THE GENERAL Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) has released a new professional guide for teachers across the country.
The GTCS, the independent professional and regulatory body for teaching in Scotland, wrote the guide – titled ‘Creativity in learning and teaching: a professional guide for teachers’ – in partnership with the National Creative Learning Network.
The body has made clear its belief that embedding creative learning and teaching is important, as Scotland prepares its young people for life and work in an uncertain economic and social environment.
Thus, this professional guide aims to help teachers embed creativity into their teaching while supporting the development of creative learning experiences and creativity skills.
The guide also provides an opportunity for teachers to reflect on their actions and consider whether they may need further advice or professional learning in developing creative learning and teaching.
Dr Pauline Stephen, GTC Scotland Chief Executive and Registrar, said: “Creativity is core to education and our own development.
“The creative process involves investigating a problem or issue, exploring multiple viewpoints and options, generating and testing out ideas, developing, refining and communicating solutions and evaluating whether or not they have worked.
“This speaks to much of what it means to be a professional teacher or lecturer and it starts with being critically informed, an aspect enshrined in the Professional Standards for Teachers.
“This guide is a useful tool to help teachers consider their professional learning and ways to embed creativity in their teaching and to encourage the creative thinking in their learners that supports engagement in a complex world.”
Barbara Gray Atherton, Development Officer for Creativity, Education Scotland – partners in The National Creative Learning Network – said: “In order to thrive in this complex and fast-changing world, learners must be empowered to be creative.
“We are therefore delighted that this professional guide is being published as it provides support for all practitioners in understanding and developing creative learning and creative teaching.”
