Education and Creativity

I was originally going to write about standards tonight, but I couldn't find the article I wanted to reference and came across this article on creativity written for the San Jose Mercury News by Preeva Tramiel. That got me to thinking about my own experiences in school, especially high school, where often teachers were not interested in creativity (unless they taught art or creative writing.) I understand that some subject matter does not lend itself to creativity, taking extra effort on the teacher's part to allow for - even encourage - creative thinking. But I believe that is exactly what we should be after.

Creativity is what put our nation in front economically with the invention of a number of products used around the world. (Unfortunately, a large part of our success is built on consumption and waste.) Creativity is an innate ability of children which is slowly kneaded, worked, and dare I say it "wrenched" from children as they are seated in rows and force fed Federally dictated programs (implemented with the best of intentions, of course - but we all know where that road leads. . . ), before some children are ready to attain some levels at the prescribed time, under stressed-out teachers taking on ever more responsibility for every child's success. And (while I understand the reason for implementing it) Zero Tolerance causes almost as many problems as it solves. I certainly don't condone students knocking each other's teeth out, robbing one another of lunch money, but students lose the opportunity to work out their own problems, make mistakes, talk about issues in the classroom.

Young children take time to explore things; things that interest and intrigue them, they look at objects from all angles, they try to put square pegs in round holes and vice versa – all without any worry about being wrong, or made to feel inadequate or a failure. Kindergarten used to be a lot like play, with time to explore, no homework. Now starting in kindergarten, students are to how to do everything, they have to sit still, be quiet, follow instructions, and are not often allowed to just 'be' with new ideas, activities, or other students. From first grade on, teachers are compelled to cover so much material that there is almost no time for this deeper learning. Students are being transitioned from one lesson to the next on rigid schedules; and the challenge is to keep the "laggers" up with the bulk of the class, and keep the 'brighter' students engaged (occupied?). With more time to explore new concepts, those students who pick up on a skill more quickly can help their peers quite effectively in gaining understanding using their common language and experience.

With so much focus on getting every single child to an arbitrary level at the same time, teachers are digging holes in the sand. Students are so structured, so limited in what they are presented and how they are expected to respond, it's no wonder they lose the ability to think outside-the-box; to create; to color outside the lines.

We have to find balance. And that balance is not going to be the same for every state; every district; every school; every teacher; every student.