The purpose of this study was to examine meanings of play among children. Thirty-eight students aged 7-9 years from a suburban public school in Western Canada participated in focus groups. Data analysis revealed participants saw almost anything as an opportunity for play and would play almost anywhere with anyone. However, they perceived parents…

The focus of this study is the nature and concomitants of pretend play among young children with autism. Age- and language-matched children with autism ("n"= 27), autism spectrum disorder ("n"= 14), and developmental disorders without autism ("n"= 16) were administered the Test of Pretend Play (ToPP; Lewis &…

An estimated 30,000 drawings remain of the concentration camp artworks generated over the course of the Holocaust. Fabricated in a reality conceived to eradicate not just life but the very will to live, concentration camp art raises the question of the persistence of creativity in traumatic situations. This article explores the witness function of…

The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, to determine the level of teacher desire for professional development in competencies needed to teach gifted learners, and second, to identify differences in the level of teacher desirability as it related to a number of independent measures (gender, life stage, teacher concerns, primary teaching…

This mixed methods study examined incubation as a strategy for curricular change. The purpose was to examine the characteristics and effectiveness of curriculum incubation from a faculty perspective. The conceptual frame for this study proposed combining a grounded theory of incubation with concepts from organizational creativity to explain…

In this article, the author talks about celebrating the differences of all gifted students. Rather than isolate or ridicule creative individuals, people need to recognize that the very characteristics that enable creative people to think originally may cause them to be seen as different and even bizarre. She suggests that people need to accept and…

Censorship is not a new phenomenon in the field of children's literature. Children's and young adult books are often scrutinized for text and illustrations that may be found questionable for use with young readers. If deemed inappropriate, these books become the subjects of controversial debate and may fall victim to censorship. Although numerous…

The Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM) exists for, and is run by, its members. Branch meetings are so much more than the "grass roots" of the association--it can be a powerhouse of inspiration and creativity. In this article, the authors provide commentaries on a recent branch meeting.

In this article, the author discusses the creativity of origami and discusses a model she designed in May 2008 in Freiburg at the 20th International Origami Convention of Origami Deutschland. The model resulted from her investigation of a geometric model that exposes the centre part of a square paper sheet. The base model of the series called…

In his 2008 Arts Policy Campaign platform, President Obama argued for reinvesting in arts education and reinvigorating the American hallmarks of creativity and innovation. The President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities (PCAH) conducted an in-depth review of the current challenges and opportunities facing arts education. It sought out…

Educating for a sustainable future is the imperative of our time. Creative and individual artistic expression helps us all to inform and share with one another. If we hope to fulfill the vision of sustainability as it pertains to environmental, social and economic realities, we must give our students the fluency and the tools to grow into green…

Philosophy for Children claims to foster not only critical thinking, but also creative and caring thinking. However, its theoretical foundations draw mainly on the analytic and pragmatist philosophical tradition. Consequently, and made evident by the choice of the terms "caring thinking" and "creative thinking", it seem to reduce these concepts…

While "thinking outside the box" can be an over-used phase at times, in the world of grants it can provide the genesis of ideas. The "box" is the world of academia accepted by most educators, while "thinking outside" is the process that leads to grant ideas. In the grant world, "thinking outside the box" is a process of doing something that has…

Creativity researchers have drawn on cognitive principles to characterize individual innovation. However, few comprehensive frameworks have been developed to relate social innovation to social cognition research. This article introduces the Communities of Innovation (COI) framework and examines its applications in a culture designed to promote…

Current research indicates that creativity in teaching can and should be enhanced in order to promote student learning. This article begins by stressing the importance of creativity in education and the ways in which creative teaching benefits students. Next, it addresses key points for better understanding classroom creativity by identifying…