The Power of Creative Inquiry in the Classroom

“Memorable learning is the consequence of creative teaching, and creative teaching embraces the arts. If you are fortunate, you had a few creative teachers—ones like those who challenge students to write long division raps, choreograph geometry dances, perform World War II radio commercials, and paint literary quotes on ceiling tiles.”

(From: Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts)

As a teacher, picture how you might respond to the following behaviors of a student in class:

1. Daydreaming
2. Constant talking
3. Laziness
4. Acting “stupid”
5. Failing academically

Now, consider this list of individuals who might fit these behaviors as children in school: Frost, Darwin, Churchill, Woolf, Edison. Cornett (2007) uses this list to make a point that the behaviors underlying creativity can often be “off putting,” however, we must consider how we will meet these behaviors if we are to become a creative teacher.

Furthermore, we can design classrooms that foster, nurture, support, and celebrate creativity. Cornett (2007) outlines the Two I’s and Seven C’s of the Creative Inquiry Process, which I will briefly address here.

• Context - the environment must be one that supports risk taking
• Challenge – a problem or question is presented to students
• Collect - gathering of data, evidence, facts, details
• Connect - experiment and play with words, ideas, and images
• Conclude - gain insight by summarizing and synthesizing
• Critique - reflect, evaluate, revise based on feedback
• Communicate - share/make public conclusions and findings

I’d like to provide a real-life example that employed the Creative Inquiry Process. Several years ago, when I worked as a teacher of elementary gifted students, we discussed what appeared to be a lack of respect among students on the K-8 campus. We questioned why this might be happening, speculated, and came up with some broad theories. Next, students conducted interviews with fellow students and teachers around the school, asking them why they believed there was a decline in respect. I also trained my students to take observation notes—there they were one day, standing in the middle school hallway, jotting down what they saw and heard (this was interesting to say the least).

Next, I modeled how to search for patterns and themes across the data they had collected as the students tried to make sense of all their information. Together, the students came to some conclusions. They shared their findings with each other, in the process challenging, critiquing, and questioning each other’s thinking and evidence. The students created PowerPoint presentations, in which they packaged and prepared their research and implications, and shared them with administrators, parents, and other stakeholders invited to the final showcase.

And oh yes, I had one fourth-grade student in the group, who talked incessantly (he had a natural gift for gab and loved the spotlight), was a bit defiant, and didn’t always appear to be working his hardest. We made him our master of ceremonies for the showcase. He loved it and did a terrific job.

Steve Haberlin is a graduate assistant and Ph.D. student at the University of South Florida and an educator with 10 years of experience.

References

Cornett, C. E. (2007). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: An integration resource for classroom teachers. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.