engleski

Encouraging creativity through thematic content in mathematics lessons

Globally, attention is heeded to creativity in all scientific fields because of the educational benefits. Creative potential is hidden in every teacher and student ; it is only necessary to create conditions in which it can be encouraged and developed. Contemporary mathematics instruction presents fertile ground on which teachers can encourage students' creativity. In primary education math classes, teachers have the opportunity to transform a subject area that traditionally fails to engage students’ creativity by creating lessons with higher quality and more interesting content for students. Hence, creativity in teaching can be encouraged through the use of various instructional methods, for example, brainstorming, the six-hat method, open-ended tasks, problem tasks, etc. In these methods, students’ divergent thinking is encouraged, without which creativity is inconceivable, as it is the basis of every creative thought and process. Students question, research, look for "different" solutions, doubt and argue their positions, and discover cause-and-effect relationships. Their solutions to everyday problems become more original, instinctive, and flexible. This workshop demonstrates how a classic lesson plan on measurement can be transformed into a thematic, interactive lesson where students explore measurement through everyday objects’ length or the path from home to school. The workshop includes creative activities aimed at encouraging students to reflect and debate and nurtures different approaches to mathematical problems, thereby contributing to the development of logical thinking and reasoning skills. Throughout the lesson, students learn about different measuring instruments, how to measure straight and curved lines, and how to solve problems involving different measuring units. By retrofitting challenging problems to reflect students’ everyday life and encouraging creativity, independence, and freedom when solving tasks, instructors respect students' unique personalities and encourage hands-on activity. Through creative expression and teaching, instructors motivate students and actively involve them in the teaching process — what every teacher strives to do.

divergent thinking, creativity, logical thinking, mathematical problems, mathematics instruction

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