Teaching Creativity Creatively: An Idea Journal.

Writing classes ought to be among the most creative environments imaginable, but sadly, some writing teachers seem to think that their own writing ability, in proximity, is enough to get students started. A good writing teacher must be a constant student of creativity, always searching for new ways to teach, new inspirations, new forms of assignments, and always, encouraging the individual within the student. One recommendation is for the teacher to plan ahead and keep an idea journal or portfolio for those days when he or she did not sleep well or when "life is too crazy for rational thought." A few ideas that a teacher might consider adding to an idea journal are: the teacher provides the subject matter for student journals; students write about their daily routine in the third-person; teachers give students the opportunity to research and then write a short biographical piece on someone they admire ("hero-writing"); teachers ask students to research a subject, one that will produce statistics, and then write a 2-3 page paper on that topic; teachers can tie writing assignments in with the other subjects the students are studying; and teachers should take a writing class themselves from time to time. The important thing is to remember how satisfying writing is, how broadening, enlightening, inventive, and joyous it should be. (NKA)