Creativity - At Right Angles

Describing the creative process is almost a contradiction in terms for me. Creativity has always seemed to work at right angles to intent; that is, for me to sit down and say, “Now I will be creative and insightful and brilliant” and things just flow. Doesn’t happen that often.
When I transcend being a craftsman and become an artist, the Muse sneaks in somewhere and whispers much more than sweet nothings in my ear.
I’ve found that the harder I try to be creative, the more elusive the creativity becomes.
However, that’s not a particularly useful response and puts creativity on a somewhat loftier pedestal than may be warranted.
In looking at my creative process, I’ve realized in the course of answering this question that it’s exactly the opposite of what I do at work. Instead of de-constructing a single (usually coherent, defensible, and attainable) concept, creativity is a matter of using a lot of little things to build up to a new (perhaps unique, perhaps very compelling) construct. In this particular case, I looked at as many examples of PBL as available in the time allotted and read the assignments. I was looking for similarities and for gaps. By gaps, I mean what hadn’t been done before (within the breadth of my search) and what would be appealing to my (virtual students).
All of these pieces, these bits of ideas, eventually coalesced into the draft of a new construct. However, it’s just a draft. I find that simply putting the idea in the form of the final assignment that new possibilities and gaps present themselves.
And the process starts again. The conclusion? The good news is that creativity produces something – the next possibility.
Fortunately, this struggle can be verbalized and shared with students. By “opening up” this process with students, they can also be drawn in, especially if I “admit” to being stuck on a particular point or coming to a fast but not particularly successful “creation.” Seems like it takes a very few words to describe what is ultimately a highly complicated give-and-take.
From this openness, students can feel more secure in their own explorations and lack of infallibility. After all, if the teacher isn’t perfect, it’ gives them permission to be less than perfect, too. And I’ve never been comfortable with being the kind of authority figure that McCain describes in his early chapters.
With that level of comfort, students (even adults!) can be more open, more experimental, and more – dare I say it? – creative.