How does creativity across the curriculum spark joy in the classroom?

17 December 2024

On November 14th 2024, we held a Masterclass hosted by Rachel Dickinson.  

With over 35 years’ work in the arts and education sectors, Rachel is an experienced teacher, facilitator, researcher, producer and critical friend. She has also worked as a primary school teacher and as a freelance researcher, consultant and programme facilitator for a wealth of cultural organisations. 

The Masterclass consisted of a panel discussion with speakers who have taken part in three different creative projects in schools:

• Host and speaker Rachel Dickinson (Arts Education Consultant, Barbican) with Emily Williams (Education Manager, Barbican), who worked on the Barbican Creative Curriculum 

• Melanie Anouf (Learning Producer, Young Vic), Sheryl Malcolm (Theatre Practitioner) and Jordana Golbourn (INNOVATE Project Associate) who worked on Young Vic’s INNOVATE Project,  
• Ross Hunter (Programme Manager, A New Direction) with Theo Creber (Class Teacher & Art and DT subject lead, Selwyn Primary School) from A New Direction’s Primary Arts programme. 

The online session gave us a chance to reflect on:

• The benefits of a creative curriculum outside of academic performance 

• How creativity can spark joy in the classroom 

• The legacy of partnering with a school / teacher 

• Fostering relationships to learning, teaching and each other 

Main discussion points in the event

Making space

Our panellists discussed how creative activities in schools often comes down to time and space, both physical and mental. Rachel Dickenson asked: “How can it be sustainable - both individual or whole school change of culture?” Suggestions from our speakers included using creativity as a hook and thinking about making daily lessons creative, with teacher Theo pointing out they “can be multi-sensory, giving children agency, experimentation, making it relevant to things children are interested in so there is opportunity for possibility thinking. Not ditching the knowledge”. Emily Williams highlighted how The Creative Habits of Mind are a useful framework for thinking about what skills pupils are developing, and that it can turn something open into something tangible.

The importance of relationships

We also discussed the importance of relationships. Sheryl Malcom explained that for her, a benefit of an artistic practitioner going into a school is teachers having the luxury to be an observer in their classroom and see their pupils without being the lead energy in the room. “We could collaborate (artist and teacher) and have fun in planning following a lesson, creating a bespoke culture of what they needed in that space.” Relationships might start as artist as mentor, and they might shift to coach or collaborator - this makes a creative intervention more sustainable as practice can change forever for the teacher. Melanie Anouf suggested that trust was vital in the relationship between artist and teacher working in classrooms over time. Humour is important – as not everything will always work.

Culture shifts

It was clear that a culture shift can be hugely important when sparking joy in schools with creativity. Jordana Goldbourn discussed how creativity is a skill we develop that we have to practise (just like basketball) and a creative classroom takes time and care to manage. As there isn’t rigid outcomes in creativity, that is often the clash with the current curriculum. Our panellists reflected on how although teachers can make change by getting SLT onboard, it is important we empower them as individuals: they can build up their own personal toolkit and small wins can all build up to a culture shift rather than it coming from the top down. Ross Hunter (A New Direction), shared that teachers running their own interventions in schools during the Primary Arts Leadership programme made use of their own resources, utilising models such as Knoster model for complex change.

Top take-aways from the event

Host Rachel Dickinson (teacher, facilitator, researcher, producer and critical friend):

• There is a place for joy and creativity within the education sector but that space has to be carefully curated by teachers and leadership who place value on the cultural and personal development of children and teachers.

• For good quality work to take place between teachers, children and artists, a balanced relationship has to be nurtured in which conversations can direct partners to explore appropriate and well-planned learning. 

• When teachers learn from artists and artists learn from teachers, new ways of thinking can take place.

• Cultural experiences enable people to reflect upon what it is to be human and society is better when we fully develop, rather than simply learn information. 

Emily Williams (Barbican):

• Working creatively has a range of benefits for teachers and learners, both intrinsic and wellbeing focused, but also in relation to skills development. Being able to articulate these is important in being able to advocate for creativity in the classroom.

• In addition to teacher-artist partnerships, creating opportunities for collaborative planning between teachers can be really valuable in supporting practice sharing and learning from approaches used by peers across different subject areas.

• Teachers are time poor. Toolkits which have been developed by experienced and specialist educators could provide those who are less experienced or confident with some quick wins, or ‘ways in’ to new modes of teaching.

Sheryl Malcolm (Young Vic’s INNOVATE Project)

• Developing trust by sharing practice - teachers and artist - both should share their educational and creative approach.

• Developing a curious and creative community of learners, artists and teachers and these roles should be interchangeable. At any point any stakeholder in the process can inhabit these roles.

• We must demonstrate passion for our craft.

• Create space for autonomy and leadership for everyone.

Theo Creber (Teacher and participant on A New Direction’s Primary Arts Cultural Leadership Programme):

• Time and space are two of the biggest challenges that we face when working in schools but it's important that people working inside organisations find ways to shift the culture in the school or else develop their individual practice to ensure creativity does not fall by the wayside.

• Partnership organisations working with schools should be aware of the pressures on school staff and work empathetically to help them to overcome their challenges.

• 'Joy' can be looked at in different ways - fun, humour, 'wow' moments - but also building resilience, enabling achievement and engagement through creative practice - particularly in children who might struggle more without it.

Jordana Golbourn (Young Vic’s INNOVATE Project)

• Creative pedagogy is key - making creativity a fundamental part of the teaching and learning practices in your school will enable it to feel an embedded part of the curriculum and not an add on that you are struggling to fit into an already overwhelming curriculum.
• Take the time - building creative habits into your classroom takes time for you and your students, but stick with it and soon it will become the way your classroom excels.
• Planning Checklist - stick the checklist below up next to your desk and challenge yourself to pick one element each lesson to find small ways to transform the learning experience for your students.

Download the Planning Checklist

Further reading and resources

• AND’s Teaching for Creativity animation based on Bill Lucas’s Five Habits of Mind and our Teaching for Creativity resources 

• An Opening Address and Panel Talk, with Lucy Davies, Executive Director of the Young Vic, Sue Emmas, Associate Artistic Director of the Young Vic and Shereen Jasmin Phillips, Director of Taking Part at the Young Vic, joined by Lorna McGinty, Head of Learning and Participation at Hackney Empire and Melanie Anouf, Learning Producer at the Young Vic, chaired by Dr Sylvan Baker.  

• A Keynote Address and Panel Talk, with Professor Michael Anderson and Professor Helen Nicholson, joined by Dr Vicky Storey, Dr Yvonne Robinson, chaired by Dr Javeria Khadija Shah. 

• Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity? 

• Unconditional positive regard 

• Growth Mindset and Enhanced Learning 

Actions moving forward

We encourage you to reflect on:

• What can we do to develop that spark of joy that happens in creative activities?

• How can we create a space of wonder and excitement for teachers and pupils despite the time pressures and knowledge focused curriculum?

• A moment of creative joy that was sparked for you – what was it and how did it come about?