“Creativity and innovation in adverse conditions: Is it possible?” A presentation by Mohammed Hassim at MATE 37 Annual Conference, Agadir, Morocco, 30 Jan.-02 Feb., 2017. Based on different discussions in varied contexts (conferences, pedagogical meetings, online discussions, social media, informal meetings...), teachers most often complain about the poor conditions and underserved contexts they work in. They complain about the limited teaching tools, low quality pedagogical materials, absence or limited in-service training, crowded classrooms, low level students, uncooperative administration, frustrating work conditions, absence of collaboration among teachers, etc. Within these conditions and context, is it still possible to talk about creativity and innovation? This paper is an attempt to probe the other (most often neglected) face of the coin, i.e. what is good about our educational context. The question, then, that this paper tries to answer is: Within the current Moroccan educational context, what factors can lead to creativity and innovation?

1. By: Mohammed Hassim,
ELT Supervisor, Taroudant, Morocco.
mohammed.hassim@gmail.com
http://mohammedhassim.wixsite.com/edu-resources
Creativity and Innovation in
Adverse Conditions:
Is It Possible?”
MATE 37th
Annual Conference
30 January - 02 February, 2017
Agadir, Morocco.

2.  1. What are the real problems?
 2. The classroom and the school?
 3. The class size and the students?
 4. The teaching materials?
 5. In-service training?
 6. Which perspective of reality?
 7. What are the right big questions?
 8 . Where is the teacher’s reform?
 9. Education is the field of the impossible?
 10. Learners/Teachers of the past are not those of today
 11. Let’s go beyond our competencies through creativity
and innovation

3. Introduction
Imagine you are alone
in a boat with a large
hole in the bottom.
Sharks are swimming
around you on all
sides and the boat is
sinking fast. How do
you survive?
Thinking out of the box: Critical thinking,
Reflective teaching, Creativity & Innovation

4. 1. What are the real problems?
Based on the story of the man, the sea, the sinking boat
and the sharks, imagine the man is a teacher:
What might be the other elements in the story represent
in a teaching and learning context as challenges and
obstacles?

5. 2. The classroom and the school.

6. 3. The class size and students..

7. 4. The teaching materials.

8. 5. In-service training.

9. 6. Which perspective of reality
are you looking from?
Pictures from the latest MATE
CIRCLEs National Festival,
Rabat, 20-22 May, 2016:
- What can you see?
- Which/Whose reality is
that?

10. 6. Reality is the same but perspectives
and attitudes differ: Newton and the apple
Millions saw the apple fall, only Newton asked why.
Millions saw the apple fall, only Newton asked the
question. Newton made the most telling remark on the
process of thought that has ever been encountered. It is
also the simplest. When asked how he had come upon his
theory of gravity, he said, ’By thinking on it
continuously.’ 'Why should that apple always descend
perpendicularly to the ground,' thought he to himself.
'Why should it not go sideways, or upwards, but
constantly to the earth's centre? Assuredly, the reason is,
that the earth draws it. There must be a drawing power in
matter.’

11. 7. What are the right big questions?
The education pyramid

12. 8. Where is the teacher’s reform?
The Student’s Project
The Ministry’s Reform
The Educational System

13. 8. Where is the teacher’s reform?

14. 9. Education is the field of the impossible.
Students productions at
the CIRCLEs festival.

15. 10. Learners of today are not learners of
the past; neither are teachers of today

16. 11. Let’s go beyond our competencies
through creativity and innovation
MATE Educational laboratory for Innovative Teachers of
English (ELITE)
Teacher’s E-portfolio
1. http://missyoussefi.wixsite.com/msyoussefi
2. http://zainasmare20.wixsite.com/mysite
3. http://mariambell.wixsite.com/english/school-year-calendar
4. http://mohammedhassim.wixsite.com/edu-resources

17. Thanks for your attention.
Questions & comments
are welcome.