Creativity in the Classroom: Inhibiting and Facilitating Factors According to Pedagogical Coordinators

Abstract This study investigated, in a sample of 66 elementary school pedagogical coordinators, factors that hamper teachers to stimulate the development of student creativity and strategies to be used by the coordinator to support teachers in promoting creativity in the classroom. Participants completed a questionnaire consisting of a checklist of obstacles to creativity in the classroom and four open questions. The most indicated inhibitory factors included the lack of knowledge by the teachers of pedagogical practices that favor the development of students’ creativity and of texts in this respect, as well as insecurity to test new pedagogical practices. Providing courses, guidance, support and incentive for teachers were the procedures most frequently pointed out by coordinators to assist the teacher in encouraging creativity in the classroom.