Sparking Student Creativity: Practical Ways to Promote Innovative Thinking and Problem Solving

Lots of good ideas for classroom teachers to get students involved.

I buy any of Patti Drapeau's book!!! 👍

Drapeau's book is packed with useful information for educators, parents and students.The presentation is aimed at transcending standardized test scores in favor of students learning the material in creative or innovative contexts.At bottom, students need to apply material in real life situations which go beyond the routine performance on individual standardized tests.The author explains these differences through the prism of numerous tables which depict a variety of learning plateaus from rudimentary to the advanced/innovative plateaus of learning by students.One of the biggest challenges in education is to have students recall facts and methodologies beyond the routine standardized tests at the end of each semester.Educators are aware that students return in the Fall semester prepared to demonstrate approximately 80% or less of what they learned a scant 3 months earlier.For this reason, students are required to demonstrate knowledge of the material in alternative contexts like small group discussions, case studies, experimentaldesigns, class participation, term papers, class projects, games and a widely varying array of exercises.All of these activities are aimed at reinforcing what was taught in the classroom.The new buzzword in education is learning transfer.The concept seeks to establish what a student learns or internalizes over time. For instance,a student can score a 90% on a final exam in the late Spring only to return in the Fall with a 70% or less retention.The key to closing this gap is to assign sufficient homework over the summer months so that students return in the Fall with a bridge or continuity from the Spring semester.Many high schools and colleges are doing this right now with required reading lists of material which may be tested in the Fall after a lengthy vacation.Overall, "Sparking Student Creativity" by Drapeau makes an important contribution to education in the area of learning a subject comprehensively to maximize learning transfer over time. This book is appropriate for anyone involved in educating both children and adults.