EDG 550B Module 5 Discussion Post

1. Based on Chapter 8: If creativity can be taught, how would you introduce this concept

to your students? Generate 5 different suggestions to share with your colleagues. Your

ideas might spin off from the ideas that you read about in your text, so make sure that

you cite your sources.

Math is a topic that students often assume is a one-way street to one correct answer. Assuming

creativity can be taught, math is an excellent class to make this happen because it would help

students see math as a way of thinking and problem solving instead of a series of rules to follow.

✓ Piirto (2005) listed four core attitudes of highly creative people, one of which was risk

taking, which he defined as “the courage to stumble, fail, and return from rejection with

resilience” (as cited in Rimm et al., 2018, p. 164). Teaching and encouraging students to

look at a problem and try a strategy without worrying about having to erase it later would

be a step towards creating risk takers. As student practice trying ideas and revising ideas

that don’t work until they find a workable solution, they gain the courage to try new ideas

in other areas of their lives, risking failure but knowing they can recover.

✓ Taking an idea from creative dramatics (Rimm et al., 2018) and from one of my students,

would be to create a character for a mathematical concept. One of my students wanted to

demonstrate her understanding of linear functions by creating a character analysis of

attributes of linear functions. Among others, she connected the constant slope of a linear

function to the steady, even-keeled personality of the corresponding character. This

strategy would align with creative dramatics because students could act out

characteristics of the mathematic concept.

✓ Similar to creating a character for a math concept, students could use the cinquain writing

strategy to summarize what they know at the end of a unit (Stanish, 1988, as cited in

Rimm et al., 2018). Here is an example:

Quadratic Functions

Parabola, zeros

Completing the square, factoring, binomial multiplying

Solving, analyzing, finding the vertex, setting equal to zero

𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐

✓ Fact finding, the first stage of the Creative Problem Solving model (Rimm et al., 2018), is

a natural part of interpreting math problems. To encourage students to use fact finding, I

can challenge them to list as many facts as they can about a problem, including both the

facts given in the problem itself as well as formulas, theories, and strategies that may be

related and useful.

✓ Making predictions based on data and observations is another essential math skill that

corresponds to creative abilities. Rimm et al. (2018) listed predict outcomes as a creative

ability, defining it as “the ability to foresee the results of different solution actions and

alternatives” (p. 166). Questions naturally arise such as, what will happen if we change

the sign to a negative or what do you predict the next number in the sequence will be.

This skill can then be applied to more complex situations where students have to account

for multiple inputs. Given a problem with constraints, what will happen if one of the

constraints change or if a new constraint is added?

2. There are many intellectual abilities that contribute one way or another to creative

potential (see list of abilities on page 166 under the heading: Creative Abilities). What

do these abilities have in common and how might they be used with your students?

One commonality of the creative abilities is the ability to see things from different

perspectives. This ability would benefit my students so that they attack problems from different

angles or try new approaches if the first one doesn’t work. Students should explore using a

general case, a smaller example, or different models to make sense of the problem. Another

commonality of the creative abilities is perseverance. My students should understand that they

may not always get it on the first try, but that they can keep trying until it makes sense. I could

use the acronym, F.A.I.L, meaning first attempt in learning, to illustrate that not getting in on the

first attempt does not mean they should give up, but that they should try a different approach.

Attention to detail is another commonality. Creative individuals can take apart a situation and

rearrange the pieces, analyze data to determine available options, and visualize possible solutions

that may be outside the norm. My students would benefit from this skill when they are analyzing

problems and making connections to previous learning and/or applying a skill to a new problem.

What pieces do they know? How can they use those pieces to fit together a logical solution?
3. The creative process has often been described as a series of stages or steps one goes

through to arrive at new ideas. Take 2 of the models (The Wallas Model, The Systems

Model of Creativity, the Creative Problem Solving Model, or Piirto’s Creative Process)

and analyze the similarities and differences. You can add visual images to show the

stages or steps and text to describe the differences if you would like.

The Wallas Model The Systems Model of

Creativity
Four stages Similarities Interaction of three parts of a
- Preparation Individual is responsible for system
- Incubation thinking of solutions. - Domain
- Illumination Solutions must be accepted to - Field
- Verification be valued as creative. - Individual
Preparation Domain
- Clarifying and defining Differences - Each has own rules and
the problem Wallas procedures
- Gathering relevant - Same stages across - Math, art, music, etc.
information different domains Field
- Reviewing available Systems - Professionals who
materials - Domain specific rules and determine what creations
- Examining solution procedures will be accepted
requirements Individual
Incubation - Invents, discovers, creates
- Reflection - Creations are accepted.
- Unconscious thinking
about the problem Rimm et al. (2018)
Illumination
- Solution appears that
seems to work
Verification
- Checking if it works
- Acceptability
Stages can be skipped

References:
Rimm, S. B., Siegle, D. & Davis, G.A. (2018). Education of the gifted and talented (7th ed.).
Pearson Education, Inc.