Creative block is basically writer’s block. It is being at an impasse when designing good lessons. And no, I am not an instructional design expert(aka academic coach) – gross. However, good teachers do still build authentic design lessons, and sometimes during that process….we get stuck.
Listen, I am one of the world’s worst collaborators. I am one of those folks who unapologetically likes to work by myself on a lot of things. I do collaborate, and enjoy it…just not so much when collaboration is to check a box instead of being useful. A lot of my thinking is done by…me. I know that using our own personal ideas is an innovative thought in a profession where we have to collectively meet so much. Seriously, can we not just have a professional development day where we can sit in our rooms(by ourselves if desired!) and dream-up great lessons? Sometimes people just need to be left alone to think. Most teachers are now doing creative planning after school as district level initiatives have gobbled up teacher planning times during school – don’t even get me started on that one. In other words, “We collaborate for show, and then after school…think on our own for dough(how the money is actually made).”
Sometimes we all just get stuck when trying to create the next best lesson, and can’t think of something which we would consider quality instruction. So, what do we do?
Google. Yep. Teachers Pay Teachers is my second. Generally though, Google is awesome. I once asked a really smart friend of mine, “What do you do when you can’t figure something out?” His response, “I Google it.” That, my friends, is how a nuclear physicist gets out of a rut. KISS – keep it simple stupid. Don’t make this complicated. A good search engine will shake things up if you need creative ideas.
For something funny if you are stuck in a boring in-service today or just have creative block…Some days your brain just says, “I don’t really want to do the work today.” (Firebringer by Starkid)
