than knowledge.” He went on to add, “Only intuition, resting on
sympathetic understanding, can lead to insight. The daily effort
comes from no deliberate intention or program, but straight from
the heart.”4 Henri Poincare (the famous mathematician) states,
“It is by logic that we prove, but by intuition that we discover.”5
Max Planck proclaims, “The scientist needs an artistically creative
imagination.”
At the level of the creative process, scientists, artists,
mathematicians, composers, writers, and sculptors use a common
set of what may be called “tools for thinking.” These tools include
emotional feelings, visual images, reproducible patterns, mind
mapping, and metaphorical thinking.
We must keep in mind that our brain is more flexible and
multidimensional than any computer. We can learn 7 facts per
second, every second of our life, and still have plenty of room to
learn more. Our brains are capable of making a virtually unlimited
number of synaptic connections or potential patterns of thought.
(Elders, don’t worry, your brain will improve with age if you use it
properly).
Research consistently finds that the characteristics of
creativity were the same across all disciplines. Our interdisciplinary
Montessori cosmic education integrates creativity across
the disciplines and cultural studies. This holistic
method embraces creativity to encourage students
to explore as many avenues as possible with an
eye toward discovering vital connections and also
their true talents and their true passions.
Teaching creativity affords the teacher the
opportunity to give students a sense that they
are valuable. That what they say and create is
worth seeing and hearing. That it is a secure
enough world for them to explore. That the world
is a fun place. In all of our art projects, improv
classes, dance and musical endeavors at Athens
Montessori School, every student is recognized
as an artist, actor, or performer. The abundance
of media performances can be intimidating to
students, but theatre games, group musical participation,
���� ©MONTESSORI LEADERSHIP | WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG/IMC | VOLUME 22 ISSUE 3 • 2020
and poetry recitations teach the children
that creativity comes from within and not from an
external source.
My personal medium for nurturing creativity is
improvisation or theatre games. Our improvisation exercises engage
all four aspects of creativity: fluidity of thought and discovery;
flexibility of words and thinking; originality (you make it up as you
go along) and elaboration. The exercises or games encourage our
students to commit themselves, to trust that they will discover
what they need, to trust their fellow players, and to engage their
imaginations. Please know, teachers, that you don’t have to have a
theatrical background to successfully employ this medium at
group time.
Only our creative brains and imaginations can guide us “now
we are awash in unprecedented, unrelenting, overflow of data. In
five hundred fifty years we’ve moved from a world where everything
was certain and nothing changes to a world where nothing seems
certain and everything changes.” (Michael Gelb, 1998)
Arm your students with creativity!
Warren McPherson
RESOURCES:
Gelb, Michael J. (1998) How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci
Delacorte Press.
Tharp, Twyla. (2003) The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life,
Simon and Schuster
Warren McPherson is a lifelong Montessorian. He graduated from Cornell University (‘69) and then received his AMI
diploma from the Washington Montessori Institute. Later he received his Masters in Early Childhood. In addition to
founding and directing the Athens Montessori School (ages 3 to 14) serving 240 students on a solar-powered campus,
he served as a trainer, workshop presenter, and consultant over the last 25 years. His hobbies include theater,
improvisation, gardening, and piano.
/IMC
