One Step to Creativity Judit Fehér Pigrims

What did we do that made this activity creative? What’s this object? What did we do that made this activity creative?

What’s this object? We turned one object into another object

What is creativity? What is creativitiy? Creativity is transforming one thing into another. Roger Von Oech Creative thinking is ‘double-minded’ thinking that ‘operates on more than one plane’. Arthur Koestler What is creativity?

They ‘just’ connected things Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee Robert William Kearns Percy Spencer

What is invention? A large majority of our respondents were inspired by a tension in their domain that became obvious when looked at from the perspective of another domain. Even though they do not think of themselves as interdisciplinary, their best work bridges realms of ideas. Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály (1996). Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention ......................... ………

What is discovery? What is discovery? Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something A. Szent-Györgyi What is discovery? different

What is understanding and humour? ”… to understand … that always requires a tiny little jump of the intellect, a minute hop that connects one thing to another… To ‘get’ a joke requires a similar mental skip ...” p. 118

What do we do when our minds work creatively? Transform one thing to another Think on more than one plane Connect things Bridge realms of ideas See something different Jump, hop, skip intellectually Transition

One step: Transition Information Opinion Perception Creative thinking

Creating the right gap Mind the width!

sticker & ticket sticket

Michael Rosen: Really? He had a sticker and he had a little ticket and he took the little sticker and he stuck it to the ticket. Now he hasn’t got a sticker and he hasn’t got a ticket. He’s got a bit of both which he calls a little sticket.

Combine your objects Find someone to combine your object with. Combine their names (e.g. sticket). Find a use for the combined object. What is it good for?

Combined objects Fridge Computer Bedroom Window Ticket Garden Chair Sun cream Pencil Dictionary Picture Hammock Music Chocolate Pillow Coffee T-shirt Camera Perfume Doormat T. Woodward

Combined objects Transitions / thinking planes one object – another object one word – another word one use – another use

What could students do with their combined objects? Draw and give a name / describe / guess each other’s Make them using e.g. objects / their bodies / playdough Develop a dialogue between the two objects whether to unite or not Make an ad to sell it Write the instructions manual Write a patent description Negotiate a merger

Think of an object that you have and which is important to you Find out about the lives of the other objects. Are they happy with their owners?

Telltale objects Transitions / thinking planes person – object between points of view facts - feelings

Maternal advice J. and C. Hadfield

Maternal advice Choose an animal. Choose some typical behaviour. Give advice.

Maternal advice Transitions / thinking planes behaviour – animal animal behaviour – human behaviour points of view behaviour - advice

Tactile weather forecast Give the weather forecast on your partner’s back Transitions / thinking planes weather – touch tactile feeling - weather

Tactile weather forecast Transitions / thinking planes weather – touch tactile feeling – weather non-verbal - verbal Transitions / thinking planes weather – touch tactile feeling - weather

Who is talking? I am silver and exact. Whatever I see I swallow immediately. I am not cruel, only truthful. She rewards me with tears. I am important to her. Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.

Transitions / thinking planes two sequences of events fates of characters meanings of stories

How could you make the creativity gap bigger? Ss give each other the film ending they would like to be changed. Ss swap endings and act out the other group's changed ending Ss don’t say which film’s ending they changed. Others guess the film / the original ending

Transitions / thinking planes informal to formal genre switch

How could you make the creativity gap bigger? Illustrate your stories. Illustrate your stories; give the pictures to another group to write your stories. Write for different paper types e.g. yellow press, science magazine, etc. Make a TV news programme.

I clap = similar, 2 claps = different

Sylvia Plath: Mirror Whatever I see I swallow immediately I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. I am not cruel, only truthful- The eye of the little god, four cornered. Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long I think it is a part of my heart. But it flickers. Faces and darkness separate us over and over. Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me, Searching my reaches for what she really is. Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon. I see her back, and reflect it faithfully. She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands. I am important to her. She comes and goes. Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness. In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.

What are the wall’s thoughts? Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long I think it is a part of my heart. But it flickers. Faces and darkness separate us over and over.

Describe the woman Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me, Searching my reaches for what she really is. Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon. I see her back, and reflect it faithfully. She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands. I am important to her. She comes and goes. Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness. In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.

Mirror Transitions / thinking planes person – object similarities – differences between points of view said – imagined someone else – I – we all now – past - future

Long actions blind ignorance You have been tidying your room for a long time.

Long actions blind ignorance Your partner has been sunbathing for a long time. B. Your partner has been wearing the same dirty clothes for a long time.

Long actions blind ignorance Transition / thinking planes Action – result / side effect– action

What other grammar could be practiced with the ‘Blind Ignorance’ game? Faulty objects – Present Perfect / Past deductions E.g. Squashed cake Who am I? – Simple Present , Simple Past, Present Perfect E.g. Someone famous In an appalling condition E.g. You are dripping wet.

Describing a picture creatively Think of a task with a creativity gap for describing the picture.

Describing a picture creatively 1. Part – whole a. Limiting information part of picture, short time for viewing, not everyone can see it, etc. b. Extending before – after; things / people not in the picture; reasons, cause – effect; sound and voices, etc. 2. Person – person and person - object monologues, speech bubbles, role play, drama, story, etc.

Transition Creative thinking gap