Teaching creativity

Creativity can be such a broad term - we can be creative in the kitchen, creative with the decor, use creative language, have creative ideas for clothing - the possibilities seem infinite. Is creativity something we can teach? Teaching itself requires creativity to make the subject or topic interesting and memorable. But can it be taught? I believe it can be caught - from being exposed to the creativity of others, and being encouraged to express our own ideas in whatever form we choose - whether it be as a song or a dance or on paper or in the many other ways of expression available to us.
Encouragement is the key - or at the very least, tolerance - for the off-key tunes of the toddler or the wobbly first few years using a pencil to depict those interesting ideas visually. There can be such joy in being creative, in expressing ourselves in new ways.
Tolerance - not the "Eeeek!" at seeing the son's wall covered with black permanent pen. (I will provide him with an interesting array of testpots from Resene and some little sponge rollers which he can use as he wishes on those walls. He thinks that is a wonderful idea.)
How do we lose that belief in our own creativity over the years? In my own experience, it is simply through lack of encouragement, perhaps from comparisons with similar work from others where our work is not quite as perfect as we wished. All it takes to recapture that spark of "I CAN be creative!" again is someone who will gently guide us into producing something we can be truly proud of, letting us do all the work but providing ideas which we can use if we choose to. I wonder if that is why cookbooks are so popular?
Anyhow, this article is about teaching creativity. What is your definition of creativity? One dictionary defines it as:
"— adj
1. having the ability to create
2. characterized by originality of thought; having or showing imagination: a creative mind
3. designed to or tending to stimulate the imagination: creative toys
4. characterized by sophisticated bending of the rules or conventions: creative accounting
— n
5. a creative person, esp one who devises advertising campaigns"

Most people think of making artwork when they are asked to make something creative. Colours and textures on paper. One problem - boys don't have such a strong ability to notice either colour or texture (their retinas have fewer of those receptors); what they can see very clearly is movement, speed and distance, and action - so their attempts at capturing what they see can be a little confusing for us mothers who have more affinity with colour and texture. Boys seem to prefer black on white, and their pictures are usually about what is happening - verbs - rather than things or nouns. Those boys who notice their pictures aren't really understood or appreciated tend to withdraw from the "pictures on paper" play which is so essential for learning to control a pencil enough to write. My solution is a special "scribble book" where my seven-year-old son can put whatever he wants however he wants into the pages. The first few pages look like tornadoes. This book helps as an outlet when the request to do some writing practice is too much for him. It is used as "pencil handling practice" instead of handwriting for that day.
Some children shine in their creativity with sound - making up songs and tunes all day long. Some enjoy being creative with food - making tasty dishes to try (pizza topping fun is a great example here). An appreciative audience helps to bring out even more ideas.
So how do we teach creativity? By noticing and applauding those creative moments in the day - a new tune heard, some new flavour tasted, a picture or sculpture or idea expressed. Being creative can bring such joy and satisfaction, when you see from other's reactions that your work is worth trying to put effort into. What we as teachers respond to is what we will see more of, what we praise is what will be repeated, but most of all, what we do is what will be copied.