I wrote an introduction to Innovative Arts 18 months ago that needs refining. It’s wordy. It’s easy to say something in a long, rambling way… and much harder to say it simply.

So now I am trying to boil it all down to a few principles to organize the class moving forward.

Here is part of what I wrote in the old explanation.

In order to be creative with their projects, students need to:

• know what they are interested in
• have been free to be creative in the past
• have experience choosing different materials (for physical projects)
• have experience with different ways to affix materials together (for physical projects)
• be OK with making mistakes and retrying a step
• adjust their plans as the project progresses
• stick with a project after that initial rush of excitement wears off
• be OK doing something different than their peers
• be able to start a project that might fail
• admit something went wrong
• be OK with a failed project

I stand by it. But it too long to explain.

So I made a long-ish list principles to organize these thoughts. I’ll try to get categories from that list.
Here is a starting point. I’ll think about it for a while now.

Student-Centered Learning:

Shifting Student Mindsets

Empowered Learner

Effective Use of Technology:

Using Technology Better

Digital Citizen

Learning Strategies:

Metacognition

Cross-Curriculum Opportunities

Creativity and Innovation:

Creativity

Experience – Encouraging experimentation, risk-taking, and a growth mindset.

Innovative Designer

Computational Thinker

Creative Communicator

Personal and Social Development:

Resilience

Self-confidence

Acceptance of failure

Flexibility

Persistence

Independent thinking

Confidence Builder:

Global Collaborator

~ Peter