Creative and critical mind

By completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Become more aware of their impact on the intellectual development of a learner
• Effectively support creative and critical thinking among their students
• Get to know and use a wide range of tools aimed at shaping creative thinking
• Use different methods of implementing creative solution in their professional life, discovering at the same time their own creative resources
• Use the creativity of their learners in solving problems
• Create adequate conditions for the development and promotion of critical thinking among students and teaching community
• Learn how to look for solutions and improve their communication skills
• Analyse the problems from a systemic and systematic point of view
• Unblock patterns of thinking which we use on a daily basis
• Change their habitual strategies of behavior.

• DAY 1: Brainbased education

Ice breaker. Why is creative thinking so important?

Fly with me. Factors that foster and stimulate the development of creative thinking among students. The impact of school environment on the ability of creative thinking.

Both sides of the brain. Playing with both hands.

• DAY 2: Stimulating creative thinking

Let’s walk. Definition, Principles & Creative thinking styles. Analysis of styles among the participants. Active listening as development strategy. Personal self-assessment and strategies on how to improve it.

Unconventional thinking. Activities to stimulate creative capabilities.

Lateral thinking. Methods of creative thinking simulation among students.

low state and unconscious incubation. The importance of resting, our brain’s time and how to overcome the barriers of conventional thinking.

• DAY 3: Stimulating creative thinking

First steps. Definition and consequences for the teacher, student’s role, classroom atmosphere.

Group work. Application to real life contexts: stereotypes, advertising and history.

“Wisdom begins in wonder”, Sócrates. Questioning strategies for clarification that prove assumptions about perspectives.

Tips. Techniques, strategies and programs to stimulate ways of critical thinking development among learners.

• DAY 4: Problem solvers

Be humble. Be present, listen and build foundations for effective communication.

Looking for solutions. Creative ways to communicate and solve problems considering both sides of the brain.

Tips and resources. Creative techniques to solve problems: the creative problem solving method by Osborn.

Peacemakers. School Mediation, an approach to the method of deep analysis of interpersonal conflicts.

• DAY 5: Know, want, learn

“My proposal is”. Sharing proposals/lesson plan designs on how to conduct a creative and critical class. Group feedback.

Creative farewell. Conclusions and the importance of “the end”.

The approach will be practical, experiential and based on an analysis of reality and the concerns of the group. Mainly we will work in assembly and small groups, encouraging the reflection and creativity in order to expand the options and alternatives for action. We will also make use of the role-play, and the analysis of cases and group dynamics.

Additionally, course follow-up strategy will be proposed to all the teachers in order to monitor the implementation of good practices in their schools based on the knowledge, skills and competencies gained by them during the course in Spain.

Through their commitment and active participation to share new competencies they will be able to build professionally oriented support networks in their communities, making, at the same time, their work and contribution more visible on a local scale.

• Updating of teaching or pastoral support programme
• Access to a new network of teachers across Europe inspires new ideas, teaching methods and problem solving
• Keeping abreast of the times
• Verifying and developing their pedagogical and communication skills
• Contributing to the creation of a new open-minded and all-inclusive school.