Students in an English class were asked to write group essays on a poem of their choice and then to reflect on their creative thinking.
This group of three students chose to write their essay on “The Ballad of William Bloat” by Raymond Calvert. In their reflection they say they got ideas from the rest of the class during a class discussion and from Internet research, then put themselves in a “relaxing environment” to add ideas of their own. It took them more than one try to complete the essay. When they got stuck, they reported that they just “did other things until they thought of something.”
The teacher found that the reflections provided her with more evidence of the students’ creative thinking than did the essays themselves. While their overall work illustrates Profile 3, their ways of helping themselves generate ideas; e.g., relaxing, doing other things for a while, illustrates Profile 4.
I can get new ideas, or reinterpret others’ ideas, in ways that have an impact on my peers.
I get ideas that are new to my peers. My creative ideas are often a form of self-expression for me. I have deliberate strategies for quieting my conscious mind; e.g., walking away for a while, doing something relaxing, being deliberately playful, so that I can be more creative. I use my experiences with various steps and attempts to direct my future work.
Profile 3
I can get new ideas in areas in which I have an interest and build my skills to make them work.
I generate new ideas as I pursue my interests. I deliberately learn a lot about something; e.g., by doing research, talking to others, or practicing, so that I am able to generate new ideas about it, or the ideas just pop into my head. I build the skills I need to make my ideas work, and usually succeed, even if it takes a few tries.