ABSTRACT
The relegation of a creative pedagogy has drastic repercussions for the imagination which, according to Kearney, is in danger of extinction. This chapter argues that imagination is crucial; it is a human attribute which must be valued, understood, developed within the primary classroom. Imagination is therefore a core psychological process which is key to the understanding of ourselves, the world, without which humans would be 'enslaved by their immediate situation'. The chapter shows that the imagination is a crucial attribute which must be nurtured, valued, and developed but, within the contested space, imagination is in danger of being squeezed out or compartmentalised to make way for a performance agenda. It discusses the practice of one teacher working in a school in South London whose pedagogy within the classroom gave opportunities for imagining. The chapter also discusses the aspects of Julie's pedagogy which exemplify how, within a culture of learning talk, possibility thinking, emotional engagement can lead to opportunities for imagining.
