| SES # | TOPICS | ASSIGNMENTS | STUDENT WORK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introductions Course Overview | Homework 1 (PDF) Letter to me Didion, Updike, Menand (handouts) | |
| 2 | Creativity: Motivation and Inspiration Writing: Voice and Sensibility | Homework 2 (PDF) Fraser, Walker, Pollack Begin Journals (PDF) | |
| 3 | Creativity: Circumstances in which Creativity Flourishes (or doesn't) Writing: Elements of the Essay-theme vs. Idea; Introductions and Conclusions; Description and Imagery; Characters Background on Psychoanalysis Introduce Dancemaker | Homework 3 (PDF) Hawthorne and Jung | |
| 4 | Video Dancemaker (Paul Taylor) Creating as a Social Act; Creating as a Physical Act; Fear, Joy, and Suffering as part of Creative Process | Homework 4 Gather ideas for Essay I (PDF) | |
| 5 | Discuss Dancemaker Discuss Hawthorne and Jung: the Romantic Vision of the Artist Play with ideas for Essay I | Homework 5 Draft of Essay I | |
| 6 | Workshop Essay I in Pairs | Homework 6 (PDF) Sacks, McAuliffe, Gladwell | |
| 7 | Creativity: The Creative Temperament - Does it Exist?; Imagination and Knowledge Writing Clinic: Introductions Introduce Essay II | Homework 7 (PDF) Read Murray Revise Essay I | |
| 8 | Video Maya Lin Vision; Conflict; Persistence; Courage | Homework 8 (PDF) Begin Courage to Create Journal entry on Maya Lin Proposal for Essay II due to next class Film List (PDF) | |
| 9 | Library Visit: Focusing Research; Using Electronic Resources; Using the Libraries at MIT | Homework 9 (PDF) Finish Courage to Create (Polish Essay I) Essay II Revision (PDF) | |
| 10 | Creativity: The Psychoanalytic Approach; Existentialism Discuss Rollo May and Maya Lin Writing: Theories and Definitions | Homework 10 (PDF) Hirschberg | Essay 1: A Transient Citizen (PDF) (Courtesy of Rene De Santiago. Used with permission.) Essay 2: Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 in B-flat Minor (PDF) (Courtesy of an Anonymous Student. Used with permission.) Essay 3: The Child Playing Alone (PDF) (Courtesy of Eleojo Ocholi. Used with permission.) Essay 4: Anthropomorphized Creativity (PDF) (Courtesy of Omri Schwartz. Used with permission.) Essay 5: Influence and Creativity (PDF) (Courtesy of Rene De Santiago. Used with permission.) Essay 6: Ithaca (PDF) (Courtesy of Constantinos Melachrinos. Used with permission.) |
| 11 | Creativity: Discuss Hirschberg: Creativity in Organizations Share Journals | Homework 11 (PDF) | |
| 12 | Share Précis and Refine them Free-write on Movie | Homework 12 (PDF) Research Project: Bring notes on at least 2 sources to class | |
| 13 | Small Group Work on Research Whole Class: Research Problems and Questions Using Sources Responsibly | Homework 13 (PDF) Draft of Essay II: post to group before Session 14 | |
| 14 | Workshop Essay II in Small Groups Set up Conferences on Essay II | Homework 14 (PDF) Koestler | |
| 15 | Workshop Essay II as a Class (3 Essays) | Homework 15 (PDF) Boden | |
| 16 | Writing Clinic: Thesis; Integrating Quotations Introduce Essay III Share Journals | Homework 16 (PDF) Revise Essay II Due before Session 18 | Essay 1: To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Expected (PDF) (Courtesy of Michelle Aquing. Used with permission.) Essay 2: The Beautiful Mind of Ron Howard (PDF) (Courtesy of Paul Estrada. Used with permission.) Essay 3: Schizophrenic Creativity (PDF) (Courtesy of Paul Estrada. Used with permission.) Essay 4: Through the Ruins of What Once Was (PDF) (Courtesy of Sergio Haro. Used with permission.) Essay 5: Glenn Gould, the Eccentric Artist (PDF) (Courtesy of Matthew Harrington. Used with permission.) |
| 17 | Creativity: How it Happens Discuss Koestler and Boden | Homework 17 (PDF) Proposal for Essay III (PDF) | |
| 18 | Work with Proposals and Refine Them Writing Clinic: Transitions; Sentences | Homework 18 (PDF) Draft of Essay III: post before Session 19 | |
| 19 | Workshop Essay III in Small Groups | Homework 19 (PDF 1) (PDF 2) Complete Journals Proposal for Oral Presentation: e-mail to me before Session 20 | |
| 20 | Workshop Essay III Whole Class (3 Essays) | Homework 20 (PDF) Revise Essay III due before Session 21 | Essay 1: The Artist (PDF) (Courtesy of Michelle Aquing. Used with permission.) Essay 2: Powerful Depths of the Unknown (PDF) (Courtesy of Brittany A. Jones. Used with permission.) Essay 3: Capturing Beauty (PDF) (Courtesy of Anonymous Student. Used with permission.) Essay 4: Ideas From the Underground (PDF) (Courtesy of Eleojo Ocholi. Used with permission.) Essay 5: The Solution (PDF) (Courtesy of Stephen Oglesby. Used with permission.) Essay 6: It's the Cake (PDF) (Courtesy of Sebastián Castro. Used with permission.) Essay 7: Essay on Koestler and Boden (PDF) (Courtesy of Rafael Maldonado. Used with permission.) Essay 8: Rock Music and Creativity (PDF) (Courtesy of Constantinos Melachrinos. Used with permission.) |
| 21 | Conferences as Needed | Homework 21 Work on Oral Presentation | |
| 22 | Video: Rediscovering Dave Brubeck | Homework 22 Work on final revision for Portfolios | |
| 23 | Oral Presentations | Homework 23 Work on final revision for Portfolios (cont.) | |
| 24 | Oral Presentations (cont.) | Homework 24 Work on final revision for Portfolios (cont.) | |
| 25 | Oral Presentations (cont.) Evaluations | Homework 25 Portfolios (PDF) |