The Role of Creative Thinking in the Process of Forming Teachers’ Professional Identity

Abstract

This study tracks the influence of creative thinking on the emerging professional identity of excellent student teachers. It is based on the responses of 120 participants in an accelerated academic program towards a B.Ed. and teacher’s certificate. The trainees are an inter-collegiate group from across Israel, with a range of demographic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. They were part of the “Creativity that Changes Learning” program, which combines the theoretical subject matter of creativity with activities designed to make learning a more interactive and dynamic experience, actively engaging students in generating knowledge. Participants evaluated their learning experience. They noted that creative instruction requires extra effort. They viewed the learning environment as supporting the subject matter. They identified that teamwork contributes to the variety and diversity of ideas. They noted the multicultural nature of the group helped them understand the challenges they are likely to encounter as teachers. Findings show that the element of creative thinking was added as a part of their emerging professional identities. They expressed hesitation about the possibility of implementing creative instruction while being trained by veteran teachers who, in their estimation, would be reluctant to allow deviation from the standard lesson format.