encouraging creative thinking

Here are some awesome suggestions from Parents magazine for creative thinking. As an art teacher, I love telling students that there isn't a right way or a wrong way to finish an art project. Too often, I have students who just copy exactly what I do, but I'm more excited by students who invent their own original ideas!

Today the 2nd graders at Faubion learned about landscapes and we discussed different habitats they could design. In my fourth year of doing this project, I've seen lots of mountains, lakes, hills, and trees, but today I saw THREE new ideas I haven't seen before! I saw students drawing swirly patterns for wind, smoking and erupting volcanoes, and gigantic splashing waterfalls! I was thrilled :] Let's keep that imaginative and creative thinking going!!