Week in Review: Nine Big Ideas in Creativity Education

Here are some of the bigger stories in creativity education that inspired me this week:

1. The North Carolina Museum of Art received a $2 million grant from GlaxoSmithKline and its N.C. GSK Foundation to create a project called “The Big Picture” which aims to use art to enhance learning. Woo-hoo! Arts and Museum eduction, all wrapped up into one big, creative grant package!

2. A study by University of Chicago researchers has found that children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills, from Times of India.

3. TIME Magazine’s Time For Kids just released a new book, TIME For Kids Big Book of Science Experiments: A step-by-step guide, reviewed by Geek Dad of Wired Magazine.

4. A thoughtful article from Americans for the Arts on why institutions of higher education should include a focus on Arts Education.

5. Parents Play a Crucial Role in Building Kids’ Interest in Science and Math. The Girl Scouts released a study on teenage girls’ attitudes toward math and science. “Two-thirds of the girls who reported an interest in science, math or engineering had mothers or fathers who encouraged these interests, as compared to only one-third of girls who reported little interest in STEM.” While their organization is clearly focused on girls, they claim the study’s findings hold true for boys as well as girls. Click the article for more.

6. Andre Dubis III, author of House of Sand and Fog, shares how creative writing diverted him from a path of violence.

7. Are you thinking about sending your child to an arts camp this summer? You might want to read: Fingerpaint or Fine Arts: How to Choose and Arts Camp. From Saint Louis Times.

8. Get your kids in the kitchen and feed them for life. Says Katie Workman, Editor-in-Chief of Coooksr.com, “Like any skill, the older you get, the more difficult it is to learn. They will understand and appreciate food in a deeper way, they will be comfortable in the kitchen, they will develop broader palates, and they will be able to entertain people, which is an undervalued and ever-shrinking asset. You will be giving them a new place to discover things and be creative.”

9. An inspiring idea! Children in India participated in a Street Play Contest that helped build creative thinking. Designing their own performances based on big idea themes, “The kids showcased their creativity and poise while they broke the formal barriers and propagated social issues.”

10. What inspired YOU this week?