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Memorandum submitted by the Education Faculty of St Martin's College
1 Summary Creative Partnerships have worked closely with St Martin's College for 18 months and have helped us to develop innovative and creative approaches to our Initial Teacher Education programmes. We feel these developments in our programmes are highly likely to produce creative and effective teachers who will in turn enable pupils to develop their ability to respond in innovative ways and to seek creative solutions to problems they may encounter.
2 Submitter This submission is from the Education Faculty of St Martin's College (soon to become University of Cumbria) - the largest provider of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in the UK.
3 Submission 3.1 We consider the emphasis on creativity to be absolutely fundamental to our vision for effective Initial Teacher Education. Only by this means will we ultimately produce teachers who prepare pupils for an uncertain future where adaptability, pro-activity and creativity will be essential components for a successful workforce. We quote from Gordon Brown's recent Mansion House speech
We are unquestionably an enormously talented and creative country. Historically, we've been one of the most inventive nations in the world. And as the City shows with its high skills, if we are to be what I want Britain to be - the great global success story of this century - our first priority, and this is the theme of my final speech to you as Chancellor, must be to use the talents of every individual in our country far better than we do today by ensuring we become world class in education.
But if we fail to equip people successfully for the future and then as a result of them being left behind by our competitors, they start to see themselves as the victims not beneficiaries of globalisation, I have no doubt that open markets, free trade and flexibility will be challenged by protectionist pressures.
Gordon Brown June 2007 HM TREASURY News Release (68/07) issued by The Government News Network on 20 June 2007
3.2 The work of Creative Partnerships has begun to have an impact on all our programmes - 4 primary programmes and 2 secondary, as well as (through our partnership with schools) beginning to create Continuing Professional Development possibilities for teachers. As a result of our collaboration with Creative Partnerships, we are introducing specific modules, with a focus on creativity, into our courses. We attach an
outline example as an appendix to this memorandum. The Creative and Effective Curriculum module is a particularly good example of how we have been able to use the expertise and support provided by Creative Partnerships to work with a large number of HE and school based tutors to develop a truly innovative ITE masters level module that will be a key influence on a large number of student teachers and the pupils they teach. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) have been so impressed by this work that they have asked to be able to include the assessed outcomes that will be produced by the students as case studies for their website.
3.3 The value of working with Creative Partnerships on this agenda has been extremely high in that it has offered us new perspectives and, through the work of creative practitioners, helped us to see and develop what we are trying to achieve through a number of different lenses. Our involvement with Creative Partnerships enables us to create links with colleagues from a diverse range of cultural and work environments. Linking with colleagues who work creatively in a variety of work environments and who have recent experience of applying some of their skills to working with schools, teachers and children has been uniquely helpful in enabling us to deconstruct and redefine the way we plan to work with student teachers. These working relationships are empowering and develop creative partnerships which are enabling us to better prepare our ITE students for the challenges and opportunities presented by our diverse society.
4 Appendix
1 Aims of Module This module aims to: Support students in planning and teaching creative and effective lessons. Engage students in critical evaluation and reflection on their practice. (In particular the one week "Creative and Effective Curriculum " placement.) 2 Intended Learning Outcomes Students will be able to: 1. Critically examine recent and significant literature and research into the nature of teaching and learning 2. Analyse the process and issues relating to planning creatively to meet children's needs. Synthesise findings from school practice (particularly the one week placement) to give a critical account of how planning might be made more effectively creative. 3. Critically examine the interface between theory and practice. 4. Consider critically the concept of the 'Reflective Practitioner' in the light of practice in school. 5. Critically analyse the interface between theory and practice of planning and teaching, reflecting specifically on the role of creativity within the processes. 1 3 Indicative Module Content What is the curriculum? The relationship between curriculum and context Reflection n the role of creativity within the curriculum Creativity as process for teacher and learner - who learns who teaches Working in teams to plan for, teach in the school context and report the outcomes during the one week "creative and effective curriculum placement." 4 Indicative Student Workload
5 Assessment Plan
6 Core Bibliography
Abbs, P (2003) Against the Flow: The arts, postmodern culture and the inner dynamic of authentic education Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer
Cropley, A, J (2001) Creativity in Education and learning a guide for teachers and educators Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer
DfEE, (1999) All our futures: Creativity, Culture and Education, London: DfEE Fisher, R. & Williams, M. (2004) Unlocking Creativity: Teaching across the curriculum, London: David Fulton Heilman, K (2005) Creativity and the Brain Hove: Psychology
Wilson, A. (2005) Creativity in Primary Education, Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd QCA, (2005) Futures - Meeting the Challenge, London: QCA 7 Additional Notes The one week "creative and effective curriculum" saturation placement would be sandwiched between College based input. The tutor would be viewed as the 'consultant'. Teachers in school could work alongside ITE tutors to work towards their own MA. This module will address the following non-subject specific themes: Reflection on innovation; the need for greater personalisation and innovation; the increasing global dimension to life and work.
June 2007 |