Creativity, Critical Thinking & the New Common Core Standards A Conversation with Colleagues Including: Debra Conejo, Literacy and Language Arts Specialist, LAUSD Luiz Sampaio, Visual Arts Specialist, LAUSD Jeanne Hoel, Senior Education Program Manager, MOCA

What’s your working definition of creativity?

Please take a few moments to look the picture in your folder. Reflect on your picture in writing. To be continued…

Debra Conejo Literacy & Language Arts Specialist LAUSD [see Conejo PowerPoint]

How do the Common Core (CCSS) instructional shifts resonate with you?

Literacy Shifts Reading and writing that is grounded in text Complex tasks and academic vocabulary Building knowledge through non-fiction and informational texts [across all subjects]

What are texts?

What are the texts of the arts?

CCSS emphasizes SKILLS and PROCESSES that can be carried across all subjects and areas of learning.

skills and processes the arts lang. arts math social sciences sciences technology engineering history meaningful work life

Visual and media literacy apply to other content areas and contexts: they are portable skill sets

Inquiry is a key teaching method through which to support rigorous, evidence-based learning.

How can arts educators lead the push to teach in new, 21 st century, meaningful ways?

What is creativity?

Observing details Describing Elaborating Synthesizing Resisting closure Evaluating Reflecting Thinking flexibly Thinking independently Being original Experimenting Thinking divergently Imaging Abstracting Recognizing patterns Forming patterns Analogizing Body thinking Empathizing Thinking dimensionally Modeling Playing Transforming Thinking metacognitively Collaborating Communicating: writing, articulating, listening Self-regulating Persevering Focusing Finding satisfaction in learning Self-organizing

What is critical thinking?

Observing details Describing Elaborating Synthesizing Resisting closure Evaluating Reflecting Thinking flexibly Thinking independently Being original Experimenting Thinking divergently Imaging Abstracting Recognizing patterns Forming patterns Analogizing Body thinking Empathizing Thinking dimensionally Modeling Playing Transforming Thinking metacognitively Staying open to new ideas Discerning Analyzing Combining divergent concepts Synthesizing Thinking flexibly Visioning Reflecting Questioning assumptions Assessing veracity of claims Using relevant evidence to support points of view Understanding other perspectives and cultures Self-directing Persisting Collaborating Communicating: writing, articulating, listening Self-regulating Persevering Focusing Finding satisfaction in learning Self-organizing

Observing details Describing Elaborating Synthesizing Resisting closure Evaluating Reflecting Thinking flexibly Thinking independently Being original Experimenting Thinking divergently Imaging Abstracting Recognizing patterns Forming patterns Analogizing Body thinking Empathizing Thinking dimensionally Modeling Playing Transforming Thinking metacognitively Staying open to new ideas Discerning Analyzing Combining divergent concepts Synthesizing Thinking flexibly Visioning Reflecting Questioning assumptions Assessing veracity of claims Using relevant evidence to support points of view Understanding other perspectives and cultures Self-directing Persisting Collaborating Communicating: writing, articulating, listening Self-regulating Persevering Focusing Finding satisfaction in learning Self-organizing

Observing details Describing Elaborating Synthesizing Resisting closure Evaluating Reflecting Thinking flexibly Thinking independently Being original Experimenting Thinking divergently Imaging Abstracting Recognizing patterns Forming patterns Analogizing Body thinking Empathizing Thinking dimensionally Modeling Playing Transforming Thinking metacognitively Staying open to new ideas Discerning Analyzing Combining divergent concepts Synthesizing Thinking flexibly Visioning Reflecting Questioning assumptions Assessing veracity of claims Using relevant evidence to support points of view Understanding other perspectives and cultures Self-directing Persisting Collaborating Communicating: writing, articulating, listening Self-regulating Persevering Focusing Finding satisfaction in learning Self-organizing

21st century skills

Observing details Describing Elaborating Synthesizing Resisting closure Evaluating Reflecting Thinking flexibly Thinking independently Being original Experimenting Thinking divergently Imaging Abstracting Recognizing patterns Forming patterns Analogizing Body thinking Empathizing Thinking dimensionally Modeling Playing Transforming Thinking metacognitively Staying open to new ideas Discerning Analyzing Combining divergent concepts Synthesizing Thinking flexibly Visioning Reflecting Questioning assumptions Assessing veracity of claims Using relevant evidence to support points of view Understanding other perspectives and cultures Self-directing Persisting Collaborating Communicating: writing, articulating, listening Self-regulating Persevering Focusing Finding satisfaction in learning Self-organizing Being creative Thinking critically Innovating Problem solving Problem finding Thinking flexibly Communicating Collaborating Adapting Self-directing Being accountable Leading

Observing details Describing Elaborating Synthesizing Resisting closure Evaluating Reflecting Thinking flexibly Thinking independently Being original Experimenting Thinking divergently Imaging Abstracting Recognizing patterns Forming patterns Analogizing Body thinking Empathizing Thinking dimensionally Modeling Playing Transforming Thinking metacognitively Staying open to new ideas Discerning Analyzing Combining divergent concepts Synthesizing Thinking flexibly Visioning Reflecting Questioning assumptions Assessing veracity of claims Using relevant evidence to support points of view Understanding other perspectives and cultures Self-directing Persisting Collaborating Communicating: writing, articulating, listening Self-regulating Persevering Focusing Finding satisfaction in learning Self-organizing Being creative Thinking critically Innovating Problem solving Problem finding Thinking flexibly Communicating Collaborating Adapting Self-directing Being accountable Leading

Being creative Thinking critically Innovating Problem solving Problem finding Thinking flexibly Communicating Collaborating Adapting Self-directing Being accountable Leading Observing details Describing Elaborating Synthesizing Resisting closure Evaluating Reflecting Thinking flexibly Thinking independently Being original Experimenting Thinking divergently Imaging Abstracting Recognizing patterns Forming patterns Analogizing Body thinking Empathizing Thinking dimensionally Modeling Playing Transforming Thinking metacognitively Staying open to new ideas Discerning Analyzing Combining divergent concepts Synthesizing Thinking flexibly Visioning Reflecting Questioning assumptions Assessing veracity of claims Using relevant evidence to support points of view Understanding other perspectives and cultures Self-directing Persisting Collaborating Communicating: writing, articulating, listening Self-regulating Persevering Focusing Finding satisfaction in learning Self-organizing 21c Creativity Critical Thinking

Experiments at MOCA

Being creative Thinking critically Innovating Problem solving Problem finding Thinking flexibly Communicating Collaborating Adapting Self-directing Being accountable Leading Observing details Describing Elaborating Synthesizing Resisting closure Evaluating Reflecting Thinking flexibly Thinking independently Being original Experimenting Thinking divergently Imaging Abstracting Recognizing patterns Forming patterns Analogizing Body thinking Empathizing Thinking dimensionally Modeling Playing Transforming Thinking metacognitively Staying open to new ideas Discerning Analyzing Combining divergent concepts Synthesizing Thinking flexibly Visioning Reflecting Questioning assumptions Assessing veracity of claims Using relevant evidence to support points of view Understanding other perspectives and cultures Self-directing Persisting Collaborating Communicating: writing, articulating, listening Self-regulating Persevering Focusing Finding satisfaction in learning Self-organizing 21c Creativity Critical Thinking

MOCA + LAUSD Creativity Labs

Key findings There isn’t one, fixed definition of creativity.

Structures for supporting and assessing creative thinking have to be extremely well planned. Key findings

Outcomes (What would you like your students to take away from this activity?) Activity How does the activity help them learn this? Steps How will you assess what students have learned?

Technical instruction still largely dominates arts instruction and lesson design. Key findings

Measurable qualities need to be identified very specifically. Key findings

Sometimes art teachers aren’t that creative. Key findings

The arts embrace living experience and can breathe life into standards and education more generally.

Continuing work of Creativity Labs Pilot group participants are training 85 elementary arts teachers during

Lessons learned are driving further assessment research at MOCA + LAUSD Arts Ed Branch.

Next steps? More cross-institutional partnering for professional development.

Bring more people into the conversation about the relevancy of arts pedagogy to Common Core instruction. Next steps

Who continues the work? How do we keep the collaboration meaningful? Has your definition of creativity changed since you walked into this auditorium? Questions

Your exit ticket What outcomes can we work toward together?

Luiz Sampaio Jeanne Hoel