Purpose
Brainstorming encourages students to use their imaginations and be creative. It helps elicit numerous solutions to any given problem. (For example, students ask themselves, “What should I do in this situation?” or “How can we overcome this obstacle?”) Once a brainstormed list is created, responses can be reorganized, evaluated, combined, or modified to create solutions that more directly address the problem.
Procedures
- Use a board/flip chart to record and post ideas for all to see.
- State the problem or question to be addressed.
- State the rules for brainstorming:
- Ask for ideas and record them as fast as they come. Do not edit what students say or how they say it.
- Discourage derisive laughter, comments, or ridicule of any ideas.
- Continue as long as the ideas keep coming.
- At the conclusion, discuss and evaluate the ideas generated.
