An aid to assist teachers in developing creativity and critical thinking in high school students.

1. Strategies for Developing
Creativity and Critical
Thinking
Joey D. Footman
University of Phoenix
MED 560 – Secondary Teaching Methods
Scott Brewer
October 27, 2013
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2. Strategies for Developing Creativity and Critical
Thinking
The information shared is an aid for
new faculty in implementing
strategies for developing creativity
and critical thinking. Please note
that this does not represent a
conclusive list, rather a brief
collection of approaches that may be
of benefit.
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3. Strategy #1 - Creativity
Do not always provide students with
all the information. Require them to
think, discover, apply, and create.
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4. Strategy #2 - Creativity

Starting with the end in mind, or
backwards design is one way to spark
creativity in your students. Once you
realize what you want them to learn and
be able to do, you then design meaningful
learning tasks and assessments. Allowing
students to provide input into possible
tasks and assessments will foster
creativity.
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5. Strategy #3 - Creativity

Encourage risk-taking. When
students do not feel restricted or
inhibited, they will often do some of
their best and most creative
thinking. Teach them that it is not
always the answer that is important,
but the process by which they
derived the answer.
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6. Strategy #4 - Creativity

Creativity is often sparked when
students are able to make real-world
connections that are relevant to
them. When learning is real and
relevant, student are typically more
inclined to be engaged and give
attention to the work.
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7. Strategy #5 - Creativity
Integrating information technology is part
of 21st century learning. Today’s students
are digital natives, and being such means
that they often times utilize technology in
ways that their teachers would never think
of. Teachers should capitalize on these
strengths and allow students to use their
digital knowledge creatively.
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8. Strategy #1 – Critical Thinking
Start with lower-level questions as a beginning
assessment. Doing so will allow students to
move up on Bloom’s Taxonomy and build their
confidence while doing so. Activate students’
knowledge and as higher-level questions are
presented, students will be required to think.
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9. Strategy #2 – Critical Thinking
Reading for understanding is
important. Students cannot think
deeply and critically if they do not
truly know what a question is asking.
Require students to read and reread before attempting to answer
questions and require them to prove
their answers.
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10. Strategy #3 – Critical Thinking
Vary your instructional strategies.
Varying the ways students are
provided information requires that
they also vary their levels of thinking
when providing information back to
you.
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11. Strategy #4 – Critical Thinking
Collaboration is a key component of an
effective classroom and makes for critical
thinking. Allowing students opportunities
to collaborate, communicate, and even
disagree often provides varying
perspectives and allows others to think
reflectively on the ideas and ways of
thinking of others.
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12. Strategy #5 – Critical Thinking
Act as a facilitator. As a practitioner, while
you are full of knowledge, so are students.
Allowing them to share and apply their
knowledge helps them to be active
learners, and allows you to be a facilitator
of learning.
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13. References
Anderson, L. W. & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and
assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. New York, NY:
Longman.
Pearson Learning Solutions, (2013). Encouraging high school students to think.
Retrieved October 25, 2013, from
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/pcp/pls_1256499544/video/index.html?wf=1&item=1
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