 Just as Plato figuratively explained in his Allegory of the Cave, Socrates encouraged Athenians by stating that the unexamined life is not worth living. 'Being philosophically minded, as Socrates compels his fellow Athenians to be via question and dialogue, is a means by which we educationists pursue educational aims tentatively and cautiously, at the risk of presuming knowledge of things uncertain.' (Christou and Bullock, 18) Unfortunately philosophy is known to be stereotyped as an area of studying the thinking of abstract ideas, when in fact it is the opportunity to think about the 'radical middle' between opposing viewpoints and thinking critically. (Christou and Bullock, 14)
By exploring ideas holistically and challenging our own perspectives, we should be asking ourselves of where our ideas have originated in order to understand our potential misconceptions. Innovative thinking is one that is unique, but also adds value to bring change in the world. Imagine a world where we could think 'big picture', but how can we when we are too afraid the challenge the status quo? It's not about starting a coup d'etat or a revolution in our classrooms, but to think about what is in front of us. Chomsky stated, in his paper The Responsibility of Intellectuals, that many times we often cannot see what is happening right before our eyes. (Chomsky, 41) As a result, I wondering what strategies can we put in place for our students to acquire the 'habits of mind' to think critically and to truly 'examine' the world around us?
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 According to Ken Osborne, 'From a student's viewpoint, one could not do much with a story, or at least not with stories as presented in textbook's. except to learn from them, for the stories often carried a moral message. Even at their best, however, textbook narratives were not designed to be questioned.' (Osbourne, 5) Historical account's have often been referred to as lessons for the present. There are there as a means to understand the thinking of people at the time, so we can see the moral behind the stories relayed. In order to convey the messages learnt, it is vital as educators to bring in different perspective to see realities of the time. Sometimes some of these different perspectives are not presented in texts our students learn from, which adds the importance of discussion and debate to topics related today. Plato's, Allegory of the Cave, comes to mind. Where sometimes we chose to see the shadow's presented before us. When we are presented with a new perspective that is considered 'different', we become fearful of change and even hostile to such thoughts. After all, we tend to fear what we do not know. When teaching to support '21st century thinking skills', I feel that there needs to be a level of creative thought in how we prepare our students to acquire those skills. I feel as educators we learn Bloom's Taxonomy in teacher training as a way of thinking and developing knowledge in a hierarchical manner. Although I like the taxonomy to formulate questions, it was formed as a theory of assessment however it has become a theory of teaching. (Case (2013), 196) I feel if it is used as a theory of teaching, where thinking critically or higher order thinking is hierarchical, then yes how would we 'meet all the curriculum expectations? However, if we teach critical thinking where we are, as a colleague of mine once stated, 'teaching against the textbook', then as teachers we need to take an integrated approach by equipping our students with the following 5 types of intellectual resources:
I've come by Roland Case's work last year, in a course on creative and critical thinking, since I'm doing my Masters specialist in Classroom. These concepts really stuck with me because sometimes I feel curriculum documents also reflect Bloom's Taxonomy on how content is delivered. As a result of this, as teachers it may be difficult to break away from our 'norm' of teaching because as teachers we tend to, sometimes, teach in the way we were taught. Then I question, how can we romanticise to 'teach against the textbook' when we are not challenging ourselves of the process as well?   When thinking about innovators of the past, looking up to those in the present and questioning the future...I feel that leadership entails a level of creative thought. A unique way of communicating their thinking , then what is a leader who just "talks" and one that "walks the talk"?
We all have a choice to make. The question is do we leave our creative thoughts to ourselves, or communicate it to bring innovative change? Imagine if Nelson Mandela never spoke up about the apartheid in South Africa, Martin Luther King Jr. never did his 'I have a dream' speech, and Malala Yousafzai never stood up for the education...what kind of world would we be living in? This morning, as I was looking over Twitter, I came across a Tweet Banksy, the street Artist, posted. "Spot on Banksy!" We are not too small to grow, but as we grow we bring changes to ourselves. Leadership doesn't have to mean to take charge at a grand scale, but even the small changes you make in yourself makes you unique...with a unique perspective...and the potential to be innovative. I feel it's a matter of how you chose to communicate it in your surrounds.
Ray Bradbury, the author of the novel Fahrenheit 451, presents a society in the future that "outlaws" books. Bradbury was inspired by the historical role of book burning as a form of covering up ideas and observations on how the media was turning interest away from reading literature. Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953. Bradbury saw himself as "a preventer of futures not a predictor of them". (Aggelis, 99)
I thought of the novel, Fahrenheit 451, while reading the article 'History from a Philosophical Perspective', by Catherine Broom. The future is difficult to predict, but history presents patterns that we can use to recognise them in the present. "History" is, in fact, derived from a Greek word meaning "research" or "inquiry".' (Broom, 3) How can we, as educators, instil the passion of inquiry in our student's to think about our world today to be innovators of tomorrow? Thinking about Bradbury's thought about the role of historical book burning, actually dates back to ancient Roman times. There is the latin phrase 'damnatio memoriae', which literally means condemnation of memory. (Varner, 2) It was a term used by the Roman state to erase or burn aspects of history. By erasing history, people lose a sense of identity to the point of ruining an entire civilisation. It was used as an act of punishment. (Friedland, 669) This actually creates mayhem because lessons from the past are lost, values are confused and people question who they are with very little explanation. The value of history, then, is that it teaches us what man has done and thus what is. (Broom, 2) Such acts have happened throughout history in expeditions that would completely wipe out entire libraries and condemn people for their race, culture or religion. By opening up the pathway of inquiry for our student's to explore different sources. History is the re-enactment of past thought in the mind of a historian in order to answer a question about people in the past the historian had first articulated. (Broom, 1) If student's are only presented with a one sided view or a limited perspective, how can we facilitate the creative thought process, when the initial questions were not explored? Knowledge gained by the historian allows him or her to comment on whether the changes occurring in a society are indeed "progress", or improvement. (Broom, 2) Perhaps innovative ideas from the past may seem great at the time, such as the creation of the automotive industry. However, now we see it's influences on the climate, which gave way to 'green technology'. "Progress" doesn't necessarily mean a benefit to society, however patterns from the past could demonstrate how problems were addressed and the motives behind them. As Bradbury quotes, "There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." Knowledge is out there, so seek it and analyse it. 'History is a holistic subject...It is a science, as it is a process of conducting research using historical sources in order to enlighten a historian and his or her readers on a problem or issue visible in contemporary society. It is an art, for it requires interpretation.' (Broom, 6) There's always a reason to why certain situations are manifested to how they are today. If we pick and chose what we want to read or only explore sources that suit us best, are we what we read then? 
That is a question I ask myself as a teacher...what needs to be done to foster both attributes in a student? Interestingly creativity is the ability to create something unique, but uniqueness can be dependant on who the individual. Not to say that one person is more creative over others, but the very uniqueness that we all exhibit is what makes us all creative individuals.
As Roland Case and LeRoi Daniels state, in Teaching Tools to Think Critically, there needs to be a habit of mind. People who are closed to new ideas or inflexible in thinking are 'impaired' in their ability to arrive at justifiable resolutions which is key in being critical. However, it is important to recognise that critical thinking is not just a set of skills...it's an attitude. To aimlessly make claims is not being critical. However, to think from different angles and to add a valued contribution would not only define what it means to be critical but also creative in approach. What are your thoughts? Check out my linoit board and post your thoughts there or leave your comments below.  Creativity...Innovation...Teaching...Learning...as I reflect on these terms, I wonder about it's application in the real world. To what extent would one go to be creative? Could one contradict oneself in the process of trying to be creative or innovative?
Being a Canadian living in Switzerland, I have experienced many different perspectives...some I wouldn't even think of in the moment. Everyday is a learning adventure both visually and linguistically. Some wonder and ask how I have settled here and many would question whether I am trying hard enough to integrate. One thing I can say is I've learnt to become innovative in my ways of understanding the world. I'm developing as a person by adding something new to my existing understanding of the world. (Badran, 2007) In a way the world is teaching me and I'm learning...the question lies am I creative in my approach in seeing the challenges and celebrations around me? Funny enough this weekend while grocery shop, as one does on a weekend, I stumbled across something rather peculiar. I question whether this is creativity or some may say just a mean joke. Admittedly I had a double take and looked twice at what I was seeing. What? I feel there need to be some conversations in the marketing department! As an educator in a world of ongoing conflict, I see an increasing need for equip our youth with the necessary skills in critical thinking. How can they recognise the validity of their knowledge in an age of 'fake news', and where people lack the basic understanding of each other, to become more savvy in understanding perspectives? What tools do I need as an educator to facilitate my teaching, which would impact my students in their learning? Diversity in thought, mindfulness, growth mindsets, leadership...Where does one start? I guess there's only one way but to jump right in! The questions can go on, but it is my hope that through this blog you can follow my journey on exploring innovation in my teaching and what this would look like as a learner - both as a professional and for my students. ‘Socratic paradox - the more one knows - the more one realizes how little one knows’
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