1 Awaken the Creative Genius Within You! WELCOME! 1. Please complete Class Member Introduction information now. Turn this sheet in at the end of class. Turn this sheet in at the end of class. 2. Next do handout exercises 1, 2, 3, and We’ll do “How Creative Are You?” later.

2 You are creative. And you can become more so! And you can become more so! Awaken the Creative Genius Within You!

1/22/2014  CREATIVITYWHIZ Awaken the Creative Genius Within You! Institute for Continued Learning (ICL) Spring 2015 Six classes, 1/22/2015 – 4/23/2015 Second and Fourth Thursdays 3:00pm Except 3/12/2015 (Spring Break) Instructors: Merrill Palmer & Becky Jackson

1/22/2014  CREATIVITYWHIZ Awaken the Creative Genius Within You! Institute for Continued Learning (ICL) Spring 2015 Class materials: Instructors: Merrill Palmer & Becky Jackson

1/22/2015To be or not to be … creative What is creativity? Applications and benefits of creativity You are creative. And you can become more so! 2/12/2015Creativity principles, processes, and practices. 3/12/2015Think Like a Genius 3/26/2015Becoming More Creative 4/9/2015Group Creativity 4/9/2015Group Creativity 4/23/2015Creating Joy in Our Lives 2/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Course Outline

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ What is creativity and why does it matter? Applications and benefits of creativity You are creative. And you can become more so! Some steps to awakening the creative genius within. Some steps to awakening the creative genius within. Awaken the Creative Genius Within You 1/22/2015

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ What is creativity and why does it matter? Applications and benefits of creativity You are creative. And you can become more so! Some steps to awakening the creative genius within. Some steps to awakening the creative genius within. Awaken the Creative Genius Within You 1/22/2015

1/22/2014  CREATIVITYWHIZ The Arts Involve Creativity. So does (or at least can—and probably should) the rest of life!

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ What is Creativity? “Do not define yourself outside of creativity. Try this definition instead: Creativity is any unconditioned response or interpretation.” --Todd Siler in Think Like a Genius “Most people define creativity as having artistic talent. Then, if they don’t draw or sing or invent or write, they don’t think of themselves as being creative.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Creativity is the state or quality of being creative. 2. the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination 3. the process by which one utilizes creative ability. -- Creativity results from originality of thought.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Dr. Edward de Bono on Creativity

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Awaken the Creative Genius Within You 1/22/2015 What is creativity and why does it matter? Applications and benefits of creativity You are creative. And you can become more so! Some steps to awakening the creative genius within. Some steps to awakening the creative genius within.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Applications and Benefits of Creativity Much of creativity involves “the arts” –Visual arts: Drawing, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Architecture –Performing arts: Music, Dance, Theatre, Film –Literary arts: Novels, Poetry, Short Stories, Storytelling –Domestic arts: Cooking, Decorating, Sewing, etc. –Crafts Benefits originator, performer, recipient Provides enjoyment, promotes culture

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ But Creativity is more than “the arts!” Creativity can help cope with life. “To live is to have problems and to solve problems is to grow creatively” --J.P. Guilford

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Quiz: How Creative Are You? 16 Statements to Answer Not at All Rarely Some Times Often Very Often 1.Creative people should specialize in coming up with lots of ideas. Other people should then implement these. 2.If I have a problem, I allow myself to back off active problem solving, and I create some mental distance between myself and the issue. 15.When gathering information about an issue, I explore solutions that have worked elsewhere in the past. 16.When I generate ideas, I evaluate them and I quickly discard ideas that I don't like.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Scoring “How Creative Are You?” Score 16 Statements to Answer Not at All Rarely Some Times Often Very Often 1.Creative people should specialize in coming up with lots of ideas. Other people should then implement these If I have a problem, I allow myself to back off active problem solving, and I create some mental distance between myself and the issue When I'm coming up with ideas, I find myself using phrases like "we can't" or "we don't."  1: Statements 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 14, 16 1  5: All other statements    3 4

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Scoring “How Creative Are You?” Scores: Total: ______ of 80. Preparation 1 (6,9,11,14,15) ______ of 25; Incubation (2,5) ______ of 10; Insight (3,7,12) ______ of 15; Evaluation (4,13,16) ______ of 15; Elaboration (1,8,15) ______ of Five usual steps of an effective creative process listed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his well-respected book Creativity.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Score Interpretation 1 Total Score Comment You're unsure of your creative talent. You'll be surprised by how creative you can be if you give yourself a chance! Your creativity is a "work in progress." You've had some successes, so now it's time to let loose and stretch yourself Creativity is one of your strengths. So don't hide your ability! Look for ways to share your creativity process with others. You can always be more creative. 1 For more extensive discussion of score results see

1//22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ How well we cope depends on how we respond Applications and Benefits of Creativity Creativity can help deal with challenge and change –Solve problems The more options identified and considered the more likely the desired outcome –Find better ways of doing things The present way may be working, may be a good way, may be the best way, may be the only way But challenge it by “what if” questions and answers –Much of invention comes from solving problems or finding a better way.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ –Peace of Mind from having coped –Relationships –Communication –Zest for what we do –Being a interesting companion/friend –Personal fulfillment –It’s Fun! Applications and Benefits of Creativity Being creative can enrich our lives

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Benefits of Creativity Coping with Change –Solve problems –Find better ways of doing things It’s Fun! Being an Interesting Person Personal Fulfillment Improved Relationships

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Awaken the Creative Genius Within You 1/10/2014 What is creativity and why does it matter? Applications and benefits of creativity You are creative. And you can become more so! – Some steps to awakening the creative genius within.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Some quotes: “Everybody is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will spend its whole life thinking that it is stupid.” —Albert Einstein on our Education System —Albert Einstein on our Education System Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never before was and will never be again. And what do we teach our children in school? We teach them that two and two makes four and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we teach them what they are? You are a marvel. You are unique.... You have the capacity for anything. —Pablo Casals, cellist Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never before was and will never be again. And what do we teach our children in school? We teach them that two and two makes four and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we teach them what they are? You are a marvel. You are unique.... You have the capacity for anything. —Pablo Casals, cellist “Every child is an artist.” The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” — Pablo Picasso

1/22/201  CREATIVITYWHIZ Awaken the Creative Genius Within You You are creative and you can become more so. “It is now a known fact that nearly all of us can become more creative, if we will. And this very fact may well be the hope of the world. By becoming more creative we can lead brighter lives, and can live better with each other. By becoming more creative we can provide better goods and services to each other, to the result of a higher and higher standard of living. By becoming more creative we may even find a way to bring permanent peace to all the world.” --Alex F. Osborne, Father of Brainstorming

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Awaken the Creative Genius Within You You are creative and you can become more so. Creativity is not a talent or innate ability. Creativity is a way of operating. Creativity is a skill that can be learned—and improved. “Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something different!” --Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Nobel prize winner. Our education system and our experience more teach conformity than creativity.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Thinking Outside of What Box? The box of who we by default are. Paradigms Circumstances/ Constraints Skills/Abilities Attitudes/Beliefs Perceptions/Assumptions Habits Experience/Education Tradition Past Success Motivations Paradigms Circumstances/ Constraints Skills/Abilities Attitudes/Beliefs Perceptions/Assumptions Habits Experience/Education Tradition Past Success Motivations Prejudices Culture

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Creativity Principles, Processes, and Practices Desire to be more creative, and commit to do so. Wake up! To the world around you. –Pay attention! To nature, people,processes. patterns. –Be curious. Ask “How?” Ask “Why?” Ask “Why Not?” Learn all you can and connect it to what you already know. Explore, “Play” with it, Evaluate, Make it happen.

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Clothing designer, refinishes furniture Creative Neighbors Beautifully decorated home Youth baseball coach Large tile mosaic wall Mother of musically accomplished and ballerina daughters Composer, skilled at crafts, more Entrepreneur, super-organized

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Class Member Introductions Name A skill or attribute at which you excel Something unique about you An activity or interest you are passionate about Something creative that you have done What you’d like to get from the class

1/22/2015  CREATIVITYWHIZ Assignment Report. Think about your thinking. A. Do something new; or differently. B. Think about what you would do/become if there were no constraints. Write it down. C. Give some thought about how to progress toward B.

31 Awaken the Creative Genius Within You! You are creative. And you can become more so! And you can become more so!

32 Thank you for coming. Additional comments are invited. Please turn in the introduction sheet as you exit. Next class: 2/12/2015. Same time; same place.