Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the creative process and the use of that process in the development of self-awareness and empathetic relationships with others. It presents evidence that the expansion of the creative potential within all of us is valuable for the professional development of social workers and others. It also includes discussion of the therapeutic and growth-enhancing use of creative processes with individuals, groups, and communities.
Course Objectives
1. The general objective of this course is to develop the student's ability to find innovative solutions to problems that arise in social work practice and in other life experiences through an understanding of the creative process and through enhanced personal and collaborative creative expression.
Specific objectives include:
2. The use of the creative process to enhance self-awareness and professional competence.
3. The development of self-confidence in personal modes of expression and social work practice.
4. The use of creative experiences to build empathy.
5. The development of intuitive processes in interpersonal interactions.
6. The exploration of a range of expressive arts therapies.
7. The appreciation of the value of diversity for creative developments in group and community processes.
8. The development of skills in finding creative solutions to build group cohesion and community consciousness.
9. The increased awareness of a need for multi-cultural viewpoints in personal and communal expression.
Course Requirements and Assignments
Grades will be assigned on the basis of point accumulation, so that each student can decide what grade she or he receives by doing more or less work and consequently receiving more or fewer points. A grade of C may be attained by the accumulation of 70-79 points; B, 80-89 points; A, 90 or more points. Points may be accumulated in the following ways:
1. Attendance and class participation. Attendance will be taken. Students are expected to arrive on time, and late arrival will be noted, but all students should understand that they may enter the classroom whenever they arrive. Please be considerate, however, of other students who are making presentations if you arrive late. Participation will also be recorded. There are 27 class sessions and one point will be awarded for each session for which you arrive on time. One-half point will be awarded if you are late. One-half point will also be awarded for each session during which you participate constructively. This can result in a total of 40 points. Since attendance and participation are very important in this type of class, each student must receive at least 30 points in this manner to pass the course.
2. There is no required textbook, but significant reading of sources selected by the student and/or assigned by the instructor are also important. All handouts distributed in class are required reading for all students and class participation should demonstrate an understanding of that reading. Individualized assignments may include required as well as recommended reading. Any student may choose to read and report on a specific text or other material approved by the instructor. The report may be written or presented verbally in class. A maximum of 20 points may be gained in this way.
3. Other assignments will be created by each student in consultation with Prof. Sanborn. Since this is a course in creativity, and since everyone has different ideas and abilities regarding the expression of creativity, individualized assignments are most likely to be effective in facilitating and evaluating learning. Each student will meet with Prof. Sanborn during the month of January to make decisions about these assignments. The following activities are suggestions; students are encouraged to come up with their own ideas as well as drawing from this list.
a. Individual creative project: write a poem, paint a picture, build a birdhouse, compose a song, or do anything else that requires you to create.
b. Group creative project: work with another student or students in the class, or a friend not in the class, to sculpt, dance, celebrate, plan a new program, or do whatever you want to do that is creative and requires working together.
c. Community creative project: do something new and different for your community; teach drawing to school children or lead a sewing circle at a nursing home; be creative in your volunteer work or at your workplace.
d. Class presentation: lead a class discussion, do a PowerPoint presentation, or bring materials to class that reflect on the creative process. This may be tied to any of the above (a, b, or c) or something else altogether, something that you have read, dreamed about, or seen on TV or the Web.
You may well have other ideas, and that is good. This is, after all, a class in creativity. You learn about creativity by hearing and seeing the ideas of others, and by being more creative yourself. Think of this as an opportunity to stretch yourself, to try something new. The assignments you create will be awarded points on the basis of Prof. Sanborn’s judgment. It is recommended that students interested in a grade of “A” arrange to accumulate at least 100 points so that, if you miss a class or do not do well on an assignment, you can still reach 90 points.
Any students needing to make arrangements for
special considerations in grade assignments due to disabilities, including
learning disabilities, are encouraged to discuss these arrangements with the
instructor.
Course Topics
It is expected that these topics will be covered, although not necessarily in this order. Additions to or substitutions for these topics may be made depending on the interests and needs of the class.
1. Definitions of creativity and related concepts.
2. Overview of the expressive arts.
3. The creative process.
4. Environmental and personal factors which facilitate innovation.
5. Overcoming creative blocks.
6. Multi-cultural viewpoints in personal and communal expression in the expressive
arts.
7. Motivation toward creativity in the expressive arts.
8. The use of electronic media in the development of empathy.
9. Visual art and ritual.
10. Music and the Alexander Technique.
11. Poetry writing and appreciation as inspiration for visual expression.
12. Creative use of dramatic processes.
13. Dance, creative movement, and visual expression.
14. Song writing and performance art.
15. Art therapy and creative visualization.
16. The value of diversity in creative group process.
17. Creative living.
18. Mural painting and creative problem solving to build a sense of community.
19. Dreams, fantasies, and visions in visual art.
20. Creativity and generalist social work practice.
21. Shifts in perceptions and paradigms.
Office Hours
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 10:15 - 11:15
am; 1:45 – 2:45 pm
Tuesday and Thursday: 8:30 - 9:30 am;
12:00 – 1:00 pm
I am also available at other times if
necessary. Please speak to me after class or call 898-2685 during these hours
if you need an appointment at another time.
Bibliography
Since there is no required text, it is important for students to start early in the semester selecting sources for their assignments and individualized reading. This list should be a helpful starting place. Most of these are available in the library or from the instructor.
Addams, Jane. Twenty Years at
Allen, Pat B. Art Is a Way of
Knowing.
Bayles, David and Ted Orland. Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking. Santa Cruse, CA.: The Image Continuum, 1993.
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of
Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales.
Boik, B. L. and E. A. Goodwin. Sandplay
Therapy: A Step-By-Step Manual for Psychotherapists of Diverse Orientations.
Blatner, Adam and Allee Blatner. The
Art of Play: Helping Adults Reclaim Imagination and Spontaneity.
Callenbach, Ernest. Ecotopia. Bantam Books, 1990.
Cameron, Julia. The Artist's
Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.
Campbell, Joseph, with Bill Moyers. The
Power of Myth.
Coleman, V. D. and P. M. F. Dufrene.
Art Therapy and Psychotherapy: Blending Two Therapeutic Approaches.
Cornell, Judith. Drawing the
Light from Within: Keys to Awaken Your Creative Power.
Eagle Feather, Ken. A Toltec
Path.
Feder, Elaine and Bernard Feder. The
Expressive Arts Therapies: Art, Music and Dance as Psychotherapy.
Frank, Jerome D. Persuasion
and Healing.
Frankl, Victor E. Man's Search
for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy.
Fox, Matthew. Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet. J. P. Tarcher, 2002.
Fox, Matthew. One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing from Global Faiths. J. P. Tarcher. 2000.
Gibbs, Leonard and Eileen Gambrill. Critical
Thinking for Social Workers.
Hager Cohen, Leah. The Stuff
of Dreams: Behind the Scenes of an American Community Theatre.
Halprin, A. Dance As a Healing
Art: Returning to Health with Movement and Imagery.
Heus, Michael and Allen Pincus. The Creative Generalist: a Guide to Social Work Practice. Barneveld,WI: Micamar Publishing, 1986.
Johnson, David. Reaching Out:
Interpersonal Effectiveness and Self-Actualization (Sixth Edition).
Jung, Carl G. (edited by Joseph
Campbell). The Portable Jung.
Katz,
Laing, R. D. The Politics of
Experience.
Levi-Strauss, Claude. Look,
Listen, Read.
Malchiodi, Cathy A. The Art
Therapy Sourcebook.
McClam, Tricia and Marianne Woodside. Problem Solving in the Helping
Professions.
McNiff, Shaun. Art as Medicine: Creating a Therapy of the Imagination.
Nachmanovitch, Stephen. Free Play: The Power of Improvisation in Life
and the Arts.
Purto, Jane. Understanding Creativity. Scottsdale: Great Potential Press, Inc., 2004.
Romesburg, H. Charles. The Life of the Creative Spirit. www.Xlibris.com: Xlibris Corporation, 2001.
Rogers, Natalie H. The Creative Connection: Expressive Arts as
Healing.
Runco, Mark A. and Ruth Richards (eds). Eminent Creativity, Everyday
Creativity, and Health.
Schulz, Mona Lisa. Awakening Intuition: Using Your Mind-Body Network
for Insight and Healing.
Segal, Marci. Creativity and Personality Type: Tools for Understanding and Inspiring the Many Voices of Creativity. Huntington Beach, CA.: Telos Publications, 2001.
Sternberg, Patricia and Antonina Garcia. Sociodrama: Who's In Your
Shoes.
Sternberg, Robert (ed.) Handbook of Creativity.
Tharp, Twyla. The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life. Simon and Schuster, 2003.
Important Dates
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Tuesday, January 17 |
First day of class |
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January 17 - 18 |
Late registration |
|
Monday, January 30 |
Last day to drop without a grade |
|
March 6 - 11 |
Spring Break: no classes |
|
Friday, March 10 |
University holiday: no classes |
|
Wednesday, April 27 |
Last day of classes |
|
April 29 - May 5 |
Final exams |
|
Saturday, May 7 |
Last day to remove
"I" grades for May Grads.
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