When dealing with creativity, remember that there are no wrong answers! Helping our students develop problem solving and listening skills increases their self-confidence and promotes creative thinking in the classroom.
There is an argument for the exam as the final assessment: if students don't have the knowledge by the time they're tested, that's unfortunate, but it's time to move on - there's only so much time to teach the material. "What about a surgeon? Do they 'test' their learning on a genuine patient?" Guskey asked. "Or do they get to check their learning on a cadaver to make sure they've got it worked out?" You wouldn't show a surgeon a heart bypass in a textbook and then send him or her straight into the operating room!
One of the best ways to engage and motivate students is to apply learning to real-world situations or to associate the learning with something that students can identify with. The examples that follow have been used successfully in classrooms around the country and can be adapted for your subject and situation.
We learn through all of the intelligence styles, but we have certain learning preferences that are stronger than others. Choose strategies that support your student’s strongest learning preference when helping them with homework or studying.
Just as it is important to have the martial arts coach in the ring, encouraging, guiding and critiquing, it is important to have the academic "coach" in the classroom encouraging, guiding and critiquing, showing the way, but allowing the student to learn by experience, by doing, by being coached, and doing it again.