Rebecca+O´Brien

=__Rebecca O´Brien__= Email Address: beccabu@gmail.com School: American School of Quito

= Assignment 1: Creativity Scavenger Hunt =

When we were walking at the beginning of our hunt around the Carolina park, where I most saw Creativity was in the people. Some people were dancing, others practicing Capoeira, others wearing funny clothes. Maybe it was the concert, maybe it was just the youth-filled street. The interview of the audacious youths who stood on stage to sing to an unfamiliar crowd was the subject of our interview. I was struck at how eager they were to share music with the people, and the words that he said in the interview: "we just want to freely express ourselves, without having to write on walls or be aggressive with others." Having a way to express yourself, to be you, especially during adolescence is so hard! I really admire those youths for going up and sharing what they have, and choosing to sing songs that others would enjoy. The bicycle seat simply represented to me how dexterous and flexible people are in Quito -- they don't need to go buy the same seat at the store, they can simply make their own. My friend Lucho surprised me by pulling out a handy mustache that he kept on the side of his finger -- this was startling and refreshing at the same time. He is definitely an outside-of-the-box thinker.. My student with the electrical tape stuck to his face was also a shocker. I had so many thoughts going through my head at once -- one, that it will hurt to take off; two, why would you do that?; three, I'm confused. I realized that most of the prolific creative moments that I walk by as a teacher on a daily basis in school get these same reactions. The boy blinding his friend as she opened the locker was the first time when this clicked for me. I realized, there doesn't have to be a reason, it can just be because its fun, different or new. Now, going back to the park. The plane [that I had passed by so often while jogging and never even noticed!] that was painted all over got me thinking... why can't we paint ALL of the planes like this? Why do the designs of fleets of planes have to be painted so dully? I mean, we are putting them in the sky, so why don't we let our imaginations soar with them? When we were looking for inanimate objects communicating in a new way, I looked around and was really drawn to those snails. I never had a snail to climb on when I was a kid! Then, when I saw the red slides spelling out the letter "R"... it all started to come together for me. The monkey bars aren't communicating differently than before, necessarily, but it was as if we started to read them in a new way. Once we shifted our gaze, we saw how everything could be spelled out in any possible word we wanted! In a sense, we had solved our own problem by becoming flexible in our vision. The chickens strapped to the back of the car, even though I almost missed it, seemed to be the funniest, because I was torn between a "Why would someone do that?" reaction and "Why not?" I felt bad for the chickens, true, but the problem of keeping their smell and waste out of the car seemed to be fixed quite easily with this simple remedy. The lady with the very broken umbrella seemed to be shouting "Somebody! Please! Take this from me and throw it away before I see where you put it and take it out of the trash again!" I know the sun is hot, but it seems her needing shade isn't quite being resolved with such a broken umbrella. Shakespeare delt with many things in his play, including superstition, tragedy, and deeper truths such as justice and God's punishment. This graffiti touched me because "Without god, without a master" brought out a very interesting question: can we be in control of our destiny and our lives? I can definitely see this fit into the Elizabethan Age which was around the time of the Reformation, when people were breaking free of the Catholic Church. Mozart's symphonies always sounded to me like a cascade of notes, and the fountains (with their timed intervals and drops of sounds) seemed to have captivated that little boy as much as the music does for me. The overlapping patterns and multiple sounds reminded me that fountains are making their own music, if we only just stop to listen. My favorite photo is of the women blow-torching the pig, with the knife in it's back and front leg severed. With the pick-up truck in the background, her baseball hat, slippers and apron, it was such a funny combination! The food preparation of pigs in Ecuador I will always remember about how the country folk live in Ecuador, and I wanted to dedicate them the Murray McLauchlin Farmer Song because all people should have a song they can hear on the radio to symbolize their "straw hats and old dirty hankies"! I just could imagine her listening to that song as she burned that ol' pig. In all of this Scavenger Hunt, I realized how I need to overcome my own limits and pre-conceived notions of what is acceptable and comfortable. Many of the most creative things we encountered I realized I was responding to negatively or doubtfully. Each person who gave something of themselves, through self-expression, to the world with no other reason than because they felt like it, deserves my respect and gratitude for opening my eyes to how humans can contribute with their Creativity to improving our daily experiences. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DETAILED ACCOUNTING OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE SCAVENGER HUNT AND THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. THE ONLY ADDITION THAT WOULD ENHANCE YOUR ELABORATE ANALYSIS WOULD BE THE INCLUSION OF BARRON AND EISNER'S FACTORS EXPLICITLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE ASSIGNMENT.

= Assignment 2: Application of Creative Strategies =
 * Lesson #1**
 * Discipline:** Humanities
 * Strategies:** Attribute Listing
 * Objectives:**
 * Define and describe the different branches of Christianity that were created during the Reformation.


 * Essential Question**: How do the branches of Protestantism differ from one another?

In attribute listing, the students list the attributes of an object, idea, or in this case a branch of Christianity. Students can then combine the attributes in order to come up with their own new branch of Christianity.
 * Description of the Strategy:**


 * Implementing the Activity:**
 * 1) Students will be divided into groups of three, and will select a type of Christianity from a hat.
 * 2) Each group will make a list of three-five attributes of that make this type of Christianity unique. (This can include beliefs, opinions, rules or leaders.) They will write these on separate post-it notes.
 * 3) Students then will come to the front of the class and paste their attributes on the board.
 * 4) The teacher will then ask the students to look at all of the attributes on the board, and choose five that they would want to use to create their own version of Christianity.
 * 5) Each group, after having selected and created a new version, will have to present in virtual form using any technological tool to present and defend their choices in front of the class. They will have to justify their decisions by explaining how this combination of attributes makes their branch the ‘truest’ form of Christianity.
 * 6) __Evaluation__: Teacher will verify the attributes of each group’s original list, to make sure that they defined all of the unique traits of their branch. In the presentation, the teacher will observe the students reasons for choosing and defending the five attributes they chose, and how well they describe these said attributes in the new religion.


 * Resources**: Student notebooks, classroom textbook (Ch.17.3-4), five post-its per group (50 per parallel), marker, adhesive tape, optional – personal laptop for presentations.

I THINK YOUR LESSON HAS GREAT POSSIBILITIES FOR HAVING STUDENTS RECREATE AN IDEA BY COMBINING ASPECTS OF DIFFERENT IDEAS TO FORM A NEW POSSIBILITY.
 * Reflection: (I am no longer teaching classes this year... but will definitely implement this next year!!) **
 * Lesson #2**
 * Discipline:** Humanities
 * Strategy:** Morphological Matrix
 * Objectives:**
 * **Understand the connection between advancements and declines of American civilizations**
 * Brainstorm ideas and situations to be included on a morphological matrix within the Humanities Unit 5 on the Aztec, Maya and Inca civilizations.
 * Select from the morphological matrix a combination of factors and explain how these work together (or against one another) to prevent the fall of a civilization.

A morphological matrix is a tool that can be used to combine ideas, situations, and other attributes that might not otherwise be paired together. __Steps__:
 * Description of the Strategy:**
 * 1) Introduce students to the use of a morphological matrix. Start by listing the ideas that might fall into a certain category, technological advances (inventions) for example. Brainstorming could be used for this step.
 * 2) Identify additional categories that are to be combined with the first. Students, will then begin listing the ideas that fall into each of these categories.
 * 3) Organize the categorical lists along a matrix. (Figure does not copy well onto this wiki..)
 * 4) Students can then make the combinations of problems and the tools that could be used for solving these problems in the Americas.
 * 5) Students will choose three combinations and write them on note cards. They will then (on the back) evaluate how the tool could be used or changed to help counteract the problem of the civilization.

This is a great review activity, especially because the Unit question is “Why do all civilizations end?”. By using the matrix, students can then brainstorm from all of what they remember, both from other civilizations (Europe, Middle East) thus far studied, and also include the American ones. I think that using this morphological matrix would be a great way to start off a unit about exploration and can be used to pre-assess some of what the students know about the topic prior to beginning of the unit. Students could list all of the possible combinations of tools and modes of exploration that they have created using the morphological matrix.
 * Implementing the Activity:**

I would assess the use of this strategy by the students by having them prevent in group discussions the ideas they brainstormed for each category and about the combinations they created using the matrix. They will then reflect as a class on how the fall of each of the three civilizations could´ve been prevented, citing which tools or inventions. REMEMBER THE GOAL IS TO COME UP WITH A UNIQUE SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM. MAKE SURE YOU STRESS THAT ASPECT AS THE FINAL OUTCOME.
 * Assessment/Follow-up:**

= Assignment 3: Class Participation and Reflections = **Pre-Assignment:**
 * //FIVE MAIN POINTS I FIND COMPELLING FROM THESE ARTICLES://**

1. The biggest obstacle to overcome and implement project-based learning is inertia: involving yourself more as a teacher and putting in more effort in planning. 2. Engaging student´s natural curiosity is the path of least resistance, despite wanting to control everything (which doesn´t work). 3. Unpredictability is uncomfortable, and debilitating for teachers when asked to prepare students for an unseen future. 4. Schools are mining minds for certain things. 5. Mistakes are stigmatized. CAN YOU COMMENT ON WHY YOU CHOSE THESE IDEAS?
 * //HOW DO I NURTURE CREATIVITY IN MY CLASSROOM?//**

THESE ARE ALL POSSIBILITIES TO INSPIRE CREATIVE THOUGHT
 * Offer choice in projects,
 * Use movies to inspire debate or thought,
 * Ask open-ended questions,
 * Allow for ´random tangent´ discussions to take place,
 * Extra-credit opportunities to explore questions unanswered. (for example, “Descartes, I think therefore I am.” Or the Golden Ratio expressed in things around us.
 * //THREE UNDERSTANDINGS/SKILLS I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE://**

1. How to move from a teacher-centered to student-centered classroom of 25 students. 2. To embrace mistakes and help students unafraid to commit them in order to learn. 3. To think outside of the box when designing projects, and activities. To bring students outside! I HOPE THE CLASS ACTIVITIES, DISCUSSIONS, AND READINGS HELPED YOU ACCOMPLISH YOUR STATED OBJECTIVES FOR THIS COURSE.

Task 3: Block-busting Creativity
What are my own boxes? What does Jason's Box signify?

Honestly, I saw Jason's box as really representative of the cycles of (the Hindu/Buddhist belief of) reincarnation (of discovering one's opportunity of permanent wisdom and rebirth). As soon as we leave or surpass one earthly challenge of our existence, we are confronted with the next one. It's not as easy at it seems. We are forever changed by, or tinted (by the colors we break out of), our experiences and challenges. We are never left empty of our facing problems and failing-- all of our failures add to the human greater wisdom, the one that leads us to our eventual release. I am not a proclaimed Buddhist or Hinduist believer by any means, but I have seen how my experience, just in this lifetime, plus my conscious observation of what I do over and over again, has transformed my life. I have had to pull, push, stick my face through the wall, I've fallen to the floor liquidized, and pulled myself together, only to come through a little bit wiser, if anything. So far in my twenties, I've pushed through some levels of self-questioning, doubt, feeling 'square,' only to realize that I'm that much farther from becoming "enlightened " or truly wise. Many Greek scholars have said, "the more you know, the more you see how little you know."... What is my box? I have many, not just one. They fall over me in many angles constantly, and come from (probably) many lifetimes. I know that I have many intellectual blocks, I assume things are not allowed without having to be told explicitly, before it is explicitly declared so. Or when it comes to perceptual blocks, as a teacher I feel I am weak providing means of learning for those students that aren't //visual-kinesthetic//, because I don´t learn that way. Environmentally, I do have an active fear of doing something new, or outside of the norm, (without 'permission') with people I don´t know. I think this is because I was an over-achieving approval-seeking youth. This is why I love to be a teacher, though. When I see my students beating me to the punch -- they form new questions and doubts I couldn't have ever come up with myself. When they ask me things I've never thought about, which helps keep me on my toes. I encourage them with extra credit to go find out the answers that I can´t provide. My students are my principle means, at this point, of keeping my eyes towards the skies. HOW INSPIRATIONAL AND KEY TO WHY YOU SHOULD EMBRACE BEING A TEACHER. Cultural blocks are everywhere, I know, but living the last 6 years of my life abroad, I feel I have no solidified "culture" system in some ways. Since the age of 18, I have lived more time abroad than in the U.S. (When I go home, people actually ask me, "Where are you from?") I am now neither here nor there. My cultural block, I feel, is the expectation that everything SHOULD be efficient, logical, and productive like in the U.S. culture. Being polite, saying thank you, no cutting in line, these things I expect to be universal. Even in another country, I still get mad. I´m going to Hong Kong in two months to live, and there I am SURE these blocks will be hitting me over the head.

[[image:1-800-Bribebusters.JPG width="800" height="597"]]
I paused before giving a bribe to get my Chinese visa, asked the audience what I should do. Then get 'interrupted' by this ad (to the music of Ghostbusters), saying it IS possible to not have to bribe someone to get your way!

Task 5: Creative Math Problem
**ZACK the Massai Pre Warrior with witch doctor powers is talking to a man who is complaining about his constipated cow, which is leading to a lack of manure in his fields. Zach is explaining to caller that in order for a cure to be offered, he will need to purchase for Zach:** 4 shiny beads, 1 bead = $ 1,00 5 shell, 1 shell = $1,00 2 medals, 1 medal = $15 1 lion tooth = $ 50,00 1 rabbit’s tail = $ 5,00 1 lock of human hair = $ 0,10 5 red beans, 1 bean = $ 0,25 1 toe bone of a bat = $ 100, 00 5 shavings of eyebrow hair, 1= $0,10

//**Would it be financially better for the caller to just buy a new cow (cost $200) or to fix his constipated cow?**// YOUR GROUP ACCOMPLISHED GREAT MATH BY LETTING YOURSELVES BE CREATIVE AND HAVE FUN WITH THE ASSIGNMENT.

Assignment 4: Socratic Seminar
Points I want to make about my TED video and the article. 4 P's of Creativity. Person: Mikhaly's article on the Creative personality focused on this topic. It spoke of the duality of the creative nature, and that all creative minds have certain traits in common. Product: Shaffi Mather's TED video on creating a bribe-busting company focuses on creating a product that solves a problem and is extremely sustainable because it uses only a percentage of the potential money that would've been used for bribes to run the company and overhead costs. Press: The press in the TED video is that people are becoming forced in numerous situations to give bribes in order to cut corners and time off of bureaucratic processes. Process: The process is ingenious, as asking for a relatively smaller fee, of what would be money used anyways for bribes ($1 trillion dollars a year -- the GDP of India!) is as what Mather says in an untapped market, which is booming. He not only would be changing society for the better, it would be a for-profit business. Based on a part of human society that has existed (and will continue to) for thousands of years.

__Universal__: (Shaffi's TED video) Is corruption able to be erased from society? Is anything impossible to do? How does improbability press or repress Creativity? __Close-Ended__: What is one thing you disagreed with in your article? __Open-Ended__: Can creativity be described and honed down into a few characteristics? What is the point of saying creative people are both sides of each personality trait? Would this imply that ALL people are creative, then? __World Connection__: How does the current school structure help or inhibit the development of a creative personality? What should or can be changed starting tomorrow? (Be creative!!)

OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS THAT ARE WELL CONNECTED TO YOUR ARTICLE AND TED TALK. BRAVO.