Finding Creativity

I have never been one to peruse YouTube.  I know that there are some really funny videos, cute animals and great educational stuff on it, but it has never been my thing.  The times that people have emailed me links to certain videos, they almost always make me laugh.  I have often wondered about some of the people who post these videos.  What would possess some of these Darwin Award Winners to post videos of themselves throwing rocks at a hornets nest.   Did they really think it would turn out well?

However, as a homeschooling family I will need to peruse the educational materials available on YouTube.  I know that there will be great resources, I will just need to take the time to find them.  Walla!  I have found a funny, intriguing video that makes me think. [Animation of talk by Sir Ken Robinson] (I know, I know--Introspection makes me shudder. I covered that in my last post.)  Sir Ken Robinson is the PHD guru of creativity.  He travels all over the world speaking to governments and Fortune 500 companies about creativity, education and innovation.  [Who he is & his qualifications.] He talks about the roles and importance of intelligence (of which I have always, not so humbly, considered myself to be) and creativity (of which I have never considered myself to be). Intelligence and creativity are not separate and distinct but integrally linked and essential. (Not liking the way your talks are headed Sir Ken.  It does not bode well for me.)

One of my greatest fears for becoming a homeschooling family is my lack of creativity.  What parent of a traditionally schooled child has not had their child come home excited about the way they learned a certain topic at school and thought, "I wonder where the teacher got that idea?  I never would have thought of that!"  Great teachers have really creative ideas for conveying lessons to children.  I am going to be the teacher next year.  Eee Gads! The one responsible for coming up with the "great ideas" and it terrifies me.

I have Carol Barnier's book, The Big What Now Book of Learning Styles.  [Link to her book.]  In it she describes a lesson on the Circulatory System in which she used masking tape to create the four chambers of the heart on the floor and had her kids "be the blood."  They moved through the heart chambers, got oxygenated, etc.  What a great idea!  I would have never, ever thought of it in a million years.  Where do people get these ideas?

I will resort to flattery!  In the sense of, "Imitation is the sincerest of flattery." sort of way.  In today's technological world, I will have a plethora of creative ideas at my fingertips.  Gotta love GOOGLE!

I will just have to take the time to find them.  I will usurp the creativity of others.  Must remember to take a deep breath.  All is well (as long as the internet does not go down).  If all else fails, I can always buy Sir Ken Robinson's book [One of his books.] and re-discover my own creativity. Perhaps just merely dusting off my own creativity will help me find some more.  If you have any creative suggestions, I'm certainly open.