In 2019 I made the move from freelancer to trainee teacher. It had always been an idea of mine to teach art and photography at some point in my career, but I had never found the courage to commit to the training. I’m now approaching the end of my trainee year and I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made. Not only do I love my subject but I have also discovered a more widespread desire to be part of the change in the way we educate younger people of today.
This essay looks at how developing creativity and creative problem solving in secondary school pupils should be placed on an equal footing with literacy and numeracy. It suggests that the design and technology classroom is the ideal setting in which to do so, with the acceptance of teaching failure as part of the experimental creative process.
The essay also touches on my personal reasons for transitioning into education. By looking at how during my school years ADHD made me feel academically inferior to my classmates, and how I found my unique way of learning later in life through art school.
I hope you enjoy reading the essay as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it. I ask that you do not print the essay, simply for environmental reasons. Also, please do get in touch if you want to discuss anything in further detail.
You can download the essay here.
You can also follow me on Twitter using the handle @oneintwenty