Discusses the use of the chalkboard as a surface for creating art and enabling young students to express their creativity. Explores different ways that art teachers can use chalkboards, such as for taking attendance, for use during a child's time-out, or a place to rehearse an artwork. (CMK)

This article compares the characteristics of high achievers, gifted learners, and creative thinkers. It discusses the complexity of gifted student's thinking and the wild ideas of the creative thinker. A chart that lists the different characteristics and cartoons depicting the three different mindsets of the students are provided. (Contains 1…

Presents salient features of workshop discussion examining good educational practice related to creative thinking and problem solving. Describes constructivist teaching, incorporating examples of classroom learning opportunities that use different forms of scaffolding and vignettes that illustrate constructive educational interactions. Explores…

A survey of 98 college professors regarding their creative writing habits and productivity found that creative productivity was significantly correlated with the use of forced incubation (deliberate time delay to allow naturally unenhanced incubation of ideas to occur). Professors who intentionally set aside manuscripts for a period of time to…

Describes a committee's efforts to revamp schedules to improve their high school's elective course options, provide equitable teacher-preparation time, and use instructional time productively. From three viable schedules (a four-period block, alternating-day schedule; a five-period trimester with a flexible period; and a modified trimester plan…

Undergraduates (n=195) were asked to work on three creative problem-solving tasks. Beliefs consistent with the nature of the task were found to be those most likely to be related to performance. Belief measures were found to be reasonably powerful predictors of the production of original, high-quality solutions. (Contains references.) (CR)

Focuses on ways to develop student creative thinking, improvisation, and composition skills in instrumental classes. Provides suggestions, such as the importance of offering students creative opportunities, supplying examples, giving control to students, and encouraging expressive integrity. Includes a bibliography of resources for developing…

Describes an art project that focused on the supernatural in which students create their own "Book Of Luck" using plastic videocassette containers. Discusses how each student created a book and the types of things that were included in the book. Includes examples. (CMK)

A study examined the relationships among 109 children's creative performances in three domains and the relationships between those children's general creative thinking skills and their creative performances. Three case studies also examined domain-specificity of creativity. Results found considerable intra-individual variation in creativity…

Since highly creative individuals are more likely to experience depression, this article examines the hypothesis that appraisal may be a mediating feature between creativity and affect. Measurement of creativity, cognitive appraisal patterns, and mood in 104 undergraduate art or science students found art students were more creative, experienced…

Describes an art unit for middle school students where they created their own original pattern through the use of "ClarisWorks Paint." Discusses the procedure for the project and the evaluation used at the end of the unit. Emphasizes the importance of learning about computers. (CMK)

Discusses how to teach improvisation, creativity, and movement to beginning music classroom students. Includes background information on teaching each concept and lesson plans to be used with beginning string students. Provides rhythm patterns, exercises, and an assignment used in the lessons. (CMK)

Presents results from a study that examined student assessments of their own musical abilities as related to compositional creativity. Focuses on nonmusic majors in a music fundamentals course for elementary education majors. Explains that the students were placed into high-,middle-, and low-creativity groups. (CMK)

Focuses on the study of personal containers and their uses in art creation for children. States that children are fascinated by boxes and containers. Provides examples of personal containers, such as lunch boxes, pencil cases, purses and valets, and school bags. (CMK)

Focuses on teaching students how to compose music. Addresses issues, such as how to get the students started and types of questions to ask students about their compositions. Discusses the musical elements involved in composition, such as melody, harmony, rhythm and meter, timbre, texture, and formal design. (CMK)