PURPLE CRAYONS, RANDOM DOTS, AND PEANUT BUTTER

SANDWICHES:

Frances Weinstein YatesLibrary DirectorIndiana University East (Richmond)American Library AssociationJune 26, 2010

Children’s Literature as Catalyst for Creativity

and Change in the Workplace

The use of imagination or original ideasCreativity (or creativeness) is a mental process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations between existing ideas or conceptsCreativity is the ability to solve problems that are worth solving. It is the ability to create knowledgeCreativity is subject-specific: it is the meta-knowledge of how to solve a specific class of problems. So there is no such thing as a raw, undifferentiated creativityActively attending to the management of ideas

WHAT IS CREATIVITY? DEFINITIONS

Recognizing problems that may or may not be apparent to others Seeing beyond societal definitions and accepting ambiguity Solving problems by finding parallels and connections between

disparate or dissimilar concepts or processes Developing innovative solutions to worthwhile problems Creating something new that is recognized as having social utility

Roger von Oech (pragmatic) – author of A Whack on the side the head and A Kick in the seat of the pants. “Everyone has a 'risk muscle.' You keep it in shape by trying new things. If you don't, it atrophies. Make a point of using it at least once a day.”

David Perkins (pragmatic) – “Snowflake model” – Six traits needed for creativity are commitment to re-creating, simplifying or focusing; excelling in finding problems; mental mobility; willingness to take risks; objectivity; inner motivation

Howard Gardner (cognitive psychology) - Creativity is an aspect of each of the 8 intelligences, not a separate intelligence. The multiple intelligences are linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic.

Edward de Bono (cognitive) – “Six Thinking Hats” model used in business and education: each hat is a different color, representing types of thinking. Creativity (green hat) involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.

Mihaly Csikszentmihaly (social psychology) – “Flow” – concentration on the creative process requires clear goals, curiosity, intrinsic interest and motivation, perseverance, time for thinking, evaluating possible solutions, and translating the ideas into practical solutions.

CREATIVITY EXPERTS & THEIR IDEAS

Encourages flexibility for adapting to changes Staff more likely to be intrinsically motivated to be productive

Engages and energizes staff Facilitates collaborative working groups

Fosters dynamic rather than reactive change

Discerning which problems require inventive approachesConstructing new associations between

existing ideas or conceptsWilling to take risks and accept scrutiny of ideas

Focusing on questioningAvoiding blocks to creativity

APPLYING ESSENTIALS OF CREATIVE THINKING IN THE

LIBRARY WORKPLACE

Discomfort disagreeing with others or hesitancy to try different solutions than are typical (concerned with what colleagues will think of your ideas)

Not knowing when to move away from thinking about the problem so that you can gain fresh perspectives (not giving yourself “incubation” or “pondering” time); Giving up when you have a period of time without any new ideas

External rather than intrinsic motivation Self-criticism Not being playful and exercising our right-brain

HOW CAN CHILDREN’S BOOKS FOSTER CREATIVITY IN

ADULTS?Enhance mental mobilityImprove self-perception of

creative role identityDevelop divergent thinking Promote pondering Create a safe climate for

innovation

The books featured in this presentation represent fundamental components of creativity: Openness to experience Multiple perspectives Questioning Pondering Humor

WHICH CHILDREN’S BOOKS?

SELF-PERCEPTION: CREATIVE ROLE IDENTITY

Catalyst Activities:• stuffed messages • let it go: kiss it goodbye• free-writing

CREATIVITY CAN BE LEARNED

Catalyst Activities:• thumbies• anagrams and Agee• talking pictures• brainwriting 6-3-5• wear a green hat• 1 + 1 = a ton• library limericks

CREATIVE MIND-SET

Catalyst Activities:• Notice your noticing• Collect popcorn thoughts• Fortunately exercise• Big C, little c• Bubble map

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

Catalyst Activities:• Top Ten Tips thinking• assumption busting• assumption surfacing • boundary examination• bugs• re-thinking via rebus

PONDERING…

Catalyst Activities:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8FHCiG-_PM

• Do nothing

SEEING THINGS DIFFERENTLY

Catalyst Activities:• talking pictures• change of scenery• bunches of bananas• scamper

CREATIVE RESPONSE TO CHANGE

Catalyst Activities:• differenting• inside outside upside down• fuzzy boundaries • one-a-day change• listmania

Creativity is necessary in any library to proactively adapt to change. Budget challenges necessitate innovation. Individual risk taking and group trust are essential components for a

creative workplace environment. Children’s literature can open staff to think and act beyond current

wisdom, resulting in “unboxed” solutions. Sharing ideas results in shared solutions!

ONE MORE TIME: WHY BE CREATIVE?

Frances’ Faves: selective resources for background information: De Bono, Edward. Six Thinking Hats, Back Bay Books 1999. Fox, L. Mark. Da Vinci and the 40 Answers: A Playbook for Creativity and Fresh

Ideas, 2008. http://www.slaysafox.com/DV40.pdf (308 pages worth reading!) Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind, Basic Books 1993. Pink, Daniel. A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future,

Riverhead Trade 2006. Von Oech, Roger. Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More

Creative, Business Plus 1998.

“ EVERYONE IS CREATIVE. THOSE WHO ARE MORE CREATIVE HAVE LEARNED TO BE SO.” ~ DR. JANE PIIRTO IN UNDERSTANDING CREATIVITY

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert Let’s Do Nothing by Tony Fucile Monsieur Saguette and his Baguette by Frank Asch Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Williams Nothing by Jon Agee Peanut Butter Rhino by Vincent Andriani Terrific by Jon Agee That’s Good! That’s Bad! By Margery Cuyler Turtle and the Hippo by Kate Banks and Tomek

Bogacki

A CREATIVITY CATALYST BOOKLIST

Changes, Changes by Pat HutchinsDog and Bear: Three to Get Ready by Laura Vaccaro SeegerThe Dot by Peter ReynoldsDumpster Diver by Janet Wong and David RobertsFortunately by Remy CharlipFrank was a Monster who Wanted to Dance by Keith GravesHarold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett JohnsonIt Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw