How to Incorporate Creativity in the English Classroom

As a double major in both English Education and Visual Art, I hope to be certified to teach both. English and art have both become major parts of my identity, but in school all I knew was that I liked to read and draw. English is a firmly established subject in secondary education, but art is often overlooked or under-emphasized. I know that most people are not artistically inclined. However, there is so much value in pursuing creativity in ways not commonly seen in the average classroom.

The arts bring value and creativity to all students, not just those who identify as artists. Pursuing creative expression in the classroom results in “Increased self-confidence and self-understanding, enhanced communication skills, and improved cognition” (Swapp, 2016). There is scientific research to support why students should have exposure to art classes, but they are still not prioritized in most schools. In my experience, art classes were few and far between. As a future teacher, I want to start looking for ways to incorporate different types of creativity in the English classroom, creating opportunities for students to think in new ways.

I want to help foster creativity in my future classroom, and I think that one way to do this is to offer choices for students on big projects. I decided to make a list of possible assignments and options for students, so that in the future I can use this list as a resource for lesson planning.

Creative Options for Projects:

• Write a journal from a chosen character’s point of view
• Create a (diorama, painting, sculpture, presentation, or journal entry) for your chosen book
• Get in a small group and act out a scene from a play
• Paint a scene from the book and write a brief description of it
• Pick your favorite character from the book, draw/paint/create a portrait of how you imagine them, write a brief description of their characteristics
• Create a stop-motion animation of a scene from the book
• Cook a dish from the country that the book takes place in, bring it in for the class (could be extra-credit)
• Illustrate a timeline of the events in the book

One of my favorite assignments was in high school, when were each picked a book to read over the summer and had to do a book report. My teacher offered many options for creative book reports, including skits, dioramas, paintings, and presentations. When teachers give their students these options, they are not only providing an outlet for creativity, but they are giving kids a chance to express themselves and be individuals. When you have more options than just a simple power point presentation, you have the ability to put some of yourself into it, even if you did not enjoy the material. In this way, creative outlets can motivate students to put in work even when they don’t like the material.

When my teachers gave me options, I felt seen and heard in a way that regular assignments never accomplished. I want to bring my love of art and creativity to my future classroom in the same way that my favorite teachers did, providing artistic and personal expression, allowing for individuality, and encouraging students to make assignments motivating for them.

More Resources for the future:

• https://www.weareteachers.com/creative-book-report-ideas/
• https://teachnet.com/lessonplans/language-arts/more-ideas-than-ever-book-reports/
• https://writeshop.com/10-ideas-for-creative-book-reports/

Works Cited:

Swapp, Neil. “Creativity and Academics: The Power of an Arts Education.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 4 Oct. 2016, https://www.edutopia.org/blog/creativity-academics-power-of-arts-education-neil-swapp.