Review "Whether you are a student teacher starting out, or an experienced teacher looking to spruce up your teaching methods, then The Creative Teaching and Learning Toolkit needs to be on your bookshelf... It has an impecible pedigree, being built of the pioneering work of Eric Jensen, Colin Rose, Alistair Smith and Barry Teare, and places creativity and innovation at the heart of teaching and learning but is still 'rooted in academic rigour'... This is the beauty of this co-authored book; it brings together the best teaching approaches aligned with performance coaching, so that being creative in the classroom becomes natural for both teacher and learner." Classroom, Spring 2008This book is timely and refreshingly engaging. Forget your preconceptions of collage and mime; this book looks at 360 creativity, from the perspectives of pupils, teachers and school systems. This book is about real change, not just about new teaching initiatives. In the introduction it identifies creativity as the principle factor that binds together all effective teachers; and states loudly and clearly that effective teaching enables better learning. Having acknowledged this, the book becomes a blueprint for teachers who wish to push themselves and the system to create significantly better opportunities and outcomes for children and young people. At one level it provides practical pedagogic approaches to exploit and enhance pupils' creativity; such as encouraging pupils to generate and share analogies and metaphors relevant to them when they learn new concepts and processes. At another level it outlines creative approaches which can be employed to change the climate for learning by translating values into action, for example with respect to the ways that teachers communicate with pupils. Attention is also paid to teachers' learning; promoting an understanding of the qualities of effective teachers, and highlighting the value of creative and reflective thinking in individual and school development. The book concludes with a valuable self-evaluation tool (also found on the CDRom accompanying the book), and a glossary of buzz-words. --Sanford LakoffListed as the 9th out of the 10 top titles for newly qualified teachers Headteacher Update, 1 January 2009--Sanford Lakoff'A larger and an extremely diverse collection of activity ideas.'--Sanford Lakoff Synopsis This book aims to help you become a more effective teacher through a new teaching and learning framework which centres on the key role of creativity. Inside you will learn how to use creativity to reinvigorate teaching across all subject areas, thereby inspiring learners to reach their potential. Through a highly practical and inclusive approach, the book equips you with a range of common-sense strategies and tools designed to build on your existing knowledge and skills. They include: an easy to follow five-stage framework for effective teaching and learning that presents clear and fresh thinking about what helps learners succeed; over 200 strategies, tools and tips to enhance your creative thinking and that of your students; diverse case studies showing how other teachers have used creativity to enhance their teaching and get the desired results; and a CD containing electronic versions of a range of key documents from the book which can form the basis of your own tailored development programme. Award-winning authors Brin Best and Will Thomas draw on a wealth of teaching experience from a range of schools in the UK.With the aid of interactive self-evaluation exercises, they guide you through a step by step model that will pinpoint what you need to do to take your teaching to the next level. The book will help you make the transition from a talented teacher to a truly creative teacher, and will help you to rediscover the joy of teaching within the contemporary classroom. See all Product description
W**N
Five Stars
Fab ☺
H**N
This book is for secondary school teachers
It only tells you its for secondary teachers in the opening chapter. It does make you think about your teaching in a general way, but it would take a lot of time to study and adapt. I only looked through it quickly, but found that I already use many of the ideas, albeit in adapted form, in my primary classroom (mnemonics, raps, objects, puppet shows, including children in planning, visualising success, using music, creating a positive classroom etc. etc.). I suppose it makes you re-examine and evaluate how you teach, no matter the age range, but the materials are either unsuitable, or would need to be heavily adapted for use in the primary sector. If you're not already teaching this way then you're not primary trained!
J**W
Excellent!
This is a fascinating book which goes way below the surface of merely offering a set of quick fix ideas to use in the classroom (and there are LOTS of ideas!) It is an inspiring book which really breathes fresh air into the classroom. If you are feeling worn down it will re-energise you! Ideas that I have used with students have been a huge success and very easily implemented. There are so many applications to be drawn from the book - the questions and tools that I am using on myself are providing interesting food for thought. Fantastic on so many levels and immediately accessible! Great to have the CD with all materials too. I highly recommend this book.
N**N
Learning about what matters most about teaching and learning
This book is full of practical ideas, with useful frameworks to help energise and inspire teachers to be creative in their approaches to teaching and learning. Afterall, its this stuff that makes learning exciting and worthwhile. I find the way it is set out particularly helpful and allows you to really focus on one aspect of interest at a time. Teaching is such a creative activity and it's important to have resources such as this to help develop that creativity we all have, without being too prescriptive. It's also been invaluable for when working with teachers in workshops and training situations. I would recommend using it with the Creative Teaching & Learning Resource Book - one supports the other for really powerful learning experiences.
N**U
A real Toolkit for teachers!
Practical,informative and thought provoking all in one-now that makes a valuable resource!Whatever angle you are coming from (whole school approach/individual classroom) when working on curriculum development this book is a treasure of tools. It gives you ideas and frameworks for establishing the values to underpin the changes aswell as ways to design a more creative approach. As someone who works with many schools and a number of Local Authorities around the UK I have found this really useful in the development work with teachers in the area of designing more creative learning opportunities.They feedback that the ideas really work in the classroom and from this grows their confidence to become even more creative!This can only benefit the learning of their pupils. A must for every teacher/school resource centre.
T**L
An excellent resource
This book to be an excellent resource. I particularly liked the framework for teaching which I found to be clearly presented with the numerous practical suggestions that are littered throughout. It works very well with the resource book (of the same name) which is packed with superb strategies as well. I found that it works as well for adult training situations as it does in the classroom. I would happily recommend this text to any teacher or trainer that I work with.
M**S
You'll find yourself enjoying professional development, perhaps for the first time!
Wow - so much for so little, as not only are you going to feel you are making things better for you and your pupils, but there is reassurance that you are on the right lines in the first place, AND you get a CD of the resources shown in the book! At this price, you'd be daft not to buy it!As you read, you feel that you are having a conversation with someone, who is gently leading you on a learning journey. You feel empathised with that development is not easy, and some parts may not be what you are looking for just then, as there are suggestions to move to other chapters if you don't fancy the next one and to come back later.There are ideas to try both for yourself and your pupils, whatever age range you teach - one of the best I saw today was about why pupils may not feel like learning in the first place and some suggestions on how to change it.It is resource to make you think. You may just dip in, but I think you will find yourself reading more than you expected, and enjoying it - I certainly am!
G**Y
A fresh look at creativity
Its a fresh look.....at an important area we all need to think about (meaning practising teachers! }:o)) ... May not suit the academic or business orientated but it's accessible, practical, full of simple, easy to use ideas and provides a framework for thinking about what you do in the classroom to make learning interesting for the kids. I recommend it to any open-minded colleague.....up there with Paul Ginnis....its part of my toolkit.
M**N
An Excellent Resource
This is an outstanding resource in my opinion. I am an Advanced Skills Teacher working with staff on teaching and learning issues in the county of Norfolk.
K**V
Poor
This book is NOT what it promises at all. I can not believe how people can write positive reviews about it.
A**Y
Thought Provoking yet practical
Wow what a clever piece of writing in depth research easily digested balanced with sound practical advice Thanks for stimulating my thoughts and provoking me into addressing my...
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