That’s exactly why I think Ken Robinson mentions the importance of arts in any classroom. Art always challenges us. There’s always something to be improved, you have a final product after having explored possibilities, tried different angles, failed and started over. You’re not a mere recipient, you are an active participant of your own learning.

In the creative classroom, I think the teacher would be exploring any subject and embedding some kind of artistic practice to it. For example, if it’s a language arts class, why not let the kids create comic books, drawings related to the content? I’m terrible drawing, so whenever I can, I try to explore students’ different talents in class. I can ask for the help of a good drawer to draw on the board, somebody to recite, groups creating rap songs…The possibilities are simply limitless, aren’t they?

Lovely children!

Failure in art is a strange thing. It is often dealt with differently than other disciplines. I watch my artistically talented daughter, Hannah, working on her Art and Sculpture projects. She has developed a knack of using what would otherwise be considered failure by turning it round and making success out of it.

When things (seem to) go wrong she doesn’t scrap the project, but (just as you say) she finds a way of moving the project forward. Sometimes this occurs with the most spectacularly successful result. For the most part, failure is entirely in the mind.

Ka kite

These are great activities for kids that put them exactly on the position of producers of their learning, active participants of the learning process. Thanks for sharing them!

We’re safe! Gustav has passed by with a lot of wind and rain, but everything is alright.
http://flickr.com/photos/carlaarena/2812429848/