Replied to a Tweet by Todd Conaway (Twitter)
It is so subtle. Really powerful message about language, how expectations are understood, and how damaging to creativity our messages can be. Let me know what the results are.

It took me a while, but the results were great:

grid of pupil work

more info on the class blog: Creativity from a Triangle – Banton Biggies

Replied to Neil Almond on Twitter (Twitter)
“State of the comment saying creativity was stifled because they had to paint the same bird. Same with music. Only once you’ve mastered the foundations can you then start to break the mould and get creative. https://t.co/jgh7Eu859s”

This is worth a read: The Benefits of the Copy Stage of Making

H/T
@mrkrndvs

👍 The Benefits of the Copy Stage of Making | Read Write Collect

Replied to like: The Benefits of the Copy Stage of Making by Aaron DavisAaron Davis (collect.readwriterespond.com)

Thanks for this link Aaron. The idea that creating by copying is not very creative has often weighed on my mind. Especially in activities like coding in my multi-stage classroom, some pupils are mostly copying instructions. This link made me realise/remember the value of copying. Personally in my own creative endeavours I often start there.

Read Stop Trying To Be Creative by Christie Aschwanden
I recently finished a story I’d spent several months obsessing over. When I pitched the piece to my editor, I knew that I’d found a worthy subject, but I couldn’t quite articulate what the story was about. It wasn’t that I didn’t have the words — it’s that I didn’t have an answer yet...

Interesting read on where good ideas come from

 

Jim Groom bw

I’ve been reading Jim Groom’s bavatuesdays for a few years and though it following ds106:

Digital Storytelling (also affectionately known as ds106) is an open, online course that happens at various times throughout the year.

DS106 is pretty off the wall, but I’ve been inspired by it several times:

It has occasionally crossed my mind to join in with the course, but the time involved and the creative focus made me reluctant. However I do feel there is a lot to be learnt and some fun to be had by following the course so I started thinking about it. I popped a question in the comment box on Jim’s blog about using pivotx, this blogs software instead of the more usual wordpress. Jim got back very quickly and set me up with an account on ds106 which makes the decision about joining in over;-)

I am a wee bit nervous about jumping into something that requires visual creativity. While I am happy enough editing images, audio and video I am not good at visual thinking or design (many webpages attest to this) I do hope to have some fun around the edges. I am encouraged by Jim’s do what you like and leave the rest and welcoming attitude. I am looking froward to finding out a bit more about how the wordpress mechanics pull the course together and investigating this openest of online learning opportunities for the perspective of a learner and with an eye on my day job.

I’d be interested in knowing if any other Scottish educators are taking the course, perhaps we could offer a bit of local support to each other.

If you are interested in ds106 and want to know more Jim Groom – Wednesday Morning Keynote on YouTube is a great, if crackly, 40 minute intro (the animated gif above if from this).