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“Limits are a necessary partner in the creative act as well as in the crafting of a successful life. What matters is the ability to look around and accurately recognize what is working for you and what is working against you, adjusting to the realities of the situation and mining the potential of the limits with invention and energy.”
― Anne Bogart, What’s the Story: Essays about art, theater and storytelling

When I first hear the word ‘creative’ mentioned, I must admit that I, like many, think of the arts. I first associate “being creative” with “being an artist” or gifted in an art form. When thinking more deeply about it, I realise that there is opportunity for creativity in our day-to-day lives, and especially in schools. But what does it actually mean to be creative? What place does creativity have in the post-primary classroom? And what role does it have in the Religious Education classroom? Sir Ken Robinson defines creativity as “the process of having original ideas that have value” (2006). This makes me think of giving life to new ideas, either in the everyday or when you’re tasked with a specific project – and then seeing those ideas as worthy. I see creativity as a choice you make when given limitations, when bored, when given a blank canvas. To me, it is a choice to go beyond what is already there, to imagine new possibilities, to think on your feet, to reflect, and to act on that reflection. As theatre director Anne Bogart comments in the quote above, creativity is an act of unearthing what might be possible by putting energy into it. Creativity is not necessarily being proficient in an artform, but rather inventing the art.

As a teacher there are countless opportunities for creativity in the school day. You may have the day planned out to the minute, but something unexpected will inevitably come up. Therefore, a creative teacher adapts, adjusts, and gets inventive with the time they are left with. This creative pivot is something we must learn through trial and error, and especially through failure and making mistakes. Creativity and mistakes go hand in hand, and Scripture reminds us that we are free to fail thanks to the gift of grace that God provides: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV). How liberating to know that we are empowered by God’s grace. This creative pivot, which also offers space to try things out, is something worth teaching and providing opportunities for in the classroom so that young people can grow socially and emotionally. And what better place is there to investigate new and different perspectives on ancient stories than the Religious Education, Wellbeing, and History classrooms? Without creativity, how can we (and our students) understand the relevance of a religion that is over 2,000 years old in our own lives?

Creative methods of teaching, for example the use of digital media resources like our SAOL Media series, are well placed to help strengthen the understanding of religious teachings rather than replace traditional methods of teaching religion (Kharismatunisa 2023). It is helpful for me to see the arts as pathways to creative learning in schools, acting as “tools for nurturing emotional ability and social skills” (Zana-Sternfeld et al., 2024, p.9). If perceived in that way, an artform such as filmmaking or drawing can be used to make space for voicing opinions and reflecting, helping to build a supportive creative environment in the Religious Education class and empower both teachers and students.

In my work as a visiting drama teacher, I aim to recognise each teacher as a creative individual and an artist in their own right. By freeing their own creativity, teachers can be empowered in their artistry, allowing students a creative outlet as well, which is so important! Creative activities such as reflecting through writing, drawing, making music, listening to music, watching films, and storytelling – to name a few – allow students to access a flow state. Flow is a term from positive psychology that contributes to wellbeing. It was originally defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in 1990 as a state of being in which you are so immersed in something that nothing else matters. Have you ever experienced that feeling of concentration that unleashes creativity? Maybe you recently dusted off an old set of acrylics and painted while listening to your favourite music, or went to the local beach or pool and felt the water on your skin as you started to swim. Flow is useful because other influences on your day that might cause stress or anxiety seem to melt away while you’re involved with this activity. Imagine how beneficial this can be for a student during the school day! Flow, which often develops through engagement with creative activities, can act as a key contributor to a student’s wellbeing as it provides a sense of purpose, resolution, and harmony (Csikszentmihalyi 1990).

There are plenty of ways to be creative in the RE classroom, and in turn, to access flow and improve social and emotional wellbeing. Our SAOL Sonas and An Dara SAOL series bring the Gospel to life in a creative way through storytelling and film. The Teacher’s Resource Documents which go along with each of these episodes provide some examples of activities to help your students access flow and get creative such as filmmaking, reflecting on Scripture through illustration, and even opportunities for creative writing through storytelling and poetry.

By offering varied types of reflective activities – which include creative as well as traditional teaching methods – teachers can provide opportunities for differentiated learning and inclusion so that all learners have the chance to engage in the way that works best for them (Kharismatunisa 2023). Some ways to incorporate creativity into the Religious Education classroom, and which we provide guidelines for in the SAOL Media Teacher’s Resource Documents, are:

• reflective activities which include artistic responses and creative writing (like poetry or storytelling)
• interactive activities such as drama activities that require teamwork and collaboration, joint decision-making, and problem-solving
• incorporating music for listening while reflecting, or opportunities to create music
• responsive activities that include animation or filmmaking, responding with drawing, sculpture, and/or painting

So next time your school day throws you a curveball, take a breath and enjoy the pivot. What creative possibility has this limitation freed for you and your students?

2 Corinthians 12:9. Bible Hub. (n.d.). https://biblegateway.com.

Bogart, A. (2014). What’s The story: Essays about art, theater and storytelling.

Routledge.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1991). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience.

HarperPerennial.

Kharismatunisa, I. (2023). Innovation and creativity of Islamic religious education

teachers in utilizing digital-based learning media. Scaffolding: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam Dan Multikulturalisme, 5(3), 519–538. https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v5i3.3700

Robinson, Ken. (2006). Do schools kill creativity?. TED.

Zana-Sternfeld G., Israeli, R., & Lapidot-Lefer, N. (2024). Creative education or

creativity: Integrating arts, social emotional aspects and creative learning environments. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 25(3). http://doi.org/10.26209/ijea25n3.