Some teachers seem to be naturally creative. With no apparent effort they regularly stun the rest of us with their ideas, solutions, and the neat things they make. Indeed, God has blessed some people with creative talent.

Most of us, though, possess the more common variety of creativity. This is the kind that needs to be stimulated in order to be useful to us in our teaching ministries.

Thankfully there are at least six easily accessible ways for the teacher to increase his or her creativity. The six Bs that increase creativity are books, breaks, backwards, borrowing, browsing, and blocks.

Some of these are free, most are inexpensive, and all can be used repeatedly to serve the needs of those experiencing a creative deficient.

Read books.

Reading books informs the mind and enriches the heart. Reading introduces or reintroduces the teacher to stimulating thoughts and ideas. Reading is essential to good teaching and increased creativity. In your reading, include journals, magazines, and newspapers, fiction, and nonfiction.

Take breaks.

Every teacher needs a break from teaching. Breaks provide opportunity for refreshment and renewal. Time away can help the teacher recharge his or her batteries that may have been drawn down from the rigors of the teaching ministry. Breaks can be as brief as stepping aside from teaching for a week or two, or they can involve several weeks of vacation.

Whatever the length of time, take advantage of your break to learn new things, see new places, and talk with new people. Such opportunities hold great potential for gaining increased creativity!

Think backwards.

Sometimes the best way to encourage creativity is by thinking backwards.

For example, when seeking a creative solution to presenting a lengthy lecture in a shortened time, reverse your thinking: Imagine you had prepared a brief lecture and then were informed you would have twice the amount of time for the presentation. What would you do?

The answer that may come to you may cause you to open up to new ways of considering a good solution to your problem. It just may break your ineffective thinking and allow for new effective thinking.

Try thinking backwards. You will be surprised at your increased creativity!

Try borrowing.

Creativity does not have to be original. It may simply consist of borrowing something previously created and using it in a new way. A nursery rhyme, meant to entertain a young child, may be just perfect to introduce a Bible lesson in a fresh way.

By the way, regular borrowing is itself a means to increased creativity.

Enjoy browsing.

Creativity is increased when the teacher takes the opportunity to browse stores, exhibits, and displays. Such wanderings expose the teacher to the new and unfamiliar. This enlarges and enriches the teacher’s experience and provides a wealth of “borrowing” choices. It breaks, as well, the creativity-stifling old and familiar experiences.

Utilize blocks.

Sometimes a creativity-increasing experience is just on the other side of a roadblock, writer’s block, or some other obstacle that prevents progress. Such blocks may actually force an opportunity to create a better way, a better thought, or a better solution than that which was being used.

A block, not welcome at first, may be a treasured opportunity to creatively improve your teaching ministry.

Take advantage of these six Bs to increase your creativity. Your learners will notice the increased creativity in your teaching ministry. And so will you!