Reports on the winning tool creations by 1,300 fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students in the 1997 Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program. Students had to use mechanical and science process skills to design and build tools to meet their needs in solving a problem. The winning entry was a calibrated angle and depth scissors. (AIM)

Discusses how clothing choices can be a form of art expression in children and young adults and believes that art teachers should encourage such creativity. Describes types of outlets for artistic dress-up that can be used in the classroom. (CMK)

Focuses on how music teachers can make choral rehearsals more interesting for students by incorporating creative lessons and activities. Explores what it means to be creative and includes examples of creative lessons that can be used in the choral rehearsal. (CMK)

Examines uses of humor in middle level classrooms and relationships between humor and effective teaching. Suggests that, with the incorporation of humor into the classroom to facilitate rapport building, student empowerment, creative thinking, attention, self-esteem, and socialization, middle-level teachers have the power to become the genesis for…

Reports on a study that focused on three teachers and their ways of teaching problem solving. Findings indicate that the participants unconsciously constructed personal metaphors that became the basis of their conceptualization of problems. "Community", "adventure" and "game" were the key metaphors. The outcome…

Discusses the use of disguises and masks in the art classroom and in the daily lives of children. Focuses on different materials and objects that can be used as a mask or disguise. Draws on the experiences of the author. (CMK)

The following recommendations for promoting students' creative thinking are provided: provide better teacher training; use cooperative teams; combine media tools and teacher instructional skills; detect conditions that contribute to boredom; avoid continuous classroom routines; encourage students to take initiative for constructive use of…

This essay discusses how Maude Adams influenced James M. Barrie's creative process and became his inspiration. Set change theory is underscored as a cognitive explanation for Barrie's illumination. The psychoanalytic theory of transference is proposed as an underlying mechanism for facilitating the change of mental set during the incubation stage.…

Discusses the use of wheels in children's art. Focuses on collecting wheels, ideas for decorating different artworks with wheels, and objects that can move on wheels. Sees wheels as an inspiration for children's art, reflecting on the use of this object in the art classroom. (CMK)

Focuses on the importance of creative thinking in music education. Addresses three factors that support creativity in music: (1) the availability of resources for teachers, (2) the growth of information related to understanding creative thinking, and (3) the role of technology. Introduces this issue of the "Music Educators Journal." (CMK)

Traces the longitudinal development of creative thinking in music education. Contends that creativity in students is enhanced by building on the natural process of sound exploration. Suggests strategies for teaching music to very young children, and presents ways to foster creativity in students. (RW)

This article presents a model of creative thinking as a metacognitive process. Creativity technologies are reframed as metacognitive strategies; and creativity itself is viewed as a self-regulatory process of metacognitive knowledge, combining self-reinforcement, self-evaluation, and self-monitoring. Self-regulated creative thought is…

An instrument for self-analysis of creative problem-solving style is introduced. A circular flow model of dynamic tension establishes a profile based on one's orientation toward generation, conceptualization, implementation, and optimization of knowledge. Preliminary tests with 130 businesspeople and undergraduate students indicate high…

Described are activities in the study of techniques used to conceal the meanings of messages and data. Some background information and two BASIC programs that illustrate the algorithms used in a new cryptographic system called "public-key cryptography" are included. (CW)

Presented are two examples of real-life examples that can be used to promote or exemplify concepts of probability and statistics. Details of the calculation of these probabilities are given. (CW)