Everyday Creativity with Ruth Richards
What is ‘everyday creativity,’ and how might it help us promote well-being in the classroom?
Matthew Worwood and I just launched Season Nine of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, with a double expresso from a true legend in the field of creativity, Dr. Ruth Richards. Dr. Richards is an educational psychologist, board-certified psychiatrist, and creativity professor at Saybrook University. Her work has significantly contributed to our understanding of creativity, consciousness, spirituality, and integrative health.
Dr. Ruth Richards was instrumental in coining the term ‘Everyday Creativity,’ which is defined as individuals’ ability to generate originality and meaningfulness in our daily lives. Everyday creativity is not as much about what you do but how you do it.
Here are five key takeaways from our enlightening conversation with Dr. Ruth Richards:
- Ask Students Thought-Provoking Questions: Stimulate curiosity and critical thinking by posing open-ended questions that challenge students to consider their passions and interests.
- Embrace Mindfulness and Awareness: Encourage internal and external mindfulness to help students stay present and open to creative ideas.
- Balance Structure with Creativity: While maintaining necessary discipline, incorporate flexible activities that allow students to naturally explore and express their creativity.
- Integrate Nature into Lessons: Use the natural world as a tool for inspiration and creative thinking, allowing students to draw connections between nature and their learning.
- Model Everyday Creativity: Demonstrate your own creative thinking and problem-solving processes in everyday classroom activities, inspiring students to adopt a similar mindset.
Dr. Richards’ insights remind us of creativity’s impact on personal and social well-being. I encourage you to listen to this special double expresso and explore the show notes for further links to her fantastic work!
Dr. Cyndi Burnett
My Bio
Dr. Cyndi Burnett is the Director of Possibilities for Creativity and Education. Like her creativity-focused curriculum for students and teachers, Cyndi embraces the creative lifestyle that she teaches. You will often find her trying on new ideas, exploring resources to stretch her thinking, and being an advocate for playfulness and humor. Although she loves to research and write about creativity, Cyndi is a firm believer in field service. She has 20 years of teaching experience as an academic at the International Center for Studies in Creativity at SUNY Buffalo State where she instructed classes in creative-thinking and creative problem-solving.
Cyndi is the co-author of the books Infusing Creative Thinking into Higher Education, Weaving Creativity into Every Strand of Your Curriculum, 20 Lessons for Weaving Creativity into your Curriculum, and My Sandwich Is a Spaceship: Creative Thinking for Parents and Young Children.