Scenario:
Based on your years of working first as an assistant teacher and then as a lead teacher in an early childhood classroom, you are well aware that it is thrilling to be involved in child-centered learning—whether observing, guiding, or at key times, taking a bit of a lead. In fact, it is what has kept you in the field so long. Now, you are very excited that your area Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) has asked you to present a workshop on Creativity and Child-Centered Learning. You are hopeful that—along with sharing what you have learned—you can help other early childhood professionals consider what children and adults gain by leaving teacher-directed and thematic units behind, in order to engage children in active inquiry and creative thinking. One of your colleagues has reviewed the outline you wrote for your presentation, given it a “thumbs up,” and suggested you try the activities your participants will be involved in before you present them. You agree.
Workshop Outline: Creativity and Child-Centered Learning Scenario Given to Workshop Participants
Imagine that you have been tasked with explaining to other early childhood professionals how child-centered learning (emergent curriculum, investigations, and project-based learning) and creative teaching fosters children’s creative thinking, creative skills, and creative arts/expression.
This assessment has two-parts. Click each of the items below to complete this assessment.
Part I: How Child-Centered Learning Fosters Creativity
First: Review The Dog Project resource. (This project offers an excellent example of young children engaged in child-centered learning through the project approach.)
Next: Consider what you have learned about:
Child-centered learning (emergent curriculum, investigations, and project-based work) and its relationship to fostering creativity in young children
Research-based information about creativity, included in the following resources:
“Encouraging Children and Young People to Be Creative” (Read the “What is Creativity?” and “What are the Benefits of Creativity?” sections.)
“What are Creative Skills”
How music, creative movement, creative dramatics, and/or the visual arts can be integrated to enhance opportunities for creative expression
Analyze how child-centered learning in the Dog Project fosters children’s creative thinking, creative skills, and creative arts/expression. Substantiate your analysis with at least five (5) examples from the project. (3 paragraphs)
