Developing Creativity in Primary School Level Children in a Resource Constraint Context of Chitral

• In Event: Challenges to professional development - research from and with teachers

Proposal

ABSTRACT
Developing Creativity in Primary School Level Children in a Resource Constraint Context of Chitral
By Bibi Amina Nigar, Bibi Maryam, Farman Nisa and Kirran
In the majority of the government primary schools in Pakistan, children only follow the instructions provided by the teacher and focus on drills and practice because the examination system requires the students to memorize the content and reproduce it. Contemporary research has demonstrated the importance of child-centred approaches to teaching and learning for developing children’s conceptual understanding. However, limited learning opportunities in the schools, restrict children’s thinking and meaning-making. At the primary level, children are not provided opportunities to think and transform ideas and materials into new forms. Besides that, in primary schools, creativity is considered a separate thing and needed extra time, effort, and resources.
Through an externally funded School Improvement Program teachers in 152 government primary schools were offered professional development training to enhance their understanding of child-centred approaches. After the training, changes in teaching and learning processes were observed and children were engaged in learning activities. Whether this change in the teaching and learning processes through the child-centred approach assisted in developing and enhancing the creativity of students this study was conducted. The study aims to identify the ways to induce creativity in primary school children in a backward and resource constraint context of Chitral.
A qualitative research method was adopted to collect the data. Twelve schools were selected through purposive sampling from the targeted schools. The data was collected during the field visits for the provision of follow up support in the implementation of child-centred approaches into their classroom contexts. The investigators took photographs of children’s involvement in activities covering both process and product. To get further clarification about the photographs the investigators carried out informal discussions with teachers and students and recorded their responses for later use. To triangulate the data the investigators filled classroom observations forms and kept running notes of general observations.
The data was analyzed qualitatively and resulted in the following findings: the teachers who gained professional development programs and were part of the study have implemented child-centred approaches to learning in their classrooms. In doing so, they are providing opportunities for their students to think divergently and present ideas about a learned concept in a novel way leading to the development of their creativity through curricular and co-curricular activities. In curricular activities the focus was particularly on brainstorming of the concept to be taught, role play, debate, learning through play, field visits, art and project works to engage children. Such activities provided children ample time to think, generate ideas and present them creatively and innovatively. Through co-curricular activities, the students were encouraged to participate in event celebrations, play games and display their work through exhibitions.
It was also discovered that teachers play a critically important role in developing and enhancing the creativity of students particularly at the primary level by the provision of enabling and supportive learning environment. Children have innate abilities to be imaginative and creative and teachers can nurture childrens’ creativity through freedom and opportunities to be involved in their activities. To be creative children need the freedom to mess up, commit mistakes, use their unintentional thoughts, and completely be involved in whatever activity they are doing. When children were provided with the freedom to do things on their own, they started trying out new ideas and new ways of thinking. Children were using local materials clay, sticks, feathers, pebbles, and other objects and turned them out into new models, art, craft and many more. The data revealed that the teachers had a positive interaction with students in the classroom and made the environment friendly and encouraging for creative ideas. They provided opportunities to their students and encouraged them to present their ideas creatively by using low cost and contextually relevant materials such as models, portfolios and health and hygiene-related materials in their schools.
Moreover, the data also showed that the teachers and students need to have a clear understanding of the term creativity. During the informal discussions, it was disclosed that some of the teachers and students were confused with the term creativity by mixing it with artistic skills such as focusing on decoration rather than looking for the novelty and originality of the idea and imaginations.
In such cases, the creative ideas of students might be compromised while focusing on decoration and beauty. It is concluded that creativity can be developed and enhanced in students at resource-limited government primary schools by giving teachers the required knowledge and skills. Further, the primary school teachers understanding of the term creativity and the importance of providing a supportive environment for its development is crucial.

Author

• Farman Nisa, Aga Khan University