Date of Award
5-2021
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Art
First Advisor
Dr. William Charland
Second Advisor
Dr. Christina Chin
Third Advisor
Cat Crotchett
Keywords
Creativity, art, art education, creative process, creative thinking
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
This thesis describes a methodology for developing artistic creativity in seventh-grade students through the implementation of a curriculum that fosters authentic engagement with the creative process. In it I explore how student’s waning interest in the arts through middle school despite the value of creative expression for adolescents can be addressed. The research in this paper explores relevant aspects of artistic creativity as well as the psychological needs that must be met in order for students to successfully engage in a creative practice. The paper makes recommendations for how to foster common traits of creative people and proposes how behavior management may encourage a creative learning environment. Ultimately, I propose a curriculum that develops student’s expressive capabilities through direct instruction in meaning making strategies and engagement in authentic personally relevant themes.
Recommended Citation
Wallerius, Zachary Dane, "Developing Creativity in the Seventh-Grade Art Classroom" (2021). Masters Theses. 5191.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/5191