Linda Payne Young

Imagine Creating Rubrics That Develop Creativity

Teaching students to be creative requires that teachers evaluate creativity effectively.

nglish teachers are by nature rather imaginative, a trait that is not taught in a methods class or listed as a disposition in standards for teacher preparation. Whether as part of a learning activity or a what if question posed in a literature discussion, imagination and creativity are integral parts of our classrooms and their inclusion is as natural to most of us as breathing. Sadly, when the beauty and fragility of imaginings are exposed to the harsh light of assessment, they evaporate in the heat of quantication. Imagination may not be a concept listed in state performance standards, but authentic assessment is a focus of national and state curriculum reform. Teachers who recognize the important role imagination and creativity play in the learning process want to include these higher-level thought processes as part of authentic assessment. From creative problem solving to culminating performance events, curriculum design that includes assessment that captures critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, and imaginative/creative capabilities is promoted by educators at all levels. Yet, is imagination just an ephemeral wind that blows through the classroom and the minds of our students at will, or can teachers identify components and teach imaginative and creative thought processes? How are imagination and creativity linked? Jane Piirto in Understanding Creativity (6061) considers imagination to be a component of creativity. As dened in the Oxford English Dictionary, imagination is the the faculty or action of forming ideas or images in the mind; the power of
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framing new and striking intellectual conceptions; the ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful; poetic genius. How does the average English teacher measure poetic genius? Measuring creativity in student work is a stumbling block for many teachers. While scoring rubrics have become a standard assessment tool for grading student projects, clearly articulated criteria for imagination or creativity remain elusive. An informal survey of rubrics I have found generously posted online reveals that the majority list creativity as the scoring criteria without clearly identifying the elements of creativity or the traits that differentiate between high and low levels. Rubrics designed to measure imagination and creativity usually fail because they attempt to quantify the product rather than assess student growth during the creative process. Without a clear understanding of the role imagination and creativity play in assignments, students are often blindsided by a grade when teacherseven good teachersattempt to assess creativity as a product. A teacher asked his English class to imaginatively depict the setting in Richard Connells The Most Dangerous Game by drawing a map and tracing Rainsfords movements throughout the story. A student, Maggie, innovatively created a facsimile of old map paper with tea, water, and folding, then borrowed her grandfathers fountain pen. Envisioning the island and surrounding waters while incorporating but expanding on the elements of the story, Maggie depicted an imaginative world with location markings, icons for ora and fauna, and enough detail to serve as a blueprint

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Copyright 2009 by the National Council of Teachers of English. All rights reserved.

Linda Payne Young

for the movie set design. When she received her grade, a rating of 3 out of a possible 5, she asked the teacher, Why a 3? His response: You didnt use color. Be creative! Maggie later complained to friends, If I had known color was the criteria, I would have used less imagination and more crayons. Yes, there can be a problem when teachers assess imagination and creativity as a product without clarifying the criteria that will be used.

Must We Assess Imagination and Creativity?

It is beautiful to dream of imagination taking wing, unfettered by the constraints of grades or rubrics. Classroom learning should always include time for students to brainstorm, envision, dream, and think impossible thoughts. Teachers make this happen as they challenge students imaginations. The White Queen took the teachers role when she shared with Alice, Why, sometimes Ive believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast (Carroll, Chap. 5). Real learning moments occur when we soar and become excited about the possibilities found in the world and in ourselves. But true teaching and learning happen when we imagine how to make at least one of the impossible ideas possible before lunch. Emily Dickinson believed this connection:
The Possibles slow fuse is lit By the Imagination. (V: XXVII)

ity and imagination in the process of completing classroom assignments can aid students in developing creativity. To be creative and use imagination is a conscious decision made by the student according to Robert J. Sternberg in The Nature of Creativity (90). In addition, creativity can be developed and assessed, but students are usually hesitant to employ creativity for fear of rejection. Simply telling students to be creative may result in their being more creative if they know they will be rewarded and not punished through a lower grade (OHara and Sternberg 198). By providing students with clear criteria for creativity in their writing or other performance tasks, teachers can guide and improve students ability to imagine and create. Instead of limiting creativity, positive assessment in an accepting environment can develop student creativity.

Identifying Imaginative and Creative Thought

I want my students to develop deep understanding and think at high critical levels; therefore, I need to clarify the part imagination and creativity play in those processes and what I can do in my teaching to foster imaginative and creative thinking. In developing rubrics and criteria, teachers must believe in the premise that we are not assessing the creativity of the student or the product, but student use of imagination and creative thinking in solving problems, creating an artistic product, or producing an imaginative performance. Teachers must also base the criteria they use to measure imagination and the creative process on sound theory and not items arbitrarily listed on ready-made rubrics. Sternberg and his colleagues developed the investment theory of creativity, demonstrating that creativity in thinking can be taught and assessed in the classroom (Wisdom). In later work, Sternberg (Nature) identies six creative resources that individuals choose to use to be creative thinkers: intellectual abilities, knowledge, styles of thinking, personality, motivation, and environment (8890). Understanding these components is the starting point for creating criteria that enhance development of creativity in student work. The following list, adapted from Sternbergs resources, identies student choices and actions in each of the six areas that are indicative of creative thinking.
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When imagination and creativity become components of the classroom experience where students are routinely encouraged to generate new and novel ideas, we can freely include imagination as part of classroom assignments. Our mission, as teachers, is to develop students creativity, their intellectual insight, and their ability to see beyond limitations. We are also charged with teaching students to apply creative processes to real-world application in the arts, sciences, and social issues. Joseph Joubert, the 18th-century French essayist who lled notebooks with his thoughts and imaginings, believed that Imagination is the eye of the soul (24), but he also wrote that imagination without learning has wings but no feet. Imagination and creativity can be unproductive daydreams unless students are taught how to use their creative abilities. Assessment feedback that rewards creativ-

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Imagine Creating Rubrics That Develop Creativity

Intellectual Skills: redening the problem seeing the problem in new ways, escaping bounds of conventional thinking switching between conventional and unconventional modes of thinking analyzing the problem or project recognizing ideas worth pursuing persuading others and selling ideas Knowledge: demonstrating expertise in the knowledge eld growing in the knowledge of the content eld needed to move forward deeper use of existing structures in the knowledge eld Thinking Styles: using skills effectively thinking well along new lines, not just generating novel ideas recognizing which questions and topics are important questioning and analyzing assumptions Personality Attributes for Creative Functioning: working to overcome obstacles tolerating ambiguity taking reasonable risks delaying gratication believing in oneself, self-efcacy taking responsibility for success and failures Motivation: focusing on purpose of the project rather than grade or reward developing angle for personal interest developing passion for the project or assignment selling the creative idea, realizing it will not sell itself Environment: Teachers responsibility creating a classroom that is supportive of creativity and that rewards creative ideas avoiding bias toward personal favorite aspects of creativity

modeling creative, imaginative thinking allowing mistakes encouraging collaboration Environment: Students responsibility using classroom forums (teacher and peers) to discuss ideas making productive use of feedback, positive and negative collaborating, cross fertilizing ideas Using these components of creative thinking to design a rubric for a specic assignment, teachers can improve instruction by teaching for creativity as well as teaching students to think creatively (Sternberg, Nature 87).

Is a Rubric Necessary?
Why should we use a rubric for assessing the use of imagination and creativity in assignments? To make the creative element of the assignment clear to the teacher and the students. Teachers may assume the assignment is clear, but unless the students fully understand the purpose of the assignment, the role that imagination and creativity play in the process, and the learning goals/objectives that the project will meet, confusion can be the result. The purpose of using a rubric and criteria is not to put imagination and creativity in a box but to create a framework so that students and teachers can discuss, explore, and discover the limitless possibilities inherent in creatively imagining. The paradoxical nature of using rubrics to assess that which is admittedly often not assessable speaks to the complexity of the teaching/learning experience. Using rubrics, students not only gain direction but also receive a guide for reection and selfassessment that directs their learning. Using the rubrics, teachers can self-assess and reect on their assignments, perhaps revealing, for example, that building a replica of the Globe Theatre out of ice cream sticks, although an old favorite, takes more glue than imagination. Effective rubrics based on quality criteria can prevent a downward spiral into busywork and crafty ideas. We can design solid assignments that address real imaginative and creative thinking, allowing the students to explore concepts beyond the standard level, moving them

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to develop the abilities and skills we want them to take into the real world.

to measure creativity in some of these rubrics exposes the problems in using them for assessment: enthusiasm graphics reect exceptional degree of creativity three accurate facts includes all assigned parts good use of class time no collaboration highly original high evidence of thought high evidence of effort well put together While some of these criteria might address imagination and creativity, all fall short in guiding students to be creative in their thinking. In addition, by using these criteria, it is possible that a product that involves no creative thought or use of imagination could receive a high score for creativity. Selected elements may be important to an individual teacher in grading, but if they do not foster student creativity or use of imagination, they should not be used.

Problems with Rubrics

While rubrics have become de rigueur in many education circles, critics cite credible shortcomings. In The Trouble with Rubrics, Ale Kohn argues that rubrics focus inappropriately on assessment to justify grades instead of improving teaching or focusing on student learning. The misuse of rubrics can result in sorting students into winners and losers, Kohn warns (14). But any teaching or assessment practice can yield the same results when used inappropriately. In the case of rubrics designed to assess the use of imagination or creativity, Kohns warnings must be carefully heeded to avoid the unthinkable: standardizing imagination. Focus should not be on grading the product, but giving wings to the creative process. Ready-made, generic rubrics present additional problems. Even in situations where standard rubrics are accepted or mandated by some states, generic rubrics do not accurately reect the unique writing prompt developed by the classroom teacher or the creative process and use of imagination by the students for that specic assignment. Maja Wilson recognized the problem; standardized rubrics did not allow her to respond subjectively to the uniqueness of her students writing. Wilsons concerns with standard rubrics for writing assessment also apply to other forms of creative assignments: problem-solving activities, projects, and open-response assignments. Teachers should give personal feedback throughout the process. But rubrics should never become mere check boxes intended to expedite in-process feedback or nal assessment, curtailing more specic and useful responses from the teacher. Instead, a well-crafted rubric can serve as a heuristic to guide students in their imaginative exploration and teachers in their growing understanding of individual students and their needs. The purpose of using criteria and rubrics is not to dictate the teachers response to student work, but to facilitate a fruitful discussion. The easy download of ready-made rubrics increases their misuse. One popular rubric website yielded 1,545 results when I searched the term creativity. The following sample of criteria used

Developing Criteria and Creating Rubrics for Creativity

In developing criteria to measure creativity or imagination in student work, we must not rate the creative level of the student or the product, but the evidence of students use of creative thinking and skills. Clear criteria for creative thinking in the process can teach students how to be creative and can develop creativity by increasing the rewards and decreasing the costs (Sternberg, Nature 97). The rst step in developing the criteria is to select the elements that best t learning outcomes for the specic assignment. A culminating project created by a fellow teacher for her thematic unit, Literature as Power, illustrates use of an effective rubric with criteria that reect growth in creative thinking. During the unit, students read a variety of literature that has inuenced individuals, leaders, oppressed groups, and nations over time. For the nal assignment, students were to synthesize and evaluate what they

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Imagine Creating Rubrics That Develop Creativity

had learned in the unit by examining the effect of specic works on the historical time period of their choice and sharing their conclusions. Students communicated their ndings not only in writing but also in an oral presentation using media and/or graphics presented to an outside audience. The teacher told students to be creative and use their imaginations. In addition, I worked with her and designed a Rubric for Creative Thinking (see g. 1) to be used by the teacher and students as part of the overall assessment. The rubric was used to docFIGURE 1. Rubric for Creative Thinking

ument and assess student growth in creative thinking, not to assign a grade for creativity. Using the six resources outlined by Sternberg, the teacher developed criteria to serve as a guide for students in developing their ability to think creatively. The boxes under each level were blank so that the teacher and each student could enter anecdotal evidence of development during the process. Six copies of the rubric were used, three for the teacher and three for the student to be completed at the beginning, middle, and end of the unit. To credit students growth in cre-

Check one: ___ Student ___ Teacher Student Name: ___________________________________________ Cycle (check one): ___ Initial ___ Mid-point ___ Final In the box for each element, indicate the level of development and state (1) how the criteria were or were not demonstrated, (2) what was learned, (3) plan for development. Attributes to Stimulate Creativity Intellectual Skills: using conventional and nonconventional modes of thinking in-depth analysis evident recognizes ideas worth pursuing Knowledge: gaining knowledge and understanding of subject effectively interprets information innovative use Thinking Styles: recognizes important questions and topics good use of new ideas or a new approach questions and analyzes assumptions Creative Functioning: working to overcome obstacles tolerates ambiguity taking reasonable risks taking responsibility for ups and downs in process Motivation: focus on purpose of project rather than grade demonstrating interest in project/process developing personal angle for project working to sell conclusions and ideas Use of Resources: using a variety of resources collaborates, discusses ideas with teacher/peers uses feedback both positive and negative Using Attribute Effectively Developing Attribute Emerging Attribute

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ative thinking, points were added to the overall grade of the project based on evidence of growth in and use of creative thinking. The point system was explained to the students at the beginning of the project. The criteria in the rubric are recognized as items teachers have often used in the classroom to guide student learning and for scoring rubrics, but we usually do not associate these with students creativity. Viewing these attributes as the building blocks for creative thinking and realizing that students must choose to use them encourages students to take control of their learning and creativity. Focus on student control of their internal resources for creative choice frees the imaginative student and encourages and guides the more practical-minded or safethinking individual to develop their creativity.

ing. Not only do we have a tool that can ensure students creative capacities are developed, we might also capture the ephemeral wind of imagination in our classrooms.
Works Cited

Creative Rubrics Guide Teaching

Knowledge fuels imagination and creativity. When teachers understand the elements of creativity, the classroom stage is set for imaginative learning. Developing rubrics that provide evidence of growth in creative thinking may more effectively align problem-solving activities, imaginative research projects, performance events, and artistic representation with state standards and higher-order think-

Carroll, Lewis. Through the Looking Glass. Project Gutenberg. 29 Dec. 2008. Web. 28 Aug. 2009. <http:// www.gutenberg.org/etext/12>. Dickinson, Emily. The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Boston: Little, Brown, 1924. Print. Imagination. Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1989. Print. Joubert, Joseph. Collected Thoughts of Mr. Joubert. Trans. Paul Aster. San Francisco: North Point, 1983. Print. Kohn, Ale. The Trouble with Rubrics. English Journal 95.4 (2006): 1215. Print. OHara, Linda A., and Robert J. Sternberg. It Doesnt Hurt to Ask: Effects of Instructions to Be Creative, Practical, or Analytical on Essay-Writing Performance and Their Interaction with Students Thinking Styles. Creativity Research Journal 13.34 (200001) : 197210. Print. Piirto, Jane. Understanding Creativity. Scottsdale: Great Potential, 2004. Print. Sternberg, Robert J. The Nature of Creativity. Creativity Research Journal 18.1(2006): 8798. Print. . Wisdom, Intelligence, and Creativity Synthesized. New York: Cambridge UP, 2003. Print. Wilson, Maja. Why I Wont Be Using Rubrics to Respond to Students Writing. English Journal 96.4 (2007): 6266. Print.

Linda Payne Young rst enjoyed working with imaginative students while teaching high school English in central Kentucky. As professor and director of secondary education at Asbury College, Linda was inspired by the creativity of classroom teachers. She is currently associate professor at Valdosta State University in the Middle, Secondary Graduate Program for Alternative Certication. Email her at lpyoung@valdosta.edu.

RE A D W R ITE THIN K C O N N E CT ION

Scott Filkins, RWT

Creating Better Presentation Slides through Glance Media and Billboard Design presents an ideal opportunity for putting into practice Youngs ideas and processes related to evaluating creativity. Students learn a theory of slide design, create slides for a presentation analyzing a historical speech, and collaborate on a rubric to evaluate their slides. Sharing Youngs rubric for creative thinking during this process will guide students to apply the design principles in the way in which they were intended: imaginatively! http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_ view.asp?id=1167

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