In recent weeks, I have planned some of the most creative GCSE revision sessions I have ever delivered. Why? The same reasons that any teacher plans creative lessons. To increase engagement, to appeal to different learning styles, to contextualise learning and make their learning experience memorable. Whilst all of the students engaged and took part in the majority of these sessions, it got to a point a couple of days before their exam where they "just wanted me to teach". The students wanted me to talk at them whilst they took notes, they wanted me to put aside my activities carefully planned to appeal to VAK learning styles...they just wanted me to teach. So I did. I have been pondering this ever since...it was certainly a new experience for me...to have students dictating the way in which they were taught, but why not? They all sat, took notes and learnt. It felt strange for me to teach in such a simple way, but it did get me thinking about the student's perspective on lessons. What was their motivation for asking not to be taught how I had planned? Could they not see the learning for all the creativity? Did they think it to be a waste of time? Indeed....is it? Do students feel that they are learning when we blur that focus with creative teaching techniques, or are we tricking them into learning something and, if so, is that a problem? I find it interesting that these students who for recent years will have been bombarded with innovation and creativity within their lessons craved 'proper teaching'. This indeed maybe because they realised their exam was imminent, but regardless does this not tell us that when it comes down to it students acknowledge they can learn by being spoken at?
So what then is the purpose of teaching creatively? I suppose one would not know the different between a Breakfast and Earl Grey Tea unless they had tried both. Likewise with creative and non-creative (?!) teaching.
In the school I am currently in, the purpose behind my teaching creatively comes mainly down to behaviour management. I know my classes will not respond if they have to listen to me talk to them. Jazz it up a bit however, have the same information recorded like a radio broadcast and they will be attentive and engaged. Strange, these children we teach! There is no question though, that without creatively taught lessons the progress of my students would be limited. I would only capture the interests of a minority of students rather than the majority. I would probably be bored with what I was teaching, and OFSTED certainly would not approve.
However these musings do not and will not stop my day to day edu-tainment strategies which I dutifully and willingly put into place to support the learning happening in my classroom. I enjoy teaching in creative and innovative ways. I enjoy seeing students learn through a different approach, and on seeing them ever so slightly on edge as they line up outside my room not knowing what to expect from the lesson that awaits.
I teach in hope that students recognise how they learn from different teaching strategies. I know not all of my classes are responsible enough over their own learning to request a different teaching style, but maybe one day they will be.
