2: Getting Creativity Back into Schools: How Teachers Can Adopt a Creative Pedagogy

Creativity, creative practice and creative approaches are desirable traits of any pedagogy. However, to do that successfully, we need to know what creativity is so we can learn how to teach it, teach through it and embody it. This chapter explores what creativity is in educational settings. It also exposes a false dichotomy war between academics and policy-making circles in England which has questioned the role of creativity in schools. I will argue that initial teacher education should include creativity in its core content, in its range of ‘signature pedagogies’ (Shulman, 2005) which can not only ensure that the knowledge-based curriculum can be delivered successfully, but also ensure the well-being and development of its teachers for long-term and fulfilling careers. This chapter assumes that you are seeking clarity about the state of creativity in educational settings, that you are looking for evidence of why creativity should be in our schools and that you want to explore what creativity and creative pedagogy of teachers can encompass and hope to find out how to teach creatively.