Slow it down, and pay attention

 I love wandering through our learning spaces. I love watching good teachers at work. I love watching engaged students. I love seeing creativity in action. Today I wandered into our creative arts spaces, places that feed my educator's soul (they all do, actually!!). I came across a session with Whāea Rowena in which the students were being challenged to draw from nature, specifically creating botanical drawings.

I was aware from some conversations we'd had last year that Whāea Rowena did this, but all the same seeing it in action drew a gasp. I had to race along to the sciences area right next door to see if there was a scientist free and able to come see.. there wasn't, they were all hard at work with groups of their own

So why the gasp? Why the excitement? 

First, I think what I was seeing was an outstanding example of cross curriculum work, albeit with a visual arts 'bent'. That in itself is awesome.

I also reckon I was seeing several essential components of creativity: slowing ourselves down, and taking time to observe the world around us. In one of my other careers I worked in a regional museum, and there I met with various natural scientists. One was studying the Cadis fly. He would go out at night and set light traps in which he would catch things that flew, and the next day he would analyse what was in the traps. He would then proceed to draw by hand the specimens he had trapped. He was credited with discovering at least one previously unknown species (is that the correct term?) of Cadis fly. Taking the time to draw by hand requires careful observation, and his drawings were meticulous in their attention to detail, and artful at the same time.

This also put me in mind of the work of Elwyn Richardson. Richardson would often take students outside and have them observe the natural world, and then engage with that in various creative media - drawing, lino cuts, sculpture etc. These are some examples:

'In the early world', Elwyn Richardson', page 238, NZCER

'In the early world', Elwyn Richardson', page 239, NZCER

'Elwyn Richardson and the early world of creative education in New Zealand', Margaret MacDonald, NZCER

I talked afterwards with Whāea Rowena. This class work practises a number of those skills so necessary for creativity, but those of most significance in my mind (as a non arts educator) are the two already mentioned: taking the time to slow down, and taking the time to observe the world around us and to wonder. 

It put me in mind of the work of Professor Peter O'Connor and his colleagues on creativity in schools. In particular it put me in mind of this beautiful book (which frankly I can't recommend enough!!):

And all of this put me in mind of a poem I wrote last year about creativity:

And again I have to say thank you to NZCER, and to author and research Margaret MacDonald, for making both Elwyn Richardson's original book, and Margaret's wonderful analysis, available to us. Their support has meant a lot for our team and their mahi.

I am pleased to say that Whāea Rowena's lesson is not unique in our kura. Our children are blessed when they are able to participate in experiences like these. They are all a part of our education journey as a kura, a journey guided by our vision 'he puna auaha, a centre of creative excellence', a journey facilitated by our underlying pedagogy 'learn create share', one of many of the taonga that we receive as part of The Manaiakalani Programme.