The first activity, post cards, encourages you to have a conversation around creativity through a series of short tasks.

The second activity, 5 pillars of learning, encourages you to think about what conditions/characteristics make ‘good’ learning.

 

Post Cards

Useful for: Building group cohesion, introducing a way of working, introducing a theme or set of ideas, exploring a physical space, introducing active reflection. This exercise aims to highlight the importance of teamwork, active participation and reflection. By reflecting collectively this is building a shared language.

Participants should work in groups of up to 5.

1. Click on the SWAY link: https://sway.office.com/lcETtJgDks2I8m2e?ref=Link
2. Look through the SWAY postcards and select an image that interests you and complete the activity attached to it.
3. Once you have exhausted the activity, move onto the next.
4. After 25-30mins reflect on the experience using the prompts below.

Alternative delivery: Print off the post cards and hide them around a room for each group to go and find!

Reflection

Ask some groups to briefly share their favourite task.

• Ask the groups to briefly share their most challenging task (if any) Why?
• What were we trying to surface in the envelopes? The short exercises in the envelopes contain tasks which help to surface some of the core concepts/approaches in the Lead Creative Schools Scheme 
• How might an approach like this be adapted for pupils?

 

5 Pillars of Creative Learning

Useful for: Placing participants in the position of a learner and reflecting on qualities of good learning experiences; creating a framework for self- assessment of how they teach; getting participants to start to think about learning and how they have experienced learning.
 

What happens?

As a whole group, participants are asked to reflect on a positive, deep and highly impactful learning experience they have had in their lives: it could be from school, learning from a family member, a colleague, learning in a new job, at college, etc.

• What characteristics of the learning experience made it so powerful?
• How important was the environment, the social context or the planned structure of the learning experience?
• What was the role, if any, of the ‘teacher’ in the experience? What did they do to support their learning?
• What strengths, skills and knowledge did the ‘teacher’ bring? What personal qualities did the ‘teacher’ have?

In small groups, share the learning experience. Once everyone has shared, identify 5 common characteristics that underpin the learning experiences.

If working with multiple groups, you could make something to represent your 5 pillars (dance, raps, poem, drama, sculpture) and share back as a large group
 

Reflection – 

How did it feel to reflect on what makes good learning? 

How important is it to reflect on what makes good learning?

How do their 5 Pillars fit into the high functioning classroom?

Negative learning experiences – can these be effective?