In 2012-2013, the Creative Learning Network in Dumfries and Galloway is aiming to promote and sustain creative approaches to learning and teaching through a series of seminars which we are calling Creativity Matters. The aim of the seminars is to demonstrate the practical application of creativity within a learning and teaching context examining amongst other things – why creativity is a crucial skill for 21st century life. Guest speakers are invited to give their professional and contextualised views, thoughts and in some cases research findings on creativity drawing from their individual fields of expertise.
Our most recent seminar was held in Gatehouse on the 12th February as part of the in-service day, and we had the pleasure of hearing from OBE Paul Smith chair of the trustees for Creativity, Culture and Education www.cceengland.org and Alan McLean http://www.themotivatedschool.co.uk/alanMcLean.html author the Motivated school and Motivating every learner with another book in the pipeline.
Paul gave the seminar a strong flavour of creative and cultural systems and policy from his work with Creativity, Culture and Education and how to build on a creative generation, examining with us the conditions for creative and cultural education. One thing that will stay with me from the conversation was the point about working to create the demand rather than perpetuate the supply of opportunities, something that we as advocates of creative and cultural learning will strive to develop.
The theme of Alan’s presentation was creativity and wellbeing and wellbeing and creativity, with a dissection of autonomy and how the differing needs and abilities of learners can fuel and contribute towards creative participation. He had us all thinking rather deeply about learner’s needs and the Powers of Creative Participation and their relationship to the four capacities.
Also on the 12th February, we were very fortunate to have Janice Kirkpatrick Creative Director of Graven Images http://www.graven.co.uk/ at Troqueer primary school in Dumfries talking to primary and secondary Art & Design specialists. Janice shared her creative process and practice in relation to the work of Graven and re-enforced key messages about adaptive skills and resilience across a variety of platforms. Janice also exemplified how her company has grown and developed as a flexible model of how to work across the disciplines. It was ideal for the creative learning network to have someone like Janice who is actually from the region and attended primary and secondary school in Dumfries – what inspiration!
Speaker biog Janice Kirkpatrick Speaker biog OBE Paul Roberts Speaker biog Alan Mclean
You may also be interested to know that we asked participants to complete a learning from experience exit card, and to note what the event has inspired them to do… I will be following up the inspiration in the summer term, and will provide an update as to how things are progressing…
Lesley
