The educational system has mainly focused on making subjects such as math and science core parts of the curriculum and using lectures and textbooks as the main teaching tools. In recent years, educators and parents have come to recognize the benefits of nurturing creativity in students, and incorporate creativity into their academic studies. Whether you're in search of creative curriculum with which to home school your kids, or trying to find a school with the best creative curriculum, there are a number of creative content indicators to look for. A curriculum's textbooks, projects, activities, classes offered, and grading methods can all indicate whether or not it encompasses creativity.
The content of a textbook or workbook that supports a creative curriculum is one which endeavors to engage different students on a variety of levels. For example, a textbook that has lots of photos, illustrations, and other interesting images will attract the attention of students who learn on a visual level, while students who enjoy reading may be attracted to its conversational text. A multimedia approach to teaching is another indicator of a creative curriculum, and could mean deploying videos, games, and other audio and visual tools to support standard textbook material.
Projects and other assignments which offer students choices both foster and reflect creativity. For example, if students are studying outer space and are required to complete an assignment on the topic, they could be presented with the choice of writing a report, making models of planets, or designing their own educational game about space. The diverse range of classes offered in certain schools today is another sign of a creative curriculum. Private schools that specialize in the arts offer a particularly creative curriculum which may include classes focused in such subjects as dance, art, music, and theater.
The way in which a student's performance is evaluated also reflects a curriculum that is creative. Grades which take into consideration a student's attitude, problem-solving abilities, and overall approach to a subject can be assessed along with the student's test scores. This results in a richer, broader curriculum which places value on a student's approach to learning instead of just his or her test results.
