"The creative mind plays with the objects it loves." Carl Jung
Creating a climate for creativity...I like that idea. I like that idea a lot.
I am teaching a class on creativity as I write this. I ask:
What is "Creativity?"
"Being creative" yells out one kid.
"Being imaginative..original," offers another.
"Not being a copycat."
"Coming up with new ideas."
"Taking an old idea and improving on it."
"I don't know. You tell me."
As a victim of several in-house creativity seminars, performance art shows, coffee house discussions and zillions of books and magazine articles on the subject,
I am still
not really sure what the exact difference is between being noncreative and creative. I like Charles "Chic" Thomson's description of creativity as "intelligence." He says
something like:
"To be creative is to be able to percieve and recognize the world around us, to understand what we need or wish to do in response to it and to set about changing it.
To be creative is to find a way, a thought, an expression, a human manifestation no one else has found and to bring newly discovered possibilities into reality."
Charles "Chic" Thomson. What a Great Idea, 1992. Buy his book!
The PCS Engineering Lab is a square room 20' x 40'. Along two walls are drawers filled with Lego®elements. A series of short shelves are covered with models
representing the principles of architecture, engineering and physics.
Along the other wall are shelves where students store their models. In the rear of the room are several computers and robotic interfaces.
A bookshelf is nearby full of resources discussing topics like automotive lemons and ancient technology. Two large tables stand in the
middle of the room.
Why is this a creativity conducive environment?
The Lab is built for IDEA GENERATION. Stimulus comes from the abundant projects and models, the books, the many posters ( Model Team, Space Shuttle, NEW posters for example ). The tables allow for all ages and types of children to build next to each other...to see each other's pet project and exchange ideas.
I have often seen students put down their "idea" for a moment to examine their neighbor's. Every student is encouraged to pursue their own particular vision. I have two young girls building the ultimate park including a special playground just for babies. They are building next to a young man designing an "inertia engine." Wow!
I have always found the PCS Engineering Lab a lively place.
Of course the room is filled with constructs---Lego® elements, Gogolplex®, Erector®, FischerTechnic®, etc. The very nature of these constructs demand that people create, design, build, reorganize and generally explore the universe!
Enough of me talking! The following link discusses creative things you can do with Lego® elements and what you can do to aid in the creative process!
LEGO® CREATIVITY PART II