Chris Howlett's Creative Education Works

How I work…

As a multi-media artist and experienced teacher I am largely unrestricted by materials and can work in most 2D or 3D media.

These range from using clay, printing materials, Modroc and traditional drawing and painting media through to recycled materials, woodworking and many others.

If you have an idea in mind, a space to enhance or would simply like more creativity taking place in your learning environment, please contact me and I’ll be happy to chat through your ideas with no cost or commitment.

My education background

Based in Cumbria, I am an experienced Primary Teacher (30 years) with a 4 Year B.Ed Honours degree.

I trained in Newcastle and qualified at Northumbria University.

I have taught full-time on Tyneside, in Yorkshire and Cumbria across the whole curriculum

from Nursery to Key Stage 3 pupils.

I still teach for part of every week so am always in touch with the practical day-to-day classroom as well as current initiatives and educational thinking.(I wouldn’t feel qualified to keep advising teachers without also continuing to do the job at grass-roots level!)

I’m passionate about…

Art and Creative Education and the possibilities for enthusing pupils and teachers.

Most children and some adults are naturally excited and encouraged by artistic opportunities and experiences. Others need a little encouragement and support. We all enjoy being actively involved in exploring new media and creative ways of working and this is where I can help.

I also run sessions for hard-working, massively time-constrained teachers to enthuse and inspire creative teaching and learning through Art.

I take into account all levels of teaching ability and confidence and work supportively to encourage and motivate teachers through practical Art activities.

Squeezing and marginalising creative thinking in an already over-filled National Curriculum often leaves teachers feeling demoralised and de-skilled. We cover all the NC requirements daily but do we truly encourage innovation, independent and creative thinking ?

I can help to restore that spark of enthusiasm, re-energise creative thinking and fire teachers’ imaginations to be original and exciting both inside and beyond the classroom with the children they teach.

Creativity and Innovation

I am offering you this promise of practical support, resourcing and the benefit of my own extensive teaching experience not just in Art but of value across the whole curriculum by adding and encouraging interest, innovation and creative thinking amongst staff and pupils alike. Feedback suggests this the way most teachers prefer to teach given the choice and freedom to deliver to their own individual strengths. These workshops allow teachers to use the best of traditional teaching methods alongside new technologies and media. You shouldn’t be afraid to try but do be prepared to take a few measured creative risks with my support to make it happen!

What's the value to teachers and pupils?

I can help you to:

add more spark, innovation and creativity to the way you teach
make the way you think and problem-solve more innovative and creative
recognise and use your expertise and creative potential to enhance your interest, teaching and delivery
confidently take creative risks without always knowing the defined outcome
enthuse, motivate and engage your pupils in a range of inspiring and imaginative ways of doing and learning
encourage pupils to think, behave and act with greater confidence, independence and creativity
demonstrate the impact of creative teaching and learning on pupil attainment and attitudes to learning

Partner organisations

Now in my fifteenth year as a freelance Education Artist and Teacher I have led, resourced and delivered hundreds of Art-based creative learning sessions across the country with many different schools and organisations.

I have recently worked with the Arts Council Collection to develop teaching resources and practical guides for pupils at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. These resources also travelled nationwide and were shared across Britain with the In My Shoes exhibition.

I have worked with pupils and staff at High Borrans Outdoor Education Centre at Windermere to develop artwork which reflects their own outdoor experiences and to enhance the classroom and outdoor learning spaces.

I also deliver ongoing freelance work for the BBC, reviewing and advising on content for their Learning Zone Clips website and also reviewing television education broadcasts, as well as taking part in ongoing BBC education training and updates.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/

I have delivered SCITT training for trainee teachers in North Tyneside LA to model and demonstrate ways of presenting lessons within and beyond the classroom in more creative, engaging and inspiring ways. In conjunction with the National Trust I have led sessions promoting and developing use of outdoor locations as a source of learning and stimulation for both teachers and pupils.

I am an active member of NEATEN (North East Art Teacher/ Educator Network) which meets termly at Baltic with Susan Coles. I have also delivered practical art workshops for Baltic and as part of teacher well-being development days.

I am also an active member of PATERN (Primary Art Teachers and Educators Regional Network) meeting termly at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle to support all art educators specifically at Primary level.

I deliver termly Art CPD workshops for North Tyneside LA as their Primary Art Adviser to support teaching and learning in art and creativity in Primary Schools across the borough. I work directly with teachers and teaching assistants to encourage and support practical art delivery in schools.

I have delivered workshops for Tyne and Wear Museums and Archives and Sure Start culminating in a permanent interactive installation and self-published illustrated book about John Martin at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle (John Martin Gallery 2010).

I have delivered specialist creative art sessions to children with life-limiting and terminal conditions at St Oswald’s Hospice and training for carers at Barnardo’s in Newcastle.

I previously worked extensively with Creative Partnerships and developed the Children’s Programme for Sheffield Arts Education, running highly practical creative training sessions for teachers and children in a huge range of indoor and outdoor settings.

See more examples of my work by clicking on the tabs at the top of this page.

I continue to deliver practical arts projects and workshops in schools and organisations locally nationally and have worked for the Children’s University to deliver out-of-hours arts sessions during school holidays.

Artsmark Awards

I currently work in arts partnership with Collingwood Primary School to deliver bespoke art sessions to every class and child in the school, from Nursery to Year 6 and have helped them to achieve Artsmark Gold in 2017. I led my previous school to Artsmark Silver followed by two consecutive Artsmark Gold Awards which we were delighted by.

I am well placed to assist schools wanting to boost their levels of creativity across the curriculum in all age-ranges and to show you where your school is already engaging in what is probably a wide range of creative activities.

I regularly work with schools and art organisations to plan and deliver stand-alone arts projects and Arts Week experiences with pupils from Nursery age to Key Stage 2. Each project is unique and I work with every school to tailor projects to your own requirements, budget and desired outcomes.

Effective strategies for developing creative thinking and learning:

De Bono, Reggio Emilia, P4C

I have trained in and deliver in each of these areas to generate exciting creative projects.

Philosophy For Children ( P4C ) where I give children time and space to consider, hypothesise and express their own opinions and feelings in a confident, supportive and constructive way about almost any relevant subject or topic. By giving them personalised and individual learning experiences children are able to develop their own creative thinking and evaluative processes to analyse and make conclusions about situations, scenarios and objects presented to them. These can be tailored to your specific school topics or requirements.

Click Here for more general information on this approach.

De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats I demonstrate practically how these theories allow children to tackle a topic from different angles and to consider how they might apply their own creative thinking to overcome difficulties and reach a satisfying and rewarding outcome. From problem-solving to generating original and new ideas, my approach makes a creative challenge into a personalised learning mission for any child.

Click Here for more general information on this approach.

The Reggio Emilia approach although more usually tried as an integrated early years approach, I also use this successfully with Key Stage 2 age pupils to develop thinking skills, social skills, co-operation and teamwork with benefits to thinking and learning across the whole curriculum. This can also form the basis of a Creative Documentation Project and graphic display work which records and demonstrates the children’s progress throughout the project.

Click Here for more general information on this approach.

Memorable, meaningful and enjoyable

All my sessions are multi-sensory, using art to provide a rich, engaging and creative hands-on learning experience that is meaningful and memorable to children.

All sessions involve creative thinking and innovation to encourage original thought and individual problem-solving as opposed to just copying the work of another artist or repeating a style.

I always encourage children to be original, unique and to take creative risks and challenges to extend their creative boundaries.

Mistakes are inevitable and are an essential part of learning to succeed through persistence, trialling and refinement.

I work indoors and outdoors with staff, groups or classes as required and I will work with you to develop training and learning to suit your specific needs.

If you aren’t sure where to begin or already have an idea of where you’d like to go next, please get in touch for a completely no-obligation chat and I’ll be glad to help.

Be inspired. Be creative.

Chris Howlett’s Creative Education Works

Creative Arts Consultant, Teacher and Education Artist