Creativity and Humanistic Approaches to Teaching: Choose Growth, Choose Change

I was recently asked in what ways the Creative Teacher Hub (CTH) can be called ‘humanistic’. An interesting question. First, a little background: in the early 20th century, Skinner’s Behavorism was the dominant educational theory. Now, Behavorism had a fairly negative perceptions of the learner, with their deficits, their flaws, and wanted to ‘fix’ them. Besides, Behaviorism believed humans are driven by punishment and rewards. In response to this, Humanism argued that learners should not be regarded as being imperfect, but as individuals expressing potential. In this perspective, the role of the teachers (as facilitators) was to create the conditions for the learners to fully develop their human potential and thrive (‘self-actualize’ in Maslow’s words). Humanistic thinkers thought that human beings are driven by a multitude of factors, such as our emotions, for example. Furthermore learners learn a subject when they’re motivated to learn it.

Of course, the ideas of Maslow, Rogers, but also of William James (the father of American psychology) constitute the backbone of our story, the source from which we continue to drink. More specifically, though, this is what comes to mind when I think of these matters:

1) At the CTH, we believe that in many ways, each learner is just like any other learner, in so far as ALL learners need to feel psychologically safe, and work in an environment that respects them as human beings, and promotes social connections.

2) In other ways, we also believe that every learner is profoundly unique in the sense that the journey to self-actualization (that is, realization of one’s fullest human potential) is personal, and sacred.

3) We believe that we are the material, we don’t just ‘cover’ the material. Through meaningful interaction, our goal is to promote every learner’s growth and development. We don’t just teach so our learners can pass this or that test.

4) We believe that each single learner needs to have a higher goal than just merely doing well on a test, however important this may be.

5) We believe that emotions are central in the learning and teaching processes. There’s an emotion behind a behavior, there’s an emotion behind a decision we take. Understanding what the emotion is, and what triggers it is hugely important.

6) As a consequence, we believe every teacher should transition from being an ‘emotion judge’ to an ‘emotion scientist’.

7) We believe learners should be left free to explore, to become, to create their own meaning.

8) We believe creativity is central in that it allows both the teacher and the students to realize their full human potential.

A human-centered education is needed, more than ever. We need a system that acknowledges the universal need for safety, creativity, a sense of belongingness, as well as respects and nurtures the unique trajectory of every learner on their way to self-actualization. Creativity is a choice you make. When you choose CTH, you choose growth, you choose change.