I asked the same grade 4/5 students at Van Bien what they thought about "love." :) One day I called them all to the carpet and I asked them a bunch of questions to get them thinking more deeply about love. I reinforced that love cannot truly be described and that there is no right or wrong answer. Here they are:
*"The best way you can love anyone is to be yourself (to be the best you that you can be)." What does this mean?
*If love is something that you give, could you ever run out of it?
*Where does love come from?
*Is love something that you are? What is love made of?
*When somebody loves you, do you automatically love them back? (is love unconditional, a two-way street?)
*Do you think there is a limit to how many people you can love?
*Do you think you could love someone you have never met? (i.e. favourite hockey player, actor)
*Is love for everyone and everything? Does a flower only smell nice for kind people? Does the sun only shine on people who are friendly? Do you think we could be like the flower and sun?
What do you think? :)
Here is what some of the students said about love:
"Love is important to me because what would we be if we did not love one another?!"
"Love is important because we wouldn't be here."
"Because if there were no love, only big strong people would be alive." *lol* :)
"I know I'm accepted."
"Because without love people would all hate and hurt each other which isn't right."
"Love is important because if there was no such thing, I wouldn't be here because my Mom wouldn't have met my Dad."
"People stand around each other holding shoulders." (Isn't that a beautiful image?)
Monday, March 9, 2009
What Grade 4/5 students think about Friendship
While teaching grade 4 at Van Bien (they were such an amazing and beautiful group of students), I asked the children to write down anything and everything that came to mind when they thought of the word "Friendship." Just like the "Creativity" brainstorm I did with the grade 6/7's at Malaspina, I felt as though it was so important for the children to begin to think about abstract things like these and come to formulate their own thoughts and feelings surrounding them.
Some of the answers are generic (i.e. what does "nice" truly mean?), for society instils within us certain "definitions," however, they are the start of perhaps some futher deep pondering for these students. So often we formulate our opinions based on what everyone else says... it's almost like a collective consciousness surrounding certain abstract concepts. However, I believe there is still some individuality in thought!
What this exercise also reinforces is that there is no right or wrong answer and that we are so beautifully unique in our thoughts. It is a necessity that we are unique for it is in diversity that collective consciousness is possible. It also reinforces that concepts like creativity, friendship and love cannot be described with words but must be felt by the heart and spirit.
As you read, here is a question for you: Is friendship something you do or something that you are? Do you think you could be "friends" with everyone and if so, what would that friendship look like?
So here we go! :)
"Kind, friendly and nice. Not bullying to other people."
"Compassion, love, honesty, sharing, kindness, care, taking time, nice."
"Being kind to people. 'Can I play with you?' 'Sure!'"
"I think a friend is somebody who stand up for each other and cares about each other."
"I think friendship is being loving to others." (And so what does it mean to be loving towards each other?)
"Loving and caring; letting people join you; helping them; having fun with people; hugging."
"Don't ever turn on anyone; be caring; is not limited; don't say abusive words; not bullying; if you don't have anything to say don't say it." (I love the not limited part!)
"Don't leave people hurting; being kind to one another; help the poor; being friendly; help people if they are stuck in life."
"Kind, nice, sharing, caring."
"Love, honesty, compassion, laughter, kindness." (Laughter is so important!)
"Being kind by waving or talking nicely. Hug means friendship by loving and caring to each other."
"Love, kindness, treated nice, hugs, not having wars, accepting others for who they are, being friends to everyone."
"Being kind, nice, sharing, caring, helpful, friendly, standing up for each other and being fair."
"Friendship means loving someone. Friendship means caring about someone."
"It means being friendly, including others, playing with people."
"Friendly feeling about people, treating people the right way, being together happily, being the right person, being friendly to everybody, respecting all of people, knowing you can trust somebody, never being alone."
Some of the answers are generic (i.e. what does "nice" truly mean?), for society instils within us certain "definitions," however, they are the start of perhaps some futher deep pondering for these students. So often we formulate our opinions based on what everyone else says... it's almost like a collective consciousness surrounding certain abstract concepts. However, I believe there is still some individuality in thought!
What this exercise also reinforces is that there is no right or wrong answer and that we are so beautifully unique in our thoughts. It is a necessity that we are unique for it is in diversity that collective consciousness is possible. It also reinforces that concepts like creativity, friendship and love cannot be described with words but must be felt by the heart and spirit.
As you read, here is a question for you: Is friendship something you do or something that you are? Do you think you could be "friends" with everyone and if so, what would that friendship look like?
So here we go! :)
"Kind, friendly and nice. Not bullying to other people."
"Compassion, love, honesty, sharing, kindness, care, taking time, nice."
"Being kind to people. 'Can I play with you?' 'Sure!'"
"I think a friend is somebody who stand up for each other and cares about each other."
"I think friendship is being loving to others." (And so what does it mean to be loving towards each other?)
"Loving and caring; letting people join you; helping them; having fun with people; hugging."
"Don't ever turn on anyone; be caring; is not limited; don't say abusive words; not bullying; if you don't have anything to say don't say it." (I love the not limited part!)
"Don't leave people hurting; being kind to one another; help the poor; being friendly; help people if they are stuck in life."
"Kind, nice, sharing, caring."
"Love, honesty, compassion, laughter, kindness." (Laughter is so important!)
"Being kind by waving or talking nicely. Hug means friendship by loving and caring to each other."
"Love, kindness, treated nice, hugs, not having wars, accepting others for who they are, being friends to everyone."
"Being kind, nice, sharing, caring, helpful, friendly, standing up for each other and being fair."
"Friendship means loving someone. Friendship means caring about someone."
"It means being friendly, including others, playing with people."
"Friendly feeling about people, treating people the right way, being together happily, being the right person, being friendly to everybody, respecting all of people, knowing you can trust somebody, never being alone."
Saturday, March 7, 2009
What do grade 6/7 students think about CrEaTiViTy?
I taught at Malaspina Elementary (grade 6/7) in PG for two days and fell in love with the students (as I tend to always do). Since Rob is writing a book on creativity and as a teacher I feel it is so important to encourage children to think deeply about things and develop their own ideas and opinions, I had them write anything and everything they could think of when they thought of the word, "Creativity." This is what they came up with (the responses vary beautifully).
Once you have read them all, I would love for you to comment on what words/phrases/ideas touched you the most and what Creativity means to you. I have created some questions for you based on what the students wrote.
My questions for you to ponder:
Is creativity something you do or create? Is is something you are? A part of your being?
Is creativity therefore an action or part of being? Being and doing are two different things.
Is creativity the process of that creation instead of the end result?
Does creativity come from the mind, heart or someplace spiritual? Anywhere?
What does imagination mean to you?
Can creativity involve being physical, emotional and verbal?
How can feelings be creativive, if they can be at all?
What does it mean to express ourselves?
Is creativity spontaneous or forced (have to think about it)?
Is being creative doing nothing? Perhaps the doing nothing creates creativity?
Is creativity escaping reality or being present within it?
Is a part of creativity the result that happens that you didn't want to even though you had a goal in mind? (Read the quote by the student that talks about a man creating a bird and it turns out to be something different, therefore a creative expression). Does this therefore mean that creativity is spontaneous and comes from nowhere yet somewhere?Is it a letting go of expectations and goals that limit us to creating things in certain ways?
Creativity Comments by the Students:
"I am creative by thinking of a whole bunch of things and I can paint well."
"Creativity is to be imaginative. What creativity means to me is alot. I am creative by doing experiments like my recent project Dead or Alive."
"Creative: Colourful; using your imagination; do what you like, if it makes you happy; being yourself, like wearing what you like, not your friends/peers; express (expression); your own words."
"Creativity is a self-minded being of your thoughts that you put into your creations. Using your potential creative thinking, your critical work can turn into your most precious item. Creativity to me means put all of your best into everything I make to make it my best every time."
"Creativity I think is a form of expression of your feelings. Creative can be from love, passion, hate, compassion and much more different feelings. And its form can be sculptures, paintings, colours and other solid to liquid and fragrences and more. But to me creativity is that you put your expressions into a form of something."
"Creativity to me is like your own handshake you make up that would be you being creative! Me being creative is in my own style, my own words, and my amazing drawings. Creativity is expressing yourself in any way, shape or form."
"Creativity to me is where I can express all of my feelings on a piece of paper. Another thing is when you can just use anything you want to use (I love art, and to me... art is everlasting!"
"I think creativity is a fantasy opinion expressed physically. For example, a man is given a project and he tries to paint it. When he is done it looks nothing like a bird because it was creativity. All the colours and shapes expressed his creativity."
"Being creative is doing nothing." (My favourite!)
"I think creativity is a way to get away from reality."
"I am creative by playing sports like I always make up new shots and different plays in basketball. Creativity means alot to me. I do it in sports, schoo, outside of school and many more things."
"I think creativity is a lot of things, like being creative in art and having a personality like being outgoing, playing and not self-conscious of yourself. Creativity could be a happy by trying a new thing every day. It could be the way you speak. All I'm saying is creativity is basically everything. Everybody has a different personality, to me that's creative."
"To me creativity means how you dress and your own style. It's also how big your imagination is and how you do things differently and in your own way."
"Creativity is when someone expresses themselves in their own particular way. Like in sports, art or even their personality."
"Creativity to me is a way of expressing myself through words, but to other people it may mean through art, photographs or anything else."
"Creativity is an expression of yourself, no matter what people will always be there to have entertainment but mostly it means to have fun and entertainment. Being creative is basically having fun!"
"I think creativity can mean lots of different things. To me I thinik it means like you have a big imagination."
"Creativity is something from your mind put on paper."
Once you have read them all, I would love for you to comment on what words/phrases/ideas touched you the most and what Creativity means to you. I have created some questions for you based on what the students wrote.
My questions for you to ponder:
Is creativity something you do or create? Is is something you are? A part of your being?
Is creativity therefore an action or part of being? Being and doing are two different things.
Is creativity the process of that creation instead of the end result?
Does creativity come from the mind, heart or someplace spiritual? Anywhere?
What does imagination mean to you?
Can creativity involve being physical, emotional and verbal?
How can feelings be creativive, if they can be at all?
What does it mean to express ourselves?
Is creativity spontaneous or forced (have to think about it)?
Is being creative doing nothing? Perhaps the doing nothing creates creativity?
Is creativity escaping reality or being present within it?
Is a part of creativity the result that happens that you didn't want to even though you had a goal in mind? (Read the quote by the student that talks about a man creating a bird and it turns out to be something different, therefore a creative expression). Does this therefore mean that creativity is spontaneous and comes from nowhere yet somewhere?Is it a letting go of expectations and goals that limit us to creating things in certain ways?
Creativity Comments by the Students:
"I am creative by thinking of a whole bunch of things and I can paint well."
"Creativity is to be imaginative. What creativity means to me is alot. I am creative by doing experiments like my recent project Dead or Alive."
"Creative: Colourful; using your imagination; do what you like, if it makes you happy; being yourself, like wearing what you like, not your friends/peers; express (expression); your own words."
"Creativity is a self-minded being of your thoughts that you put into your creations. Using your potential creative thinking, your critical work can turn into your most precious item. Creativity to me means put all of your best into everything I make to make it my best every time."
"Creativity I think is a form of expression of your feelings. Creative can be from love, passion, hate, compassion and much more different feelings. And its form can be sculptures, paintings, colours and other solid to liquid and fragrences and more. But to me creativity is that you put your expressions into a form of something."
"Creativity to me is like your own handshake you make up that would be you being creative! Me being creative is in my own style, my own words, and my amazing drawings. Creativity is expressing yourself in any way, shape or form."
"Creativity to me is where I can express all of my feelings on a piece of paper. Another thing is when you can just use anything you want to use (I love art, and to me... art is everlasting!"
"I think creativity is a fantasy opinion expressed physically. For example, a man is given a project and he tries to paint it. When he is done it looks nothing like a bird because it was creativity. All the colours and shapes expressed his creativity."
"Being creative is doing nothing." (My favourite!)
"I think creativity is a way to get away from reality."
"I am creative by playing sports like I always make up new shots and different plays in basketball. Creativity means alot to me. I do it in sports, schoo, outside of school and many more things."
"I think creativity is a lot of things, like being creative in art and having a personality like being outgoing, playing and not self-conscious of yourself. Creativity could be a happy by trying a new thing every day. It could be the way you speak. All I'm saying is creativity is basically everything. Everybody has a different personality, to me that's creative."
"To me creativity means how you dress and your own style. It's also how big your imagination is and how you do things differently and in your own way."
"Creativity is when someone expresses themselves in their own particular way. Like in sports, art or even their personality."
"Creativity to me is a way of expressing myself through words, but to other people it may mean through art, photographs or anything else."
"Creativity is an expression of yourself, no matter what people will always be there to have entertainment but mostly it means to have fun and entertainment. Being creative is basically having fun!"
"I think creativity can mean lots of different things. To me I thinik it means like you have a big imagination."
"Creativity is something from your mind put on paper."
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
What do you see, feel, think when you look at this collage? What meaning does it have for you?
This is a collage I created at the Two Rivers Art Gallery in Prince George. Take a close look. Open up your heart to the possibilities of endless meaning that lay within the words and images, as well as the way they were formed together. Look deep within yourself and feel free to share what meaning you find in this collage. You may comment on a certain word, phrase, image(s) or the whole piece. I would love to hear what you have to say. Remember, this is open to interpretation. What is beautiful is that we don't perceive things the same ways all the time and so sharing in our thoughts and feelings creates a beautiful mosaic of truth and togetherness.
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