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5 Ways to Cultivate Creative Thinking

 An article in the Pacific Standard (Nov 4th, 2013) discussed how standardized testing is killing our youth’s creative potential in the United States.  So, let’s counteract national demands and discuss how to harness and cultivate creativity in our children.Creativity is often thought of as original thought. However, it is more likely a composite of ideas, feelings, and thoughts that we encounter during everyday life. If we examine the great thinkers and producers over time, common characteristics become apparent: 1. Value BrainstormingOftentimes in a...

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Imagery Walk

 The Imagery Walk is an exercise that allows students to visually bring content alive by utilizing their imaginations. It is based on meditative practices but allows for scenes in English Language Arts, historical periods in Social Studies, geometrical designs in mathematics, and procedures in science to be recreated. By implementing this strategy, students are more able to move the content from short-term to long-term memory, because they personally create and interact with the content area. Using a soft, gentle, soothing, and...

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Pic-Jour Math: Pictorial Journal Writing in Mathematics to Understand Pi

 Come every fall, teachers of mathematics are confronted with oversized classes filled with students who vary in both their learning style and their way of communicating what they have learned. Teachers are challenged to recognize and exploit those differences or risk bored or confused students who lack any true mathematical understanding and may end up manipulating numerical symbols and equations by rote.Both experience and research in the past twenty years have demonstrated the clear effectiveness of using a multimodal, interactive approach...

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The Link Between Art and Mathematics

 There would seem to be an implausible relationship between art and mathematics.  After all, the two domains seem to depend on vastly different thinking patterns. We do not question the interrelationship between science and mathematics, and the scientific process is clearly contingent on mathematics.  How then did Ferguson (1977) manage to put together a historical review linking art and technology? Ferguson’s research indicates that inventors and art are more closely affiliated than either group would have us believe.Ferguson cites many examples...

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Bridging the Standards Across the Curriculum with Portfolios

 From the Middle School JournalThose of us who are involved in education, in whatever capacity, can sense the stirrings. Parents are voicing concerns about the adequacy of their children’s education. The business community and American industries question whether the quality of education will prepare youngsters for the realities of the workplace. Corporations question whether schools are preparing America’s youth to cope with the demands of an increasingly technological environment. It is now imperative that the next several generations of...

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