Discusses six forms of artistic thinking and how they can contribute to the improvement of schooling. For example, in art one learns that form and content are inseparable. Applied to schooling, this lesson means that how a subject is taught is as important as what is taught. Integrating the "how" and "what" (form and content) are essential for…

The ways in which the mind creates new worlds, new contexts, and possible alternate realities are described. It is proposed that with this information, facility in devising new worlds and realities may be enhanced and imaginative reach expanded. (MSE)

Generating ideas for play and following instructions were studied with 15 children (ages 6 to 15) with autism, 15 children with learning difficulties, and 15 younger normal children. Children with autism were as able as controls in following instructions; they were impaired at generating original actions with a car but were not impaired with a…

Educators need to expand their ideas concerning acceptable ways to express knowledge. By restricting students to traditional ways of expression and evaluation, teachers may be preventing them from fully exploring and displaying their knowledge. Students' artwork can provide teachers with an additional way to evaluate learners' understandings of…

Discussed is the identification and stimulation of creative imagination imagery. (Author/DLS)

Teacher evaluation should take into consideration the artistic aspects of teaching, which are ignored by rigid evaluation formats. To do this, principals should participate in the classroom; observe the total learning environment; learn how a teacher deals with peers, students, and parents; and gain perceptions of the students themselves.…

Describes a way of teaching art which emphasizes the heart and the senses. (SJL)

Explores the story of "Peter Pan." Considers its creation, its role on the stage, and its impact on society. Considers how "Peter Pan" is about the inability to have make-believe and the true stick together: it dramatizes an artistic failure, the failure to make the vision of the play successful. (SG)

Defines "guided imagery" as an experience/exercise led by a teacher/facilitator that allows participants to more fully use their imaginations. Discusses some important dimensions of guided imagery, including safety issues, building skills, respecting individual response, dissent, debriefing, emotion and imagination, scripting, pacing,…

Untutored dramatic play (free, undirected play) and tutored dramatic play (creative drama) involve interaction, symbolic transformation, and imagination as children enact roles in imaginary situations. Both types of play serve the child's artistic, emotional, and intellectual needs. They differ in the degree of spontaneity, consistency of play,…

Advises teachers desiring to be more creative to ask "what else?" and "what if?" to trigger their students' imaginations. Two other useful techniques are "showing it" to introduce new concepts and "faking it" to invite participation and encourage involvement. Having fun won't hurt! (MLH)

4MAT is an eight-step instructional cycle that capitalizes on individual learning styles and brain dominance processing preferences. The four major learners (imaginative, analytic, common sense, and dynamic) can use 4MAT to engage their whole brain. Learners use their most comfortable style while being challenged to function in less comfortable…

Artistic activities are frequently called imaginative or valuable in developing students' imagination. However, it is not always clear what imagination means. This paper examines questions related to what imagination is, describes the importance of imaginative thinking, and presents educational implications. The paper concludes that imaginative…

Activities are presented which involve folding and cutting paper, and then describing the finished product before opening the paper. (JT)

Penetrates educational rallying symbols and technological paradigms to celebrate Donald Schon's reflection-in-action approach to teaching. Advances an alternative, nonpartisan vision of American Education that fulfills promises, opens spaces for inquiry and dialog, and overcomes a spreading passivity. Affirms freedom, imagination, passion, and the…