Preschool teacher’s beliefs about creativity and children creativeness

Year 2022, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 37 - 46, 30.03.2022

Tina štemberger , Sonja čotar Konrad

https://doi.org/10.17478/jegys.1053261

Cited By: 4

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine what beliefs preschool teachers hold about creativity in general and about children’s creativeness. A total of 366 preschool teachers and preschool teaching assistants participated in the survey, by completing a questionnaire designed for the purposes of this study in Slovenia. The results show that participants predominantly believe that creativity is innate, that it is a characteristic of all people, and it can be developed, in some specific areas, such as the arts. Participants also believe that all children are creative, but not at the same level and not in all areas. They agree that children need motivation to express and develop their creativity, which indicates an awareness of the importance of encouraging creativity. An analysis of the different views on creativity among teachers and teaching assistants shows differences in perception of children’s creativeness It follows that the longer training of preschool teachers can provide not only more knowledge and a sense of competence in working with children, but also the possibility of an over-structured, curriculum-constrained and pre-determined framework of seeing the child. This is why the results of the survey - an insight into the perspectives of preschool teachers and preschool teaching assistants - represent an important contribution in the area of developing the creativity of preschool children. The survey results reflect on how to guide the work of preschool teachers in the direction of developing and supporting the creativity of preschool children, pointing to the fact that (i) preschool teachers must be trained how to identify, foster and facilitate children’s creativity and (ii) they should acquire these competences during initial teacher training programmes and nurture them through continuous professional development programmes.

Keywords

Creativity, children’s creativeness, preschool teachers, Beliefs of creativity, Preschoolers children’s creativeness

References

• Aljughaiman, A. and Mowrer-Reynolds, E. (2005). Teachers’ conceptions of creativity and creative students. Journal of Creative Behavior 7 (1), 17–34.
• Ariffin, A., and Baki, R. (2014). Exploring Beliefs and Practices among Teachers to Elevate Creativity Level of Preschool Children. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5 (22), 457–463.
• Ayman‐Nolley, S. (1992). Vygotsky's perspective on the development of imagination and creativity, Creativity Research Journal, 5 (1), 77-85, DOI: 10.1080/10400419209534424
• Bloomquist, J. (2010). Teacher Conceptualizations of Creativity: Implications for Educational Practice. http://csus-dspace.calstate.edu (10. 01. 2011).
• Cachia, R., Ferrari, A., Ala-Mutka, K. and Punie, Y. (2010). Creative Learning and Innovative Teaching. Final Report on the Study on Creativity and Innovaton in Education in the EU Member States. Luxemburg: European Comission.
• Castro-Fajardo, L. E., Santamaria, A., Bernal-Hernandez, K. L., Gomez-Hernandez, F. A. and Garcia-Cepero, M.C. (2014). How Do Educational Professionals Understand Creativity? A Study on the Implicit Theories on Creativity, In A Sample of Educators. Journal for the Education of Young Scientists and Giftedness, 2 (2), 41-48.
• Cheung, R. H. P., and C. H. Leung. (2013). Preschool Teachers’ Beliefs of Creative Pedagogy: Important for Fostering Creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 25(4), 397–407.
• Council of the European Union. (2008). Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 22 May 2008 on promoting creativity and innovation through education and training. Official Journal of the European Union, C 141/110.
• Council of the European Union. (2009). Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 26 November 2009 on developing the role of education in a fully- functioning knowledge triangle. Official Journal of the European Union, C 302/303.
• Creativity in Schools in Europe. (2009). A Survey of Teachers. http://ftp.jrc.es (11. 02. 2011).
• Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2007). Research Methods in Education. London, New York: Routledge.
• Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design. Qualititative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. Los Angeles: Sage.
• Cropley, J. A., (2001). Creativity in education and learning: A guide for teachers and educators. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
• Diakidoy, N. I, and Kanari, E. (1999). Student teachers’ beliefs about creativity. British Educational Research Journal 25 (2). 225–243.
• Diakidoy, N. I. and Phtiaka, H. (2002). Teachers’ beliefs about creativity. In S. P. Shohov, (ed.), Advances in psychology research. Hauppauge (pp. 173–188). New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
• Drljić, K. and Kiswarday, V. R. (2016). Razvijanje rezilientnosti študentov preko doživljanja izkušnje inkluzije na pedagoški praksi, Revija za elementarno izobraževanje, 9 (3), 53–73.
• Eckhoff, A. (2011). Creativity in the Early Childhood Classroom: Perspectives of Preservice Teachers. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 32 (3), 240–255.
• ETUCE (2008). Teacher Education in Europe. An ETUCE Policy Paper. Brussels: ETUCE.
• Fryer, M. and Collings, J. A. (1991). British teachers’ views of creativity. Journal of Creative Behavior, 25 (1), 75–81.
• Gardner, H. (1996). The Creators' Patterns. In M. Boden, (ed.), Dimensions of Creativity, (143–159). Cambridge: Massachusetts London: A Bradford Book The MIT Press.
• Golinkoff, R. M., and Hirsh-Pasek, K.. (2016). Becoming brilliant: What science tells us about raising successful children. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14917-000
• Kampylis, P., Berki, E. and Saariluoma, P. (2009). In-service and prospective teachers’ conceptions of creativity. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 4(1), 15–29.
• Lee, I. R., and K. Kemple. (2014). Preservice Teachers’ Personality Traits and Engagement in Creative Activities as Predictors of Their Support for Children’s Creativity, Creativity Research Journal, 26 (1), 82–94.
• Leggett, N. (2017). Early Childhood Creativity: Challenging Educators in Their Role to Intentionally Develop Creative Thinking in Children, Early Childhood Education Journal, 45 (6), 845–853.
• Marentič Požarnik, B. (2000). Psihologija učenja in pouka [The psychology of learning and teaching.] Ljubljana: DZS.
• Milgram, M. R. (1990). Creativity: An Idea Whose Time Has Come and Gone? In A. Runco, and M. A. S. Robert (eds.): Theories of Creativity (215–235). Newbury Park, London, New Delhi: Sage Publications.
• Janssen, J., Stoyanov, S., Ferrari, A., Punie, Y., Pannekeet, K., and Sloep, P. (2013). Experts' views on digital competence: Commonalities and differences. Computers and Education, 68, 473-481.
• Kurikulum za vrtce [Curriculum for kindergartens]. (1999). Ljubljana: Ministrstvo za šolstvo. https://www.gov.si/assets/ministrstva/MIZS/Dokumenti/Sektor-za-predsolsko-vzgojo/Programi/Kurikulum-za-vrtce.pdf
• OECD. (2001). Starting strong. Paris: OECD.
• OECD. (2011). Preparing Teachers and Developing School Leaders for 21st Century - Lessons from around the world (Background Report for the International Summit on the Teaching Profession). Retrieved January 18, 2017, from the World Wide Web https://www.oecd.org/site/eduistp2012/49850576.pdf
• Rentzou, K., and M. Sakellariou. (2011). The Quality of Early Childhood Educators: Children’s Interaction in Greek Child Care Centers. Early Childhood Education Journal 38 (5): 367–376.
• Robinson, (2017). Out of our minds: the power of being creative, Oxford, UK: Capstone.
• Rosenblatt, E., & Winner, E. (1988). The art of children's drawings. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 22, 1, 3-15.
• Rutar, S. (2021). Problematizacija vloge organizirane predšolske vzgoje v Sloveniji v času covida-19 [Problematisation of the role of organised pre-school education in Slovenia in the period of covida-19]. Sodobna pedagogika, 72 (138), 3, 66-84.
• Sorokin, B. (1987). Kreativnost i okolina [Creativity and the environment]. In L. Kroflin, D. Nola, A. Posilović, A. Rudi (eds.): Dijete i kreativnost [Childhood and creativity] (65–88). Zagreb: Globus.
• Srića, V. (1999). Ustvarjalno mišljenje [Creative thinking]. Ljubljana: Gospodarski vestnik.
• Swainston, A., and N. Jeanneret (2013). Pre-service Teacher Beliefs: Are Musicians Different?, Victorian Journal of Music Education, 37 (3), 43–51.
• The Education system in the Republic of Slovenia 2018/2019 (2019). Ljubljana: Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia.
• Yates, E. and E. Twigg. (2017). Developing Creativity in Early Childhood Studies Students. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 23, 42–57.