In the center of my sketch note I included the many “ghosts” that unfortunately still linger in modern day classrooms. Something I thought was important to include was the point that students have been taught to follow a set of directions that will lead them to getting the “right” answer, then they will hand it in and receive praise. I drew this in the format of a cycle because students will follow this cycle in every subject area because they have been taught to believe that this is the key to success academically. This type of teaching and mentality has led to decreasing amounts of creativity in the classroom. It has led students to believe that there is either right or wrong and no room for creativity in between. I stand by these points strongly because I am a student who has been taught in a similar fashion. I even saw these qualities in myself while doing this assignment. I found it to be stressful in the beginning because there were not specific guidelines for me to follow that would lead me to guaranteed success. At the start, this left me feeling stuck, however I actually used the article as a means of motivation to let myself explore in order to create. I hope that I can use my experiences as a reference while encouraging my students to challenge themselves and their creativity.
On the outsides of my sketch note, my goal was to provide a contrast to what was found in the center. I used terminology like creators, choices, experimentation, discovery, and trial & error to portray that all of these things are part of the creative process. I wanted to express that there are alternatives to “Traditional Learning” that can be just as successful, If not more. It is important to teach students the importance of exploration and discovery. Through these practices students are able to learn far more than just what the curriculum provides them with. It also gives students the opportunity to find themselves and to understand which learning styles are more suitable for them. I have always been an advocate for creativity, given I am a drama major. Through my craft I have gained so much more of an understanding and developed many skills I would not have otherwise. I want to encourage my students to think and work freely and to find what works best for them. Through technology there is so much to discover and explore, however these tools need to be taught in a more effective way so that students are given more opportunities. If teachers can learn to teach with more of a growth mindset, one day students will be able to free themselves from these “ghosts” that linger in the classrooms. Students will be successful because we are giving them the tools and the freedom, not the templates and the rules. Through courses like these and by educating myself, I hope to one day create change in modern day classrooms.
Brianna Dennison