Creative Thinking
• Fortify Their Future

Fueling Creativity in the Classroom Module 3

Inspiring Creative Thinking: Curiosity

The third week takes us through the various proven activities to use in the creative classroom in regards to curiosity and problem solving. As teachers, we need to help children appreciate the inventions that make our lives easier, safer, and more fun-while helping fuel their creative minds design their own inventions! Also in this module, we will consider how to use the world around us to inspire creative thinking.

• Share the Joy of Knots
• Pay Attention to Inventions
• Help Children See with Their Eyes Closed
• Wave Your Magic Want
• Explore the World of Sound

Fueling Creativity in the Classroom Module 4

Inspiring Creative Thinking: Arts, Language, and Early Literacy

When playing games, it is important to accept all children’s responses. Building on children’s stories is key to encouraging their language and early literacy skills. Module four will look at ways to respect children’s imagination and creativity through expressive conversations. Also included this week is challenging activities to develop self-expression and find life in everything.

• Talk Nonsense
• Do the Opposite
• Try the Easiest, Quickest, Most Fun and Most Effective
• Open a Creative Toolbox
• See Life in Everything

No prerequisites required.

All materials included in course.

Internet Connection

• Broadband or High-Speed - DSL, Cable, and Wireless Connections

*Dial-Up internet connections will result in a diminished online experience. Classroom pages may load slowly and viewing large audio and video files may not be possible.

Hardware Requirements

• Processor - 2GHz Processor or Higher
• Memory - 1 GB RAM Minimum Recommended

PC Software Requirements

• Operating Systems - Windows 10 or higher
• Microsoft Office 2019 or higher. Also, you could use a general Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
• Internet Browsers - Google Chrome is highly recommended
• Cookies MUST be enabled
• Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
• The Kindle Reader App or VitalSource Bookshelf App are needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer.)
• PowerPoint Viewer (if you do not have PowerPoint)
• Adobe PDF Reader
• QuickTime, Windows Media Player &/or Real Player

MAC Software Requirements

• Operating Systems - Mac OS version 11 or higher
• Mac office programs or a Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx)
• Internet Browsers - Google Chrome is highly recommended
• Cookies MUST be enabled
• Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled)
• The Amazon Kindle Reader App or VitalSource Bookshelf App are needed for many of our courses (No special equipment needed. This can be downloaded for FREE onto your computer.)
• PowerPoint Viewer (if you do not have PowerPoint)
• Adobe PDF Reader
• Apple QuickTime Media Player