The Creative Teaching-Learning Environment

Basically creating inspirational spaces for teaching, and learning in the classroom, spaces that open up the possibility of thinking differently and stimulate radically different approaches to teaching and learning. The impact that we educators desire to see is that of active independent learning from the learners, appreciating the creativity through which they manipulate materials and from listening to their choices and voices and respecting their vision and ensuring that the learning space supports the unique and diverse needs of the learners in the classroom in the most effective way.

Before we consider further, how to create learning environments where creativity can flourish, we need to be clear exactly what we mean by creativity. Many associate creativity with the English class or the art room. Creativity should not be relegated to English class or the art room. There are places for all educators to add creative elements to their school days. It's important that we light the creative fire under our learners. We need to make sure that we remind learners of the value of creativity, and that we give them every chance to show it in the classroom.

Creative classrooms give an opportunity for learners to learn with fun, for example creating cave space or making changes in the classroom to decrease the reliance of a large group of learners on the teacher, celebrating creative learning in central areas, dressing empty spaces collaboratively with creativity, walls can become more than just places for display, walls could have projections or materials like fabric to manipulate, give students to apply smells, sounds, music, touch, light and taste, thereby allowing research and experimentation by students themselves, model creativity in a wide variety of ways to learners. The teaching activities such as storytelling and skits help them to learn without the pressure of learning. Learners are always fun loving and including creative activities along with curriculum gains their interest in learning. The creative classroom is centered on the idea of student voice and choice, where learners have ownership of learning and are self-directed. The purpose behind a creative classroom is to empower learners through independent work, so they learn how to be self-managers and self-starters. A child's creative activity can help educators to learn more about what the child may be thinking or feeling. Creativity also fosters mental growth in children by providing opportunities for trying out new ideas, and new ways of thinking and problem-solving.