Look Back to Move Forward: Dig into your Creative Past

Ever find yourself telling stories about your creative classroom escapades. Go on, admit it. Our partners, friends, and students will certainly attest to it.

• Maybe it’s a really funny moment;
• Maybe it’s a ‘you won’t believe this….’ scenario – when you were just floored by what a student did or said;
• Maybe it’s a time when it finally clicked for a student. You persisted and it paid off big time;
• Maybe it’s an occasion when you were just ‘in the zone’ and you wanted to be no-where but your classroom – with your students.

For me, there’s a grab-bag of stories that seem to magically pop into my head whenever I need to clarify a teaching point to my university students. And yes one certainly needs to be discerning about sharing another story, at risk of students fleeing the scene whenever you say, ‘I remember when….’

Somewhere, somehow though, we can lose connection with our magical classroom moments – our peaks creatively – when we’re ‘flying high, soaring’.

Those moments that we treasure, that make us feel so wonderful. Those moments that reinforce why we teach.

When we lose connection with these precious moments – it’s like someone trashed or raided our creative story-box. And all that’s left are stories of gloom and doom.

Today: How to re-build and re-invigorate your creative storybox – when it’s sadly depleted.

By the end of this post – assuming you take action – you’ll start to …. [Tweet “feel the tingle, the buzz, that comes from re-connecting with your passionate creative self.”] 

Let’s start with a trip back into my Teaching Vault 

They were so passionate, so into what we were learning. So much so I’d find myself looking around the room in astonishment that everyone was, for the most part, on task.

Sure there were activities they weren’t ‘keen on’ but even then they’d be pretty honest about it. I didn’t feel threatened or insecure.

It was an early morning class, and with children and a range of life-commitments that made it difficult for students to be on time every week. Nevertheless they would make the effort to get to class. And I’d be so happy when another one came through the door. To me, it was like our class family was complete or just about complete. How good is that!

Students would say, “Greg, how come you’re happy when we’re late?”

• I’d reply, “…because you chose to come to class even though you’d missed part of the class. That makes me happy.”

Coming from a wide range of cultural backgrounds they’d regularly translate or re-explain ideas or concepts for each other. They’d look out for each other.

Walking back to my car after class, I’d be on a high, so so happy, so so satisfied, and totally rejuvenated. I was literally buzzing.

It was like I was home, at last.

As we approached year’s end, I said to them,

“You’ve taught me what I need to be doing. And you’ve shown me who I need to be teaching and working with.”

Over to You…Look back to Your Creative Past

This story connects me back to one of my Creative Peaks (teaching wise).

I encourage you to look back yourself. Write or draw about a moment or two when:

You were doing something new – different  – outside the box:

• when your students were full of interest and passion. They were totally engaged;
• when you felt a real buzz;
• when you felt like this is what I’m meant to do – as a teacher;
• when time stood still and you just knew what to do. It came to you, naturally.

Feeling Stuck? Here’s some Get Started Tips:

Just start writing words, phrases, or fragments, even draw, just let it flow. Soon it’ll start coming back to you and the sentences will flow.

• Write freely – in one take – including whatever detail comes to mind (no censorship).  Go all out.
• Use as many senses as possible – focusing in what you see – hear – feel – smell – taste.  Your writing / drawing should take you back there, like it was just yesterday.
• Come back to your story the next day. Your brain has probably been processing it overnight and additional aspects may come to mind.
• Record anything that surfaces when you’re out and about. These details will help flesh out your story – give it bite.

So what are the Benefits – of focusing on your Creative Past?

1. You’ll get clearer about yourself as a teacher – what works for you. [Tweet “What makes you tick and keeps you ticking over. What makes you a passionate, creative teacher.”]

2. You’ll discover what drives you – as a teacher. What motivates and inspires you to get out of bed in the morning.

3. You’ll  establish Reference Points that’ll guide you towards more positive, passionate, creative teaching. And whenever you’re in a dip, they’ll give you clues as to ways forward.

4. You’ll experience the buzz, the high that comes from knowing the impact you’ve had on your students.

5. You’ll know that you can do it all again. You can be passionate, creative, and most definitely awesome again.

Creativity Resources

• Looking for some tips on creativity? Check out my Creativity Tips Videos and my Creative Disruptions post.