Creative Thinking Challenge #17

In the “Grow Creativity!” article, Candace Hackett Shively shares four aspects of creativity: fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. This article had me hooked from the beginning:

The world needs creative thinkers, scientists, engineers, leaders, and contributing workers. yet research repeatedly shows creativity is schooled out of us. 

The Creative Thinking Challenge prompts focus on areas in all of these aspects and use ideas inspired by many different sources.

I would love for you to participate …

• even if you don’t think you are very creative
• the point of these prompts is to get the creative juices flowing 
• even if that only means letting small ideas begin to trickle out

I find that I get lots of new ideas from looking at the things others have done … and I bet we all interpret the prompts in unique ways.

The best part is that you get to choose how you want to respond to this prompt. And there is no deadline. The next prompt will post on the 1st of the month.

(I post past prompts on the Creative Thinking tab at the top of my blog)

Creative Thinking Challenge Prompt: Ask a question

Pick one question and ask it to several people …

different times of day …

different locations ….

different surroundings …

different formats …

And even if the people don’t seem to different …

Now do something (whatever you want) with the question you asked and/or the responses you got …

If you want to share your question here, please feel free!

If you would like me or anyone to asnwer it, just let me know!

If you want to share what you observed or learned from the responses, go ahead!

Do questions lead to more questions?

Expectations and/or Imperatives ...

Looking for A Story?

Did you know it is Children’s Book Week?

In celebration of Children’s Book Week, Here is a list of 10 sites which offer children’s books online )most of the offer a read aloud option too):

• Online Storytime from Barnes and Noble
• Online ReadAlouds for Kindergarten
• Read To Me
• Speakaboos
• Online Picture Books Read Aloud
• Between the Lions from PBS Kids
• SillyBooks
• Mighty Book
• Online Read Aloud Stories
• Mem Reads Aloud

Feeling in a Rut ?

You may not consider yourself creative …

And I would argue there is creativity inside each of us …

But even if you don’t agree with me …

You should watch this video …

Yes …. You!

The Unplanned Project Begins ...

Have you ever asked a question or done something that you did not plan to do?

Has that question or action ever turned into something more?

Like a project that you did not even realize you were going to do ….

I think that is what happened to me on my NASA Launch Adventure …

At the end of our first stop on our very first tour, we were asked if we had any questions …

That can be a dangerous question … or invitation for questions! :)

I don’t remember exactly the words I used but I asked our guide, who works at NASA, how she got started doing what she is doing …

Or maybe I asked about her journey to get to where she is now …

I had my little video recorder ready and filmed her answer (after asking permission).

Then I began asking questions like that …

At the next stop on our tour, I asked both of the gentlemen who spoke to us …

I just found it interesting to hear the stories of how people got to where they are now …

And it is amazing how people enjoy talking about themself even if they are a bit resistant at first!

One of the guys in our group commented that was such a neat idea and angle to take for my story …

It was not until he made that comment (and I did a BUNCH of reflection) that I realized I was doing something and had started a project ….

Even if I did not quite yet know what it was!

So for the next several days, I kept asking people how they got started …

That became known as “Melissa’s Question” for our group!

I think it also helped us see that not everyone who works for NASA is an engineer or took the same path to get there …

It gave a human perspective to the experience …

My newly-created project began by asking NASA employees and those in space-related positions the “Melissa Question” but it slowly spread to include answers from more people …

I have videos and continue to ask the question to collect even more …

I asked “Melissa’s Question” to people at the NCFL Conference too!

Even though I still am not sure what I am going to do with the answers to “Melissa’s Question” ….

I think I will the response that started the project:

Check the Melissa’s Question category for other shared responses …

I would love to get a chance to ask you “Melissa’s Question” and record the answer …