The Weekly Bulldog
December 12, 2019
From Tim: Creativity is learned and needs practicing
During last year’s holidays, I had the pleasure of helping my daughter and nephew assemble Lego kits – a Hogwarts Express train and some sort of flying Star Wars death implement, respectively. It truly was a pleasure – great fun, with just a bit of spatial challenge and a satisfying feeling of accomplishment when done. The kids even got to do a few pieces (no, it really was collaborative.)
The other day, I watched a group of K-1-2 students in choice time gathered around the Lego table. One student was working on an inventive multi-tiered aircraft. Two children were making a tower with a helicopter landing area on top. A group was building a small village with houses and a zoo full of assorted creatures. There were no instructions to follow. The end result was not “beautiful” like the Hogwarts train. But the creative value of these endeavors? No comparison. These students were provided a pile of random plastic building blocks and an imagination, and a working mantra of “what could this be?” — and that’s it.
What a great metaphor for learning. It’s easy to fall prey to the allure of a “paint by numbers” approach to learning. The result is often compelling, with an illusion of making something worthwhile. The diligence of following instructions carefully gets rewarded. That’s certainly not a bad thing – learning to follow directions is an important and worthwhile skill in itself. It’s just a problem when painting by numbers becomes the dominant part of a child’s educational experience.
Author, speaker and educational advisor Sir Ken Robinson describes creativity as making something original of value. “Of value” is clearly subjective. Value to whom? I love watching various creative contraptions make their way home in the carpool line. Sometimes they arrive in the morning destined for a classroom, but usually they follow a pattern of school creation, home display. While these various inventions, machines, sculptures, houses and artworks may have variable “value,” what is very clear is that the process they represent, the process of starting with an idea and making something tangible out of it, carries great value indeed. Like everything else, creativity is learned and needs practicing. What our children are doing today with Legos, cardboard and glitter forms the foundation of a creative process that will lead to one day creating all sorts of things, tangible and otherwise, of unquestionable value.
Speaking of unquestionable value, we’re incredibly grateful of the tremendous response to this year’s Colorado Gives Day drive to support the Stanley Fund. With your generosity, we raised over $140,000 on Tuesday, which directly bolsters our ability to serve children and families in the best way we know how. Thank you!
All the best,
Tim
Top Five Things
1. You gave more than $140K on Colorado Gives Day!
Huge thanks from students and staff to every donor and volunteer who made Colorado Gives Day a success for Stanley! 280 people gave more than $140,000 to support our vision, mission and values. Our community makes Stanley a unique and special place for students to grow and learn. Thank you for your confidence in our school and the people and programs that support it.
2. 8th graders help make a home
In what's now an established tradition after their annual England-trip funding greens sale, Stanley 8th graders toured the Urban Peak teen shelter this week dropping off 30 poinsettias and a donation from the Class of 2020.
3. Take the safest possible route to school
For the twelfth year, the Colorado Department of Transportation has provided project grants to support the Safe Routes to School Program, and Lowry neighborhood — especially the tricky traffic areas all around Stanley — could be a recipient of those grants, if we only ask. City Councilwoman for Lowry's District 5 Amanda Sawyer encourages all of us working, living and learning in the district to 'be the squeaky wheel." If you see an unsafe intersection, recurring traffic concern, maintenance issue or other hotspot, please call 3-1-1 or visit the city's website to report it.
4. PA invites families to bake for teachers
From Parent Association: Sign up online to help and provide treats for Stanley staff and teachers at the PA's third-annual cookies for staff party on Thursday, December 19. (Editorial note: Coming from experience, this day is truly delicious for all Stanley's staff :-)
5. We all get crime prevention's number
Upcoming Events
December 13
Book Swap in the Hambidge Commons
December 15
Current families sibling admission deadline: Testing & Teacher Recommendations
December 17-18
December 19
Parent Association Cookie Exchange Staff Appreciation
December 20
Stanley store open for Holiday Program
Holiday Program student performances
Ordering closes at midnight for January lunches and Extended Day
December 23 - January 6
Stanley British Primary School
Email: admin@stanleybps.org
Website: www.stanleybps.org
Location: 350 Quebec St., Denver
Phone: (303) 360-0803
Facebook: facebook.com/stanley.british/
Twitter: @stanleybps