Humanism

“You can’t use up creativity the more you use, the more you have” –Maya Angelou

A humanist approach to teaching involves being an open and honest teacher who values their relationships with learners. Teachers should also value ideas, language, and culture and nurture the learner’s sense of identity and self esteem. By setting up a learning environment that provides a range of potential creative activities will support the learners to develop creativity and critical thinking skills. Using humanism strategies should encourage the learners to be curious and take interest in their learning (Duchnesne, McMaugh, Bochner & Krause, 2013). Like the cognitive process of constructivism, a humanist approach can have no control over what is learned and how to be creative or more creative it is again to just be encouraged and valued.

Carl Rogers an important figure associated with humanist approaches had an idea that teachers should be non-directive, innovative and more personal. He believed that children should be nurtured and not controlled in their learning. Roger emphasized the significance of freedom and choice for mental and emotional health. He also believed that supportive, non-directive relationships help individuals begin to heal themselves. An approach was developed called non-directive teaching which would free learners to develop their talent through self directed activity and this is how creativity is had(Duchnesne, McMaugh, Bochner & Krause, 2013).  To be creative we must direct our own learning to encourage our interests and values and let our mind experiment and create endless opportunities.

References:

Duchesne, S., McMaugh, A., Bochner, S., &Krause, K-L. (2013). Educational psychology for  

       learning and teaching (4th ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: Cengage.

Pictures:

Google images. Retrieved from 
http://blogaziendali.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/scrittura-creativa-blog-aziendale.jpg

Google images. Retrieved from http://www.michaelediamond.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Creativity_Nithyananda.jpg