Word Dance for PAR
We begin as we intend to proceed. And that is to collaborate using creative process through all aspects of this study.
What is Action Research? A creative thinking tool not only for understanding terms but also for deepening and expanding perspectives and shared insight.
Creative process through education provides a medium for filtering information. I like to think of creativity in education as a scaffold, a framework through which information can be processed, filtered and tossed around for new meaning making.
Word Dance Action Research
A Word Dance is an ideational tool and fits easily into education, especially for defining terms. Because there are so many ways of learning and knowing, educators can never rely on just one or even two words to clarify a definitive meaning. And besides, defining words with just one word is very limiting, if not convergent (more on that creative principal later).
I like to start word dances like this, “What’s another word for the word ‘word’”? After the blank stares, laughter begins. I always have to repeat the question. “Seriously, what’s another word for the word ‘word’”?
“Expression,” “Letters,” “Meaning,” “A Thought”. You get the idea.
Word dances work best with two or three words that form an expression or concept, such as “Participatory Action Research”.
By diverging on all three words, we recombine new definitions to create new meaning.
Word Dance Participatory Action Research
As the facilitator, I could not come up with a novel and useful definition. Nor should I. Creativity has a social attribute.
Together we crafted something entirely new.
Here’s the magic with Word Dances-
1. Everyone contributes to meaning making.
2. Combining new words into new word combinations creates new, unforeseen thinking.
3. The best part is the result: a shared and deeper understanding emerges as that is novel and useful for the group.
#creativeleadership
