Brainstorming

Definition:	Brainstorming is a discussion to generate new ideas. According to Starko (2011), there are four rules regarding brainstorming: 1) There is no criticism until all ideas have been discussed. 2) Wild ideas are welcome; these ideas can lead to a successful notion. 3) There should be many ideas being discussed. 4) Combining ideas can lead to a successful idea. This rule is described as a team effort.
Skills Necessary:	There are only a few skills necessary for brainstorming. Students must be willing to follow the four rules as mentioned above. They also need communication skills to present their ideas to the group. Critical thinking is another skill needed.
Implementation in the Classroom:	Brainstorming is such a powerful tool for students to learn. As a teacher, I would do a class brainstorming session about fixing a problem in our classroom. For example, our classroom is too messy. How can we keep it neat? I would list the rules of brainstorming to the students. They would brainstorm ideas about how to make our classroom clean. I would write the ideas on the board until we had many to choose from. After, we would see which ideas had the most potential and which ones we could combine to generate a new idea. Keeping all of the rules in mind, the class would decide what ideas were the best. This lesson would be my introduction to brainstorming. It would also show my expectations of the students when I give them brainstorming activities as groups. I would have the four rules of brainstorming listed in my classroom, so students can use it as a reference.