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NCTE 'English Journal' Recommends Creativity Portal to Teachers
"The site will inspire just about anyone."
—The English Journal
By Chris Dunmire | Posted 1/13/2007 | Updated 2/8/2020
According to the council, the English Journal is their "award-winning journal of ideas for English language arts teachers in junior and senior high schools and middle schools." In publication since 1912, the peer-reviewed publication has spun off other teacher's guides including College English and English Education.
In this affirming review under the section "Tools for Teaching", editor Colleen A. Ruggieri from Boardman High School in Boardman, Ohio, writes under the title "Opening the Door for Words at Play" and highlights Creativity Portal's dynamic writing and blogging tools, expanding writing and photo prompt library, and examples of useful articles teachers can use to inspire writing in the classroom. The review follows.
English Journal Review
Review by Colleen A. Ruggieri, Editor
From the article "Tools for Teaching" (Vol. 96, No. 3, January 2007)
Copyright 2006 by the National Council of Teachers of English. Reprinted with permission.
Opening the Door for Words at Play
Creativity Portal, www.creativity-portal.com
"Cool!" said my students when they clicked onto this Web site. Launched in 2000, Creativity Portal describes itself as an "inspirational how-to Web resource for artists, writers, crafters, and creativity enthusiasts." It has been featured in Imagine magazine and Writer's Digest; it is "privately-owned and maintained by several creativity enthusiasts who value the free exchange of instructional information and inspiration online."
On entering the site, my students and I clicked on the Writing Life link, located on the blue toolbar. On that page, we found a sunshine icon with the words The Imagination Prompt Generator. This tool provides basic topics for creative writing such as, "You can go back to your childhood for one day. What day and age will you choose?" or "Define Joy." Below the prompt generator is a heading that reads, "Push-Button Prompts: Writing and Blogging Inspiration." On the right of it is a list of seasonal writing prompts. For example, a click on Winter Prompts links to a screen with a snowy photo for inspiration and more prompts such as, "What do you think or feel when you walk through freshly fallen snow?" Fifteen prompts, coupled with some seasonal photos, and you have an instant warm-up for a winter writing session. Hundreds of prompts are available by following the various links on the site's front page.
Creativity Portal also offers practical resources for writing. A click on the link for Writing Life brings up a list of available titles. A good piece for teaching composition is "Recipe for First Draft: ¼ Cup Structure, ¾ Cup Imagination" by Sheila Williams, the author of Girls Most Likely (New York: Balantine, 2006). In the article, Williams provides insights about the importance of creativity. Another interesting article is "Playing with Words: Poetry That POPS!!!" by Molly J. Anderson-Childers. Students reading this selection get tips on developing a creativity toolbox and polishing poetry. The countless ideas and interesting photos make Creativity Portal a good resource. The ads can be a bit overwhelming, as they are on both sides of the screen. Also, since the site is designed to foster creativity in everyone, it takes some sorting to see what might be appropriate for high school students. All in all, the site will inspire just about anyone.