Ron Clark- The Excellent 11 - Chapter 3 Creativity

Chapter 3- Creativity

Chapter 3 was my favorite thus far. Creativity is something I consider to be one of my strengths and something I strive to one day take to my teaching. Clark talks in this chapter about how creativity can excite and inspire . He talks about how many kids lives today lack structure. We live in a world with more broken families then families that remain together. Clark talks about how some students pend more time on the streets then they do at home and how some homes are not safe and stable environments. As teachers, these will be obstacles that we must work through every day. In these children life's, parents support is minimal. This lack of parent support of school is something that teachers will have to constantly fight against. Clark talks about how a little creativity can help to work past these issues and show measurable results in students.

Clark discusses how by creating games and activities out of things like vocabulary and math can make all the difference. Even students who do not have parent support at home are more apt to practice something that they enjoy doing. Clark talks about how he even convinced the gym teacher to play games and do activities that reinforced things learned in class. As a teacher you must constantly be thinking outside the box and figure out how you can combine creativity and still fit in all the required material. Clark also talks about the importance of embracing teachable moments. As a teacher, sometimes you can't be afraid to steer off course and take advantage of teachable moments. "Don't be afraid to abandon a set plan or to scrap a lesson if an opportunity for learning presents itself that will be to the child's advantage." (66) If students are captivated and interested in something, go with it. With the state and national standards placed on education, often times teachers feel so locked to the lesson plan because of benchmarks they must meet. But Clark reminds us as teachers and future teachers, that we must embrace teachable moments when they come along. - What's better than students eager to learn?

In the next section Clark talks about creative discipline. One of my favorite ideas of his was called the traveling trophy. Clark took a big trophy from the schools award case and ever so often when a group of students were doing a great job, he would place the trophy on their desk. For these students, this simple trophy was a great honor. The thing I really enjoy about this idea is that it's free.. doesn't cost a dime. So often, teachers reach into their own pockets to purchase rewards for good behavior etc. I thought that this idea was really creative and would probably be very effective in the classroom.

Creatively creating Unity is something that Clark also talks in depth about. He writes, "When all the students feel ownership of their school and feel part of a place they are proud of, they are going to enjoy being there and become better students. (70) He talked about activities like decorating the classroom door or a class fundraiser were all events that could create unity.

Another point that Clark brings forth is that creativity can help you reach students that seem "unreachable". One of Clark's creative strategies is create raps out of popular songs to help his students memorize important events or facts. As a teacher, Clark talks about the importance of laughing, singing and dancing while in the classroom. He urges teachers not to be afraid to make a fool of themselves, because often times this is the exact thing that sparks an interests or creates a connection with students. Clark writes, "Weather you are teaching your class, talking to your own kids, or giving a speech, it is crucial that you know the personality of the group you are speaking to and that you find a way to relate to them and get them to the point where they are willing to listen." (79) We know that all students don't understand and grasp things through traditional lecture and the creative methods that teachers use can help to reach a whole new group of students.

The last point that Clark speaks about is how creativity leads to respect. Clark discusses how students appreciate creative lesson plans. Weather teachers realize it or not, children understand and appreciate when teachers go out of their way to make a lesson more creative and fun.