The imagination, when accessed and exercised regularly, can unlock a new world of possibilities.
Teaching requires a great deal of imagination. The extent to which the imagination is used to plan, organize, and execute instruction varies case by case, but in my experience, the imagination is critical in developing the rhythm, beauty, discourse, and possibilities enjoyed by each student enrolled. The imagination enables me, the instructor, to examine new territory and related fields of study to bring variety and vibrancy to the class discussions, writing assignments, and assessments, thereby embracing a multi-modal, multi-dimensional learning experience for my students.
The imaginative teacher considers all possibilities in how he or she conducts a course. While guidelines are established in the class syllabus, there is flexibility, when necessary, in expanding these guidelines and boundaries to allow those enrolled to progress to new levels of knowingness and understanding. One way in particular that I have tried to creatively expand my teaching practice is to look to digital platforms to extend the work in my courses. Like most teachers, I read several drafts of my students’ written work before it is finally evaluated and graded. And like most, I often provide extensive written feedback on my students’ papers so that each student can focus his or her energy on improving his or her composition in the areas that need the most attention. In order to make this a more memorable learning experience I have also leveraged screen casting tools and web conferencing platforms to provide active feedback to my students during writing and creative processes. So, when students receive written feedback from me on an essay, research paper, or creative piece, they also receive a short video of me explaining my evaluation of their work. This approach often takes more time than simply providing written comments, but I believe this is time well spent. I have found that students respond more quickly and far more positively to verbal and visual feedback and their improvement is my ultimate goal.
The imaginative teacher understands that his or her role in the classroom is, at times, fluid. Greene (1995) suggests that a teacher who instills a culture of active learning will create a “classroom situation most provocative in thoughtfulness and critical consciousness” (p. 23). Green goes on to explain that these classrooms are those that “teachers and learners find themselves conducting a kind of collaborative search, deliberate attempt to break through ‘the cotton wool’ of ‘nondescript’ daily life, which Virginia Woolf thought marked by repetitions and banality” (p. 23). I want to create a unique learning experience for those who enroll in my classes at Elizabethtown College. I am admittedly borderline maniacal on this point. After all, if the student doesn’t remember the course, did I really teach them anything? My hope is that when students reflect on their experiences in my classes they do so with the sense that it was not justanother class—that they saw something new in themselves they had not seen before.
Incorporating the imagination, and its creative power, into each course I teach is important because I believe it injects new energy into the learning process—energy that is often missing in most K-12 learning experiences. In just under one decade, a great deal of creativity and imagination has been cut from most middle level and secondary curricula—especially for those learners who find themselves in the bottom three quartiles of their graduating classes. Constant remediation, skill and drill test preparation, and general standardization limit the educational experiences of America’s youth by focusing on a small set of literacy skills—those that are tested. Learning is a quest or a journey of possibilities. A hard-line policy driven by objective, measurable standards tends to suggest that at a certain point learning should stop. A more subjective approach celebrates learning that seeks the unknown and the incomplete yet to be explored. Again, Greene (1995) provides an excellent example from literature by suggesting that Ishmael, of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (1851) is an illustration of the incompleteness of man. Melville says, “I promise nothing complete; because any human thing supposed to be complete must be for that very reason infallibly faulty” (p. 135).
I believe this is perfect place to meet our students at the collegiate level—with the understanding that we, all of us, are incomplete. With creativity, ingenuity, and a little imagination, we have a remarkable opportunity to reintroduce our students to the joy of learning. How can we do this? Sometimes such an experience can begin with a simple invitation.
Many of the courses I teach require students to venture into some form of writing—creative, persuasive, expository or otherwise. I often hear from students at the beginning of each semester say, “Dr. Skillen, I don’t write all that well. I hope you are okay with that.” Or, “Dr. Skillen, creative writing really isn’t my thing, but I need this class to graduate on time. Are you OK with that?”
My response to all varieties of this question is a resounding, “Yes!” I accept these sentiments because in my experience I know these feelings of inadequacy are often the result of a single interaction in high school or middle school. At some critical moment in the less-than-confident student’s academic experience a teacher probably gave the impression that the student could not write. When I encounter students who are not confident writers, I simply invite them to try. If they honestly make an effort to complete the required assignments, I believe we can work together through a rigorous and involved writing process to help the student develop something he or she will be ultimately proud of. My classes are dynamic, dialogical, and multimodal. We employ a process-minded approach to all matters of my course and I explicitly invite students to embrace our process of learning and writing.
The imaginative teacher harnesses the limitations of the current educational system to ignite a desire for learning. Yes, each course is set on a specific timeline, and, yes, even at the college level, standards—or student learning outcomes—must be met. However, by making proper use of every class meeting, framing academic activity within the context of the course, and engaging each student to access their imaginations, the teacher approaches meaningful and memorable instruction. And, if we do our job correctly, we will pass on a legacy of critical thinking and authentic inquiry to those enrolled in our courses. While these instructional characteristics are often difficult to illustrate in class syllabi (Appendix B), my hope is that my dynamic approach to teaching is seen through the accounts and reflections of former and current students.
These three pillars of my teaching philosophy and methodology have been molded through the passing of each academic year. This process began when I enthusiastically opened my own classroom in 2003 and continues to solidify through every opportunity I have to teach.