Creative Thinking Essay Example for Free

Creative Thinking Essay Thinking The following transcript is based on material in Skills for Success: The Personal Development Handbook, by Stella Cottrell. Creative thinking can benefit any aspect of life, including academic study or our working day. All too often, we act as if creativity were the preserve of a special breed of people – great artists, musicians, designers and inventors. However, you don’t need to be good at drawing or painting or music in order to be creative. Because of this misperception, we can tend to underestimate our own capacity for creativity and the wide range of situations to which we could apply creative thought. In this audio, we’ll talk about practical ways that you can develop and enhance your creative capacity. What do we mean by creative thinking? Creativity is about applying the imagination to finding a solution. This could be a solution to an artistic problem, but it could just as easily refer to finding an answer to a routine work issue, resolving problems in your life, friendships or relationships, or completing study assignments. The creative aspect is in finding the solution, rather than in simply applying a pre-given formula. If you devise your own solutions, find your answers, you are thinking creatively. Sometimes, a great idea can seem to drop from nowhere. When this happens, it is easy to feel that we are very imaginative and clever, especially if the wonderful idea came to us quickly. More typically, a creative outcome is the result of a series of processes, the application of strategies, and bringing the right attitude to the task – and these may not always feel very creative at the time. Creative thought thrives in certain conditions, so to foster creative thinking, it is worth taking steps to put those conditions into place. Certain types of creative thinking take place when we are very relaxed, with time to spare, when we are only half focused on the issue, perhaps when we are day-dreaming or doodling. We may even be deep in thought about a different activity altogether. When released from having to find a solution to a particular problem, the brain often feels freed up to look for an answer in its own way. You may have noticed this yourself- that when you stop trying too hard, the answer seems to pop out of nowhere when you are least expecting it. Many great discoveries and ideas have been made in this way, or even in dreams. This kind of creative solution does require certain kinds of conditions. In particular, the apparently magic solution often comes after a period of very ordered thinking, working through many possible solutions, followed by change of pace or situation, accompanied by some ‘down-time’ in which the brain can work on the solution. Creative thinking tends to be characterised by a drive to find the very best solution, continually looking for an even better, or quicker, or more effective, or more elegant solution. If you are happy with the first idea that comes along, then there is no real spur to creative thought. An element of moderate dissatisfaction, or an edge of perfectionism, encourages the creative process. You can also help the creative process by putting the right conditions into place and applying some basic strategies. First of all: don’t be satisfied with one solution. Once you have one good idea, look for another, and then another. Give yourself the opportunity to choose the best from several options. Secondly, put yourself under different levels of pressure. Sometimes, we find we respond to pressure; other times we don’t. Thirdly, feed your brain with different experiences. Go on a journey you wouldn’t usually make; read an article from a different subject discipline or a magazine you wouldn’t usually read; undertake an activity that you feel isn’t ‘you’. When the brain is working hard on a problem, it is can be very good at drawing parallels in an apparently unconnected experience. Fourthly, be willing to experiment with ideas that seem unlikely to lead straight to the answer, even if this seems like it may be a waste of time. Combine solutions from other problems that you have answered successfully; play with possible ideas even if these don’t seem very sensible. Many a great idea has started out as something, which seemed wild or unrealistic, modified and adapted and developed into something that really worked. Don’t eliminate ideas too early- look for a way of making them work. Although a particular idea may lead nowhere, the process of working through solutions can help develop a much deeper understanding of the task before you. It is this thorough and complex understanding of the issue, which helps the brain come up with a creative solution. Fifthly, when you have worked in an organised way on developing ideas, give the brain some down-time so it can work on these in an unforced way. This does mean planning your study or work so that there is time to move between structured approaches to the issue, followed by more relaxed, unforced, even unconscious, thought. Finally, once you know the idea you want to work on, be prepared to work at it, and to work at it some more, to fine-tune it. Inspiration is a very small part of creative thinking. Process, strategy, attitude, and application are also essential ingredients. In short, it doesn’t take a special kind of person to engage in creative thinking. There are approaches you can take and strategies you can apply that can assist you in arriving at innovative ways of seeing and thinking. Best of all, as creative thinking benefits from new experiences, doing things a little differently, musing with ideas and being open to playful and unusual approaches, it can make your study very enjoyable. We hope this basic introduction to creative thinking has been useful. If you want to develop your creative thinking further, ask your bookseller for a copy of Skills for Success, written by Stella Cottrell and published by Palgrave Macmillan.

Biblical Symbols and Symbolism in John Steinbecks East of Eden :: East Eden Essays

Biblical Symbolism in East of Eden    John Steinbeck includes more of the tale of Genesis: 4 than is actually told in the bible.   The basis of this is a Jewish story involving twin sisters of both Cain and Abel.   The two disputed over Abel’s twin whom Abel was to marry.   Cain murdered Abel and wed the twin sister of his brother (Fonterose, Joseph. p.3380).   The story differs also in that it is Abel who leaves his home instead of Cain.   Abel found his Eden, represented by Salinas Valley, but lost it after fathering a second generation very similar to the first, Caleb representing Cain and Aron representing Abel (Fonterose, Joseph. p.3379).   The story is changed by Steinbeck to illustrate the idea that men naturally have both good and evil tendencies within them, and that this mixture compels men to choose between the two.   The story told is similar to an alternate interpretation of Genesis: 4 called timshel.   This alternate reading introduces the idea that Cain feels evil and kills Abel beca use of the jealousy he feels towards his brother and God’s love for Abel (Levant, Howard. p.243).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The relationship of good to evil is found in many different ways throughout East of Eden.   One way is the opposition between the two.   Such a relationship is illustrated through the Cain and Abel allusions in the novel.   Another relationship is that the two must coexist.   This relation is represented by the arrival of both the church and the brothel in town at the same time.   Good comes from evil is the third relationship.   Cathy making Adam appear all the more pure shows this relation.   The last relationship is that both terms are relative (Fonterose, Joseph. p.3381).   Caleb Trask is illustrated as being a man more evil than others are. This innate wickedness varies from the immoral values of other characters such as Charles or Cathy-Kate.   The wickedness is attributed to Caleb’s ability to choose between good and evil and his choosing of the latter (Levant, Howard. p.240).   In East of Eden, good is associated with individual morals.   Examples of such would be abstinence from sexual activity and virtues like generosity and self-respect.   Evil is illustrated through acts such as prostitution and murder (Fonterose, Joseph. p. 3381).   Sex is treated as a carnal act that cannot be good.   It is a sin; where in other Steinbeck novels, it would be easily accepted.

Chapter Reflection

I can definitely see myself using some of the stuff that I read about in this chapter in my true classroom. The first section of this chapter was all about the deferent levels of curriculum integration. I learned that there are three different levels of integration: connected, shared, and partnered. The least complicated of the three is â€Å"connected†, and would lust Involve me, as the teacher, making simple connections between two subject areas.I think that this would involve me looking at two subjects and then finding the common ground that they share so that I could reinforce knowledge from one subject In another. The second level would be â€Å"shared†, which would Involve taking salary incepts in two or more subjects and reinforcing them in each of the subjects. You want to be able to reinforce something in one subject, and do the same thing for the other. The keyword Is â€Å"share†. I learned that the last level, â€Å"partnered†. Is often the mos t difficult. It would be the most difficult because it involves a team of teachers discussing the same big ideas.I think that this would be difficult because each teacher In the team might have a different Idea about what would be best and It might be difficult to keep what is most important at the center of the discussion. Integration can definitely be hard, but it is doable. The next section of the chapter talked about devising your own cross-disciplinary topics. The big thing about this section was the matrix that was included to help us think about cross-disciplinary studies so that we can create our own topic connections.When filling out the matrix, It will become easier to see where commonalities may lie. Some links will come easily to us, but I think that this matrix will definitely be of use to me in the future. Matrixes and tables always have a way of making things easier to observe and understand. This Is Just the most basic, and the rest of the chapter got a little more t echnical and specific with ideas. The next big section of this chapter was about interdisciplinary examples for linking physical education content to other subjects.For math, we could do things like ask students to find their maximum heart rate that they reached after Jumping rope, or ask students about what shapes they can draw using the lines of a basketball court. With language arts, children could read books based on movement or games, which would help students make links with physical education, or we could also have them write â€Å"l can† sentences that talk about things that they can do in the ball below my waist, and by keeping my head up. We could incorporate physical education with science by having the students hop into the air, and then ask them why they come down after they Jump. With social studies, we could do things like ask students how games that we play in the US are different than the way they are played in other countries, or we could ask our students to think about things that they do after school and then whether or not they were available to children 30 years go. It is very important for connections to be made because, when they are, students are more likely to learn and retain information.They're also more likely to learn when they're having fun and enjoying themselves. If we can find a way for them to do this and become more physically fit, then that is always a bonus! The last section of this chapter was about how you can apply classroom study topics to physical education lessons. There were lots of different ideas listed in this section as well. After reading all of the ideas and suggestions that were presented in his chapter, it only confirmed what I believed before. Children are more likely to learn when they're having fun.When you incorporate classroom topics into physical education, children may think they're being given the chance to play when, in reality, they're also learning. The more we can do this, the better! I de finitely plan on using some of the ideas from this section in the future. The ideas put forth in this chapter were very useful to me. I plan on being creative and, in the future, taking some of these ideas and expanding on them to make them my own. I firmly believe that the more active we can get our students, the better.Over to You 1) I would say that I am the most creative in finding a way to make something work. If something doesn't work, I try everything I can to achieve the end result that I want or the ideal end result. Sometimes it may not be the most conventional way of doing things, but my somewhat creative mind gets the Job done that way. I also like making things look pretty, and I have found that I will often find a creative way to make something stand out. I think it definitely has an advantage in finding connections.It will help me look for similarities between two subjects and then find a way to bring them together based on their common ground. I'm a believer that the re is usually always a way to make something work. 2) To find ideas about cross-disciplinary learning, I could talk to my teachers and fellow colleagues, especially those who have been around in the profession longer than a new teacher has. They know what works and what doesn't work, and could be a great source of ideas and advice. Academic Journals could also be a good source of information and ideas. When in bout†¦ Ask! ) You could have students design a game that would make them become more active while, at the same time, helping them to review content that they've learned in the classroom. You want to get your students up and moving in any way that you possibly can. You can also have your students look at how certain popular games here in the US (such as baseball and basketball) might be played differently in other countries, and then have the students attempt to play the games being physically active. 4) I think that, for me, it would be easier to take classroom epics and apply them to physical education lessons.I could take my students on nature walks. I could also strive to plan more lessons and activities for the classroom that would get them to become more active. I think it's definitely easier for me to incorporate physical education into the classroom. It gives me an avenue through which I can be very creative, and I love that. I also think that it would help me to become more active as well, as I would have to kind of go through the motions to find out what would work best with my students and what wouldn't.

Societal Authority in Jane Austens Emma Essay - 2054 Words

However much we insist it is not true, our choices, actions, and thoughts are rarely uninfluenced by the conditions we are born into. Our culture and society play a huge role in the person we become, shaping our opinions and worldviews from birth. This truth is illustrated no better than in Jane Austen’s Emma. In Emma, Austen uses narrative style, characterization, and the plot device of word games to illustrate the ever-present power of hierarchical control. Emmas plot seemingly hovers around the superficial theme of strategic matchmaking. But while this is an important aspect of Emma, it serves primarily as a catalyst to illustrate the much bigger idea of societal authority present in the novel. Word games play a huge role in the†¦show more content†¦The games provide a limited example of perfection in society, and when Emma and Frank violate the rules of the anagram game, they are emulating the destructive effects of their social manipulations (Grey 182). Emma demonstrates in her collection of charades that she believes games should function in an impersonal way (Ferguson 9). She and Harriet have not only collected charades from their friends, but copied them from pre-existing anthologies, clearly indicating that the game itself is more important than its players. Society’s social game is played in much the same fashion, caring more for the rules than for those involved. Like all the forms of control in Emma, this one is subtle. Unspoken, yet understood. No one exemplifies this kind of subconscious control more than Mr. Woodhouse. On the surface, Mr. Woodhouse is the feeble-minded, ridiculous father figure who serves only as a comedic device. However, Mr. Woodhouse plays a major role in the thoughts, feelings, and actions of Highbury. Everyone, especially Emma, is concerned with Mr. Woodhouse’s comfort and well-being. 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