UPAL Project 1 - COHORT VI - Group 5 "CREATE" (José, Tori, Alisha, Dane, and Jeanne)

Group ProjectTitle: “CREATE”

José (Letter C)

In a white square paper I wrote the letter “C” in the middle and paint it orange. At the down right corner I draw Darth Vader and in the opposite corner Yoda’s face. In the center of the big letter “C” the word “Power” is written The whole picture is painted in a light yellow color.

I chose to represent the conflict of power with a series of word and pictures. In the middle the word “Power” and in one corner Yoda’s face and in the other corner the “Vader” face. Yoda and Vader represent both sides of the conflict of power. Both are extremist in their ideologists. The real power, the power that creates and build, is a balance between those two extremes.

I would like my principal to know that you do not need to understand student’s creativity, just to let it flow.

Creativity is something school leaders should nurture. It is very easy to do. Just get out of the way and let your students take it wherever they want to. Sure it might be outside of your comfort zone. If you feel outside your comfort zone it means that you are not connected to your students. In return, what makes you feel like students are connecting to you? How do you know it? Maybe observing their creativity will be a good starting point.

Tori (Letter R)

My square that I created is represented with the letter “R”. Inside the letter “R” is the word “imagination”. The square is separated in half by a brain. The left side of the brain is colorful as it is the creative side of the brain. The right side of the brain is black and white because it is the more logical side, focusing on math and science. I chose the prompt “imagination” because for me, in order to be creative, I have to use my imagination. I think outside of the box and think in ways I do not typically think.

One thing I would like principals to understand about student creativity is that in order to foster and nourish it, the students need autonomy within boundaries. Set guidelines, but allow for options and student choice. Encourage thinking through the creative processes. In today’s session, I learned that making decisions requires looking through different lenses and considering all the perspectives. It also takes reflection before commitment.

Alisha (Letter E)

My square that I created is represented with the letter “E”. Inside the letter “E” is the word “play”. Around the letter “E” are activities that represent people playing such as cards, tic-tac-toe, Legos, etc. I choose the word play to represent creativity because I feel when people are engaged in creativity they are playing with ideas and themselves.

Through this experience, principals should understand that creativity is not something that is learned. It is something that students needs to experience through collaborative activities in order for the students to improve their creativity.

As a school leader, this activity has helped me see that I need to encourage my staff to instill creativity in their students by having them step out of their comfort zone in their own classrooms.

Dane (Letter A)

My square represents the letter “A”.  Inside the letter “A” is the creative prompt “vision”.  I used an eye to show a literal representation of vision.  I used a gear as an eyeball with another gear to represent thinking outside the box.  Using your vision to create something unique. Reflecting upon my experience today, principals today need understand the purpose and need for creativity in school.  They need to empower teachers to engage students in creative outlets and activities that have a purpose.

Through this experience, I learned that creativity can be a collaborative process.  It is important to have a clear vision by all. I

n a school, the leader needs to set clear expectations and explain ideas to the staff. Teachers need to understand what is expected of them.  They need to know what the common goal is so the school can work together for the best outcome.

Jeanne (Letter T and E)

My square represented the letter “T” in the word create.  Within the square is the word innovation. Reflecting on the word, the purpose of innovation is the transformation of ideas in the creation of something new. 

With this class activity I reflected on how we have been reforming schools for 65 years from more to better;  this is represented in the horizontal part of the letter T. Our great hope is that new school innovations (doing it differently) will build collaboration, autonomy, and a powerful creative expression in classroom instruction. In summary, the E symbolizes the energy needed to transform ideas into a political platform with vision and imagination for the new era of school reform.