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Thursday, August 25, 2011

What is Creativity?

Really I'm just trying to come up with clever things to say while I wait for our school to start. We'll be starting the day after Labor Day, which is when ALL schools should start, IMO.

At any rate, I think I'l ramble a bit about creativity.

It's a word that intimidates some people. It shouldn't. Everyone is creative, even if they don't know it. Every time you make a decision you think creatively. Every time you have an idea, every time you solve a problem, every time you fill in a crossword puzzle or pick out your outfit for the day you're thinking creatively.

At California State University, Northridge, one professor defines creativity this way:

Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.


I like that. It says that creativity is not just about generating good ideas, but recognizing them. You know a good idea when you see one, and that means YOU are capable of thinking creatively, too.

Jump-Start With Art is going to require some creative thinking on your part, but that's good. Never fear, dear homeschool parent. You CAN think creatively. You CAN come up with good ideas--and when you do, I'd love you to share them with me.

Comments will be moderated, so feel free to safely contribute.

You see, you're not following Jump-Start With Art because you want to copy everything I do. That wouldn't be fair to your kids, because your kids aren't my kid. You're following my blog so you can have the tools you need to adapt Jump-Start With Art to your own child's interests and needs. For example, a 7-year-old is unlikely to be ready for the kinds of projects my 12-year-old is likely to undertake. And you probably don't want to give your 4-year-old acrylic paints that DO NOT wash out of clothing. You'll adapt, because you've just realized how amazing you are at thinking creatively. How do I know that you're amazing at thinking creatively? Because a) you're human, and b) you're reading this--which means you're already recognizing "ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems."

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