Lara Craig

A classroom either in person or online is a space that is complete only when it is full of the unique individuals that inhabit it. It is a space that should be reflective of those individuals. Their choices, decision making skills and creations.

Inclusiveness is not simply about differentiating tasks. It is about ensuring that each students contribution is valued and is given the support and encouragement required to flourish. It is through each students’ unique strengths and challenges that we can have the opportunity to learn from one another within a safe space.
One that works together by listening, respecting and celebrating one another’s unique ideas, perspectives, and knowledge but also in challenging preconceived ideas and biases in light of new learning.

What does effective teaching and learning look like?
This is a complex question and one that I will always reflect on. Currently, I believe that quality teaching should encourage collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. In my own classroom I hope to, integrate arts-based approaches to encourage these dispositions and skill sets. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, they are qualities that foster positive relationships and attitudes to learning in general. Secondly, I think these attributes will be highly valued in the future. Because the arts can expose students to multiple ways of thinking, through nurturing creativity and imagination (Gibson & Ewing, 2020). The arts can also help to build social skills, through sharing ideas, self-expression and communication (The Kennedy Centre, n.d.). Which are all valuable social skills. Research has recently pointed to the arts for promoting mental health and its links to increased academic performance (Martin, B. 2020). With anxiety and depression now more prevalent than ever (Marinucci, A., et al, 2022), it is paramount that positive attitudes to learning are fostered. Both from one another and connecting with the wider community.
The arts process also involves risk- taking. Experimentation, failure and resilience are all elements of this. Giving students opportunities to make something uniquely theirs after a process of trial, error, self-reflection and creative inspiration is something I value deeply. Through failure students can learn resilience which can fuel motivation (Miles, M. 2022). It is my job to ensure that failure isn’t seen as a negative. Rather is the result of being fully engaged. Failure can also be a space in which to implement support, discussion and collective encouragement. It is an integral part of the critical thinking process. Ken Robinson was an advocate of the importance of creativity in schools. He argued that creativity can be a catalyst for ‘…discovery and passion for the work itself. When students are motivated to learn, they naturally acquire the skills to get the work done.’ (2015, April 22).
Knowledge is a chase that never ends, nor should we want it to.
I aim to provide quality opportunities for creative thinking and skills development. Questioning and forward focused feedback are central in achieving this. Knowledge is a chase that never ends, nor should we want it to. I believe collaboration, creativity and critical thinking are the skill sets that young minds will need to be equipped with, in an ever-changing world. Already, we see that with a touch of a button programs like ChatGPT can use artificial intelligence to automatically output a variety of texts. We need minds that can showcase the significance of human creativity and the joy of being. Adreas Schleicher (2019) states, “The modern world doesn’t reward you for what you know, but for what you can do with what you know”. By giving students opportunities to imagine and create in real and imagined contexts you give them opportunities to learn about themselves and others, through how they think. The power of collaboration, creativity and critical thinking is that it can both challenge and ignite new learning and meaning.