Connecting with your students using simple creative activities

Laura Vazquez
A group of children in a classroom, one is sat at a desk drawing a picture, another is smiling at the camera

“We are all creative, but by the time we are three or four years old, someone has knocked the creativity out of us. Some people shut up the kids who start to tell stories. Kids dance in their cribs, but someone will insist they sit still. By the time the creative people are ten or twelve, they want to be like everyone else.” — Maya Angelou.

We want our kids to excel in everything they do. This is partly down to the media, which has fostered the idea of celebrity kids and football leagues that encourage kids to become professional athletes at the age of eight or younger.

However, we have missed the most crucial thing in their education – and that is to build their character through everyday creative activities which encourage the formation of human connections.

Moving from kindergarten to elementary school

Consider how nervous a first grader must feel after leaving the safe kindergarten playground and entering a strange new 'grown-up' world. The playgrounds are bigger, the kids are older, they have to line up to buy their first meal at the school cafeteria. The classroom has changed too: the desks look different, the books are bigger, and there are new challenges too.

Some are thrilled to feel part of the older kids’ environment. Others, of course, are frightened and insecure. They have to understand and accept all the new rules and regulations, which now apply to them too.

High expectations from parents must be met

We also have moms, dads and caregivers worried for their little ones. They have high hopes for them. They want their children to become successful learners, multi-medal athletes, excellent readers, mathematicians or perhaps scientists…

Professor David Healy, director of the North Wales Department of Psychological Medicine, said:?“We want kids to conform to ideals based often on parental insecurities and ambitions.”

Elementary school has therefore become something resembling a battlefield, where children must thrive in spite of (and not because of) their interests. Only top grades and excellence in everything will make parents proud.

But what if a child is not successful? What if their reading skills are below average? What if their daydreaming about a trip to the moon doesn’t allow them to concentrate?

Then we have two lists of kids, the thriving kids with excellent grades and the other ones.

So how can we take the pressure off and help all kids to thrive? Here are some simple creative activities to help.

Reaching out to your students with a simple hello

When did we forget that education is about promoting playfulness, imagination, and creativity to build up confidence?

My very first and most important recommendation would be this:

Before you start a class, give yourself a moment to say?"Hello"?to each individual in your class. Take that moment to make eye contact with every student and see how they are doing that day.

Make this an important part of your routine. Then have them do the same with their classmates. You could even introduce phrases such as:

  • "How was your day yesterday?"
  • "How are you feeling today?"
  • "What did you have for breakfast this morning?"
  • "I notice you look nice today!"

You can also try another creative activity. Ask your students to say good morning to the new day and think of something they are grateful for or someone they are grateful to. For example:

  • "Thank you mom, for my breakfast."
  • "I am grateful because all my classmates are here."
  • "Thank you moon, for your light every night."

These are just a few simple creative activities. But the most important thing to consider, if you want to introduce creativity in the classroom, is that every student needs to feel in a secure and welcoming environment, free of criticism or judgment of their ideas. If you achieve this in your classroom, you will be well on your way to exploring your students’ creativity and building new connections with them.

Read our blog post '5 team building activities to help break down boundaries' for more ideas.

References:

  • Under Pressure; Carl Honore
  • Mindfulness, para ense?ar y aprender; Deborah Schoeberlein
  • Teach your children well; Madeline Levine Ph.D.
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    11 ways you can avoid English jargon at work

    提交者 Steffanie Zazulak

    From “blue-sky thinking” to “lots of moving parts”, there are many phrases used in the office that sometimes seem to make little sense in a work environment. These phrases are known as ‘work jargon’ – or you might hear it referred to as ‘corporate jargon’, ‘business jargon’ or ‘management speak’. It’s a type of language generally used by a profession or group in the workplace, and has been created and evolved over time. And whether people use this work jargon to sound impressive or to disguise the fact that they are unsure about the subject they are talking about, it’s much simpler and clearer to use plain English. This will mean that more people understand what they are saying –?both fluent and second-language English speakers.

    The preference for?plain English?stems from the desire for communication to be clear and concise. This not only helps fluent English speakers to understand things better, but it also means that those learning English pick up a clearer vocabulary. This is particularly?important in business, where it’s important that all colleagues feel included as part of the team and can understand what is being said. This, in turn, helps every colleague feel equipped with the information they need to do their jobs better, in the language they choose to use.

    Here, we explore some of the most common examples of English jargon at work that you might hear and suggest alternatives you can use…

    Blue-sky thinking

    This refers to ideas that are not limited by current thinking or beliefs. It’s used to encourage people to be more creative with their thinking. The phrase could be confusing as co-workers may wonder why you’re discussing the sky in a business environment.

    Instead of:?“This is a new client, so we want to see some blue-sky thinking.”

    Try saying:?“This is a new client, so don’t limit your creativity.”

    Helicopter view

    This phrase is often used to mean a broad overview of the business. It comes from the idea of being a passenger in a helicopter and being able to see a bigger view of a city or landscape than if you were simply viewing it from the ground.?Second-language English speakers might take the phrase literally, and be puzzled as to why someone in the office is talking about taking a helicopter ride.

    Instead of:?“Here’s a helicopter view of the business.”

    Try saying:?“This is a broad view of the business.”

    Get all your ducks in a row

    This is nothing to do with actual ducks; it simply means to be organized. While we don’t exactly know the origin of this phrase, it probably stems from actual ducklings that walk in a neat row behind their parents.

    Instead of:?“This is a busy time for the company, so make sure you get all your ducks in a row.”

    Try saying:?“This is a busy time for the company, so make sure you’re as organized as possible.”

    Thinking outside the box

    Often used to encourage people to use novel or creative thinking. The phrase is commonly used when solving problems or thinking of a new concept. The idea is that, if you’re inside a box, you can only see those walls and that might block you from coming up with the best solution.

    Instead of:?“The client is looking for something extra special, so try thinking outside the box.”

    Try saying:?“The client is looking for something extra special, so try thinking of something a bit different to the usual work we do for them.”

    IGUs (Income Generating Units)

    A college principal alerted us to this one – it refers to his students. This is a classic example of jargon when many more words are used than necessary.

    Instead of:?“This year, we have 300 new IGUs.”

    Try saying:?“This year, we have 300 new students.”

    Run it up the flagpole

    Often followed by “…and see if it flies” or “…and see if anyone salutes it”, this phrase is a way of asking someone to suggest an idea and see what the reaction is.

    Instead of:?“I love your idea, run it up the flagpole and see if it flies.”

    Try saying:?“I love your idea, see what the others think about it.”

    Swim lane

    A visual element – a bit like a flow chart –? that distinguishes a specific responsibility in a business organization. The name for a?swim lane?diagram comes from the fact that the information is broken up into different sections – or “lanes” – a bit like in our picture above.

    Instead of:?“Refer to the swim lanes to find out what your responsibilities are.”

    Try saying:?“Refer to the diagram/chart to find out what your responsibilities are.”

    Bleeding edge

    A way to describe something that is innovative or cutting edge. It tends to imply an even greater advancement of technology that is almost so clever that it is unbelievable in its current state.

    Instead of:?“The new technology we have purchased is bleeding edge.”

    Try saying:?“The new technology we have purchased is innovative.”

    Tiger team

    A tiger team is a group of experts brought together for a single project or event. They’re often assembled to assure management that everything is under control, and the term suggests strength.

    Instead of:?“The tiger team will solve the problem.”?

    Try saying:?“The experts will solve the problem.”?

    Lots of moving parts

    When a project is complicated, this phrase is sometimes used to indicate lots is going on.

    Instead of:?“This project will run for several months and there are lots of moving parts to it.”

    Try saying:?“This project will run for several months and it will be complicated.”

    A paradigm shift

    Technically, this is a valid way to describe changing how you do something and the model you use. The word “paradigm” (pronounced “para-dime”) is an accepted way or pattern of doing something. So the “shift” part means that a possible new way has been discovered. Second-language English speakers however, might not be familiar with the meaning and might be confused about what it actually means.

    Instead of:?“To solve this problem, we need a paradigm shift.”

    Try saying:?To solve this problem; we need to think differently.”