Friday, May 1, 2015
Creativity Anyone?
Authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman published “The Creativity Crisis” in Newsweek.com in July 2010. They
reported that the Torrance Test, a test of creativity that has been administered to millions of people worldwide in
50 languages, indicates that the public’s “creativity quotient” has steadily crept downward since 1990. In their
article, Bronson and Merryman cite the claim of Professor Kyung Hee Kim at the College of William and Mary:
“It’s very clear, and the decrease is very significant.” Kim reports that it is the scores of younger children in
America—from kindergarten through sixth grade—for whom the decline is “most serious.”
Bronson and Merryman state that “[t]he potential consequences are sweeping. The necessity of human ingenuity is
undisputed. A recent IBM poll of 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the No. 1 ‘leadership competency’ of the
future. Yet it’s not just about sustaining our nation’s economic growth. All around us are matters of national and
international importance that are crying out for creative solutions, from saving the Gulf of Mexico to bringing peace
to Afghanistan to delivering health care. Such solutions emerge from a healthy marketplace of ideas, sustained by a
populace constantly contributing original ideas and receptive to the ideas of others.”
One possible approach to this reputed decline in creativity is to explicitly teach creative thinking in school. Write to
your school board explaining what you mean by creativity and arguing for or against the creation of a class in
creativity.
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Dear School board,
ReplyDeleteBeing creative is extremely important. It keeps this world interesting and often leads to new inventions. A class in creativity should not be needed, as people should feel free to let their minds go in their own direction, but as people start to think exactly like each other, a class on this subject would be truly beneficial.
Dr. Pam always told us in English class that we are allowed to have our own opinions and disagree with her. This spark of creativity was taken advantage of by our class when our essay topics began to stray from the usual abortion and death penalty writings. It does not mean, however, that we thought out of the box and voiced our own opinions. It is scary to be unique and creative when a teacher's creativity is not the same, but it is necessary and fun.
Today, it is easier to agree with a person than to voice your own opinion. Disagreeing can cause arguments, discrimination, or distrust between a group of people. After reading "There is No Unmarked Women," I can tell that although everyone has their own style, there is barely any diversity besides color and pattern. To a school dance, for example, almost everyone wears a short, strapless, and sparkly dress. This leads to a lack of creativity and a fixed mindset. Once someone establishes the "norm" for a dress code, an opinion on a debatable topic, or a habit, it is hard to stray from that single idea. This tends to be true especially if you respect the opinion of the person on the opposing end.
A creativity class would open up the minds of a student and help them to find their talents. It does not have to be based on one subject, but can be a cross-curricular elective. A teacher who is merely a supervisor can give students a problem and have them fix it in whatever way they can. This broad topic will give them a chance to use either mathematical equations, a beautiful piece of writing, or a song and dance. Learning different methods of creativity from others will also serve as a view of creativity. Being open to other's methods and thoughts is vital in making them respect your own. A creativity class will be an extremely entertaining way to get everyone to think in a deeper, original way.
A creativity class might not ensure a variety of dresses at homecoming next year, but it will benefit our student body by making them think for themselves and by helping them find their own way of expressing who they are as a person and who they want to become. By showing a student that it is okay to go against the majority, they will become stronger as an individual and will therefore be able to spread their morals and values with the people around them.
Please consider this wonderful and creative idea,
Grace
Dr. Pam definitely encouraged us to come up with our own thoughts and ideas, and she is probably one of the only teachers I have had that really encouraged students to disagree with her. I think that helped me in my writing because I could structure my arguments and ideas the way I wanted. I think creativity classes would be great electives for people who are looking to increase their creativity and skills as well.
DeleteIt is very important for people to disagree because often times, disagreements spark creative thinking. If everyone felt the same way about everything, than there would be no need to change anything, because everything would appeal to everyone. For example, it is important for people to disagree with the laws regarding abortion, because it encourages them to rally together to support this cause using a variety of creative tactics. Hopefully, we will one day use these creative ideas to win this fight! When people disagree strongly with a certain idea, there is a good chance that they will use their imagination to call for change.
DeleteGrace, even though I agree that we need to expand our ideas in the classroom, I disagree with your idea for a Creativity Class. I do not believe that creativity is something that you can learn as much as channel. It is in all of us. I think rather, the teachers need to mold it into the current curriculum and feature it in modern ways. That way the education system could hit two birds with one stone. They would be able to mold our brains into the common core of math, science, and reading, as well as avoid the backlash that comes with brain washing children.
DeleteDr. Pam is a good example of encouraging thinking outside the box. While her and I had a myriad of differences of opinion, she continually encouraged us to speak up. It was nice to see the difference in how each individual thought. If everyone thought exactly the same way, the world would be pretty boring. Creative thinking should be encouraged in high school because by doing that, students are able to gain life skills that they can use later.
DeleteDear School Board and all Who May Read This Later,
ReplyDeleteCreativity is essential to our continued survival. What would we do if nothing was ever invented, creative solutions to problems were never proposed, or people were just all the same? Society would fall flat on its face, and we as a species would probably have gone extinct centuries ago. Thankfully, these scenarios have never played out. Unfortunately, this is what students are being taught in schools. The message that is being conveyed is one that has dire consequences. The new memo that is being taught tells students not to wander beyond the mold. They should only do what they are told and should not actually make decisions for themselves. If there is a problem, they should report it to a supervisor and then forget about it. And maybe the most detrimental thing that is being taught is that if they do not fit a certain mold, they are absolutely useless. Maybe you all did not know that this was being taught. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and acknowledge you did not know, even though it is your job to know everything that is being taught at this school.
So I'm sure you now see why this is a problem. There are many possible solutions to this problem. A creative solution is required to solve this lack-of-creativity problem. I propose that a creativity class be established. Now before you crumple up this paper into a ball and throw it out, let me explain. It may be difficult to explain what this class would entail without first defining creativity.
To define creativity, I went straight to google. This is what Google had to say:
cre·a·tiv·i·ty
ˌkrēāˈtivədē/
noun
the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.
synonyms: inventiveness, imagination, innovation, innovativeness, originality, individuality;
...yawn...
Google's definition is just...blah... So we will have to make our own definition. A good place to start would be at thoughts. Thoughts need to be free and untampered with. This means that certain things that would normally not be thought of will be thought. I know, it's a scary thought isn't it? Once a thought is thought of, it needs to be communicated. This means absolute free speech. Again, another scary thought. Just bear with me. The final part of creativity would be implementation and ingenuity. After communicating thoughts, they need to be implemented in some sort of way. It doesn't matter how they are implemented, as long as they don't die after being communicated. This may require some ingenuity. So there we go. Our definition of creativity goes something like this:
An implemented communicated thought or idea that has the possibility to make something better.
Doesn't that sound so much better than Google? I think that's a...yes...
So if you're reading this, that's great. I thought you'd throw out my letter by now. But anyway, I digress. Now that creativity is nicely defined, we should return to my proposal about making a creativity class. What is the point of even establishing a class like this? If it follows our definition of creativity, it'll allow students to have unstructured time to think creatively about whatever interests them, and then they can run from there. Businessmen and women can talk with each other about the current business landscape and what they can do to make it better. Scientists can talk with each other about the latest experiments and possible experiments that they can perform. Artists can work together to make the most beautiful work of art ever seen on campus. And the best part is, this is all coming from the students' heads. This stuff will not be force-fed to them by a teacher. I know my passion is definitely science. But when I was little, I was playing with a dinner plate and a flashlight. I was being creative, and I observed what is today known as the shadow-blister effect (this is really cool and I suggest you all try this). That may seem insignificant, but it sparked an interest that has hung with me for 7 or 8 years. I wanted to know why the shadows behaved the way that they did. A class like this would've allowed me to explore this question in an unstructured setting, instead of just Wikipedia-ing it a few years ago. I hope you see why this class is important, and I'm glad you didn't throw this letter out. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
DeleteSincerely,
Nick Gismondi
I think a creativity class would be a great idea. You are definitely a creative writer! Freedom of thought is an interesting idea, because the raw thoughts that are considered crazy are usually where the best inventions come from. Maybe we are becoming a google generation instead of figuring things out ourselves. If we had a creativity class, you would be a good teacher for it!
DeleteIt is true that so many institutions are instructing students to fit a certain mold, as you have stated. It is almost looked down upon when students attempt to go against the norm and express their own point of view. As stated in the other blogs, Dr. Pam often encouraged her students to disagree with her, and this has been very well received by her students, probably due to the fact that we have never encountered such a teacher. All throughout our schooling, we have felt the need to conform our viewpoints to fit those of the teacher, thus suppressing our own creative thinking. Perhaps this is another problem that contributes the the lack of creativity in the modern day. Either way, it is important for students to be encouraged to express their creativity so that they may find their passions and therefore find their path in life.
DeleteI agree, Nick, society is trying to pour students into a mold instead of allowing students to be clay that can be molded into many different shapes. Creativity is essential to our continued survival and is a huge contribution to where our world is today. If the cavemen were not creative enough to come up with fire, society might not even exist the way it does today. Logic can always be obtained, but creativity needs nurtured because if it is not, many times it is just frowned upon. I know some very book smart people who were not allowed to be creative and now do not allow their kids to be creative. It makes them intelligent, but rather bland.
DeleteDear School board members,
ReplyDeleteAttached is an article from newsweek.com that talks about the decline of creativity in America. To you, creativity may not seem important, but to the future and workplace, it is. Creativity may not create the best test scores and grades, but it is the creative people that come up with new ideas and have the audacity and drive to carry them out. In some classes and aspects of life, teachers and elders believe that the younger generation should always agree with their ideas. In some cases, the younger generation may truly agree with their idea, but in other cases, they have their own ideas, but are afraid to voice them. But to foster the much needed creativity in America, the younger generation needs to be able to voice their opinion and be creative. This can be hard, especially in a Catholic school where everyone wears the same thing everyday and is with the same kids, but it can be done. The school already has so much creativity in art class, so why can't that same creativity be incorporated into solving math and writing papers? Teachers can foster creativity by having students figure out their own ingenious ways to solve problems and create new ideas. They can be encouraged in science classes to create their own experiences, or have a day in math class where the students teach the lesson. Teachers should encourage kids to have their own opinions, disagree, and debate. This has worked especially well in my AP language class. We are always told to formulate our own ideas in our papers, and it has created some extremely different voices and perspectives. Had we not been told to formulate our own voices and opinions on our argument papers, they may have not turned out as well as they did. Teachers in each subject should have one day a month where they focus on fostering creativity. It can just be the students coming up with their own ideas on how to reject the normalcy and find their own way. Teachers can do what they think their students will enjoy and challenge them. To start it off, I think all teachers should have their students read an essay called, "There is No Unmarked Woman." The story is about how women are judged on what they wear, even though what they wear is pretty much the same except for a few different colors and patterns. To start them off, see how the kids think the women could try and remove their marks, and how they can set themselves apart.
I hope you will consider my ideas and start implementing them. America needs more creativity. Who is to say that the next great innovator will not come from ECC?I guess we will never know if we don't try.
Regards,
Olivia
Olivia, you made very good points. Here at ECC I beleive that the teachers are pushing us to be creative as well. One example that you said doesn't have a lot of creativity is Math. I beleive that it does. In our analysis class he gave us a project to make a picture using different line functions. That screams creativity. Also he lets us write our own prayer and we took turns reading them everyday each week. I think the only thing ECC can do to increase the creativity in the school is just to promote it more. We already have so much creativity in our school system.
DeleteOlivia, you came up with solutions that seem applicable. Coming up with new solutions and experiences would inspire kids to stay creative while sticking to the curriculum. The process would also help kids learn to come up with new ideas and ways of testing theories in the world after school. Even a day a month is a solution which could be easily considered.
DeleteTo Whom It May Concern,
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the proposition that there be a class in creative thinking, I believe that it is not only a viable option, but a necessity. It seems that the children of the modern day are merely incapable of thinking creatively. This may be due to the fact that many institutions push logic over creativity, or maybe the fact that the inborn creativity of children is not nurtured properly. Perhaps it is the fact that creativity is thought to only pertain to the arts. Either way, it is becoming increasingly evident that creative thinking skills are in dire need, and I believe that a class on creativity is the perfect solution to nourish the imaginations of children, thus exposing their true talents and allowing them to contribute to this world.
As a child, I was a very imaginative girl. I was constantly daydreaming and making up stories about the strangest of ideas. Each day, the other children would make fun of me, telling me that I was "weird," or "crazy," or "insane." Some children even went as far as to tell me that I belonged in a mental institution. At first, I disregarded these comments. But after a while, these comments upset me as began to believe them. I wondered if there was indeed something wrong with me, when in reality, I was just an exceptionally creative little girl. I began to feel as though I needed to suppress these eccentric thoughts, rather than express them creatively. Since that time, my mother has done an excellent job nurturing my creativity, encouraging me to let my imagination run wild. Without this encouragement, there is a good chance that I would not have found my passion of writing. Every child needs to be given the chance to explore their creativity so that they might find their place in this world. I believe that every child deserves the chance to let there creativity shine, and this can only be done if teachers are willing to nurture their creativity. Every child is creative. Perhaps they are keen on imagining stories as I was. Maybe they have a knack for creative problem solving. Or perhaps they excel at organizing things within the classroom. Whatever their creative skill, all children possess a certain creativity that is certainly not limited to painting and drawing.
And so, it seems that the most logical solution to this problem would be to begin teaching creativity in the classroom. Creativity is the foundation of our world. Without it, there is a good chance that we would still be walking around with exceptionally hairy legs and fur togas. In order for this world to continue its development, we must take the initiative to further the creative thinking skills of our children today. It is truly the only way that we can ensure an innovational future.
Mary, your toga and hairy leg statement was very funny but very true! Change can only occur with creativity. Also it made me think that every human need comes with a solution from a creative person. If we encourage children to think the way that everyone else does, these ideas will not be shared and the solutions to problems will become unsatisfactory. I feel bad that people told you to go to a mental institution, but being different is not easy!
DeleteMary, I think that you wrote this really well. If I were a school board of directors that absolutely hated creative people, I would seriously concider thinking about this creativity class just based on the way you wrote. You took a professional standpoint, but then you incorporated personal experiences to make it more vivid and make a connection with the reader. This is just really fantastic.
DeleteThats awful that your creativity was shunned when you were younger. I know society has a norm that everyone should fit in. I discuss that a bit more in my response to Lauren. I don't want to repeat, cause I feel that's tacky. But anyway...I liked the way you used your story in middle of the letter. That would've broken down even the most emotionless people . Very few people possess the writing capabilities that bring out emotions when writing. It takes a creative person to do something like that.
DeleteDear School Board,
ReplyDeleteAs it is well seen in this generation that creativity has gone down throughout the years. Many students might be pushed to think logically rather than having a creative mindset. While thinking logic is needed, there needs to be a spark of creativity in one's brain as well. Having a class, or having many classes that open up the opportunity to be creative will surely bring creative thinking back on the top again.
Here at our school, we offer many creative classes I would say. We have Art, Drafting, and Creative writing. All three of these push a student to think about side the box and create something that reflects their creative mind. This can easily be see in Art and in Creative Writing. These two classes really live on the strive of a creative mindset. Without that mindset these classes would not work to their full potential. Drafting could be considered creative because the students have to create objects. This would come from the creative side of the brain allowing them to create what ever they want and how ever they want.
Not to many other classes really encourage a creative side to students. With the he use of the iPads and using them to make keynotes for projects, I would say that this shows the creativity of the students with the use of technology. The creativity in our school has to be high on the charts because of offering such a good art and literature program. The only other thing this school should do is push the idea of taking these creative classes to show the students just how creative they really are.
Pushing students to show their creativity when they would have never done it before wouldn't be a bad thing at all. Many students do not know what they are capable of until they do it. Having the creative classes is a great start to bringing creativity back up, but pushing the students to take the classes will really prove to be a impact.
Bravo to you ECC for offering creative classes to us students.
Thank you for your consideration.
Madison Cashmer
Your blog made me reconsider my idea of a creativity class. Instead of teaching a class that only a few people would take, it seems more fit to simply structure students to think creatively in the classes that they already have. Like you said, our school does offer many creativity classes already. I think that creativity is an important thing to learn, but I think that it is more important to learn to use creativity in a creative way(if that makes any sense). A student should be able to take normal class work and think out of the box when using that, not when others tell them to be creative about it. Maybe a class could get this thinking started, but it is not needed because creativity should not be structured. It definitely needs to come naturally.
DeleteTo the School Board:
ReplyDeleteNot everything in life is a cut and dry logical problem. Not everything in life requires a formula to be solved. There are intricate cases all around the world which need outside the box thinking to be solved. The problem is, many times schools are focusing so hard on logic and equations, that creativity is pushed aside.
The world is not only built on logic, but also creativity. In order for problems to be solved, they must coexist. It is essential to be able to reason, but also come up with new solutions. Creativity can be seen through so many aspects just in consumerism. The product was made in a new, creative way and even the packaging is made to draw in consumers. Not only do the visible aspects of products require creativity, but the parts consumers do not witness also require it. CEO's must have up with out of the box solutions to allow the company to achieve maximum success and help the company come up with solutions when the company is not doing too swell. Also, marketing teams must come up with creative ways to market the products through advertisements to draw in consumers.
Creativity also inspires individuality. Individuality is essential to a world with so much diversity. Without diversity and individuality, the world would be a rather bland place. Each person possessing their own form of creativity. Individuality is not only important to society, but it is important theologically. God created each person to be separate beings with their own talents. God also gave each person a mind different from everyone else's to come up with new, different ideas. Since God made each person differently, it is important to help them nurture their minds to work their creativity to its full potential.
Creativity should not take the back burner to logic, because it is essential for both skills to be mastered in order to obtain success. Neither aspect is less important, which is why creativity needs to be added to the academics at school.
Sincerely,
Lauren
Lauren, as you were saying about logic and creativity can not be separated. This relates to our essay we had about certainty and doubt. How one come with the other and they cannot be without one or the other basically. Creativity is needed while logic is needed as well. The down fall is that logic is becoming more important and overruling creativity. Our job in this generation is to equal out the difference between the two to make them equal again.
DeleteLauren, I really like how you said that logic and creativity have to coexist. In reality they do, but you actually took the standpoint and said that they work together. You were not one sided. Most people in this situation would take the more classical argument, but you tended towards the rogarian.
DeleteLauren, I like your point on individuality. It seems too often, people like to just follow the crowd. Whatever is popular, people will do. It seems kind of ridiculous. I do not follow the crowd...at all. I find it kind of repulsive that a norm is established, and then society expects people to fit into this norm. Creativity destroys norms. That is why society says creativity is not something that should be encouraged.
DeleteDearest School board,
ReplyDeleteThere has been a contradicting debate about whether or not to initiate a creative thinking class. I strongly believe that this should be an option. Today's world needs creative people. Without them, where would we be? There would be no movies or television, books or novels, there might not even be electricity. Even though some might not believe it, creative people are the foundation for the future.
The whole world is made up of creative people. Leonardo DaVinci, Stephen Hawking, Benjamin Franklin, Walt Disney, the list goes on and on. These are all people who when against what society said and tried to break the laws of nature. Without people like these, we would still be living in the dark. There wouldn't be electricity, or clean, running water that comes directly to houses. Without creative people, our world would be so boring. Is it even possible to imagine a world without creative people? What would people even do all day? Waste their lives away? Creative people are a necessity to today's society, without them, we would be nothing.
In today's society, creative people are taken for granted, when they should be congratulated. Most creative people are wrongly mistaken for weird misfits that do not belong in today's society. Since this is happening, the creative people are afraid to express themselves fully because they do not want to be shut out or rejected. Because of this, there are so many inventions that potentially will not be made. There will be fewer Mona Lisas, Walt Disneys, or Bill Gates. I feel that if schools started a creative thinking class, more people would find their inner creativity so instead of being rejected, society would accept these creative people.
This creative thinking class would be beneficial to everyone. It would expand the minds of kids everywhere. People would be influenced to think in different ways. Who knows, maybe initiating this class will lead to a far greater future. Maybe we will actually have flying cars or hover boards. Someone might even find the cure to cancer. We could live in a completely new advanced society if we just were open to creativity. The possibilities are endless.
Please conceder making this class a reality.
Thank you,
RaeAnn Bucher
There are many creative people who do not become famous. The people you mentioned definitely used their creativity to better the world, but there are people who never become famous who do the same. Creativity is not limited to those who make new inventions or discover new scientific ideas. Creativity is for everyone, and everyone uses it differently. A teacher who finds a new and easier way to teach an autistic child to communicate is just as creative as someone who paints a picture. However, people who use their creativity in ways such as this are overlooked. In order to recognize the creativity of every person, people need to realize that creativity is not limited to famous artists and scientists. Creativity is not limited at all.
DeleteRaeAnn, I agree with you that creative people are often taken for granted and sometimes treated as "misfits". Creativity is something that cannot be held back because of what society thinks because one small idea that seems out of place or bizarre can often turnout to be an idea that make great changes to the world. People take creativity and creative talents and view them as a hobby not a "way of life". But with out the people you mentioned and many more our world would be missing out on so many amazing advancements.
DeleteSchool Board,
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain standard that teachers, as well as students, are held to in regards of testing and learning, but what happens when the teaching an learning begins to limit the creativity that is flowing from the minds of the future? There is such a limit as to what can be done to increase creativity in the minds of young adults, but there is a solution: teach creativity in the classroom. Even though some classes have to follow a direct rubric as to how problems will be solves and what needs to be written, there can always be some leniency.
I have always been a creative thinker, contrary to my brainwashing provided by the public school system. I love to think outside of the box and attempts to find easier ways to solve major problems. However, though I may be thought of as creative, my thoughts are a chaotic mess that cannot be organized. Things involving my thought process changed when I entered my junior year when I was given the chance to take Creative Writing. That class provided me with a chance to organize my thoughts into something constructive and beautiful, instead of a mess. It also encouraged me to think outside the box, because we were not given the opportunity to have direction what so ever. Although that class had the word "creative" written in the fine print, that does not mean that only electives can be limited to the creative process.
I know that in math we are normally asked to stick to a strict curriculum that only allows us to solve math in a certain way. I know, however, that there are teachers like Mr. Fernan, who want us to solve problems on our own, because we are the only ones that can really teach ourselves and open our minds. He teaches us the basis of what we need to know and then we learn from there, with his assistance of course. I honestly prefer this way of leaning as opposed to many others because it opens my mind to what it is fully capable of.
If we had some kind of creative influence flowing through our minds at all times, we would be unstoppable. We would not be held the social norm that is our education system and we could have the potential to solve so many problems that would otherwise be seen as out of reach. With creativity, I believe the possibilities are endless. That is why we need them added into the curriculum and influenced into everyday activity. We do not want creativity, but we need it.
Sincerely,
Jenna Buhite
Dear School Board,
ReplyDeleteThe school offers many class to push us academically, but there is very few classes that push us creatively. According to a recent poll done in 2010, younger ages creativity levels have dropped tremendously. The younger ages is where the creativity begins. Younger kids are to be dreaming of crazy slides, dragons, castles, and fun creative games to play with their friends. Creativity is a major part of our society. Our world is in need of creative minds to help invent the best solutions and creations, but with a sense of sameness, the creativity is plummeting.
To help boost our creative spirits, our school should offer classes that demand us to think outside of the box. Teachers need to encourage students to step out of comfort zones and allow them to challenge the standard norms. Instead of discouraging students to disagree with an opinion of a teacher, the teacher should encourage the students to speak their own opinion. But being able to speak an opinion does not mean being disrespectful. We are a Catholic school after all. In one of the classes offered in our school, AP Language and Composition, we are challenged to think outside of the box. In the beginning of the year we would all right essays on standard topics, but this class encouraged us to think outside of the norm. Soon we would find essays written on topics no one would have ever thought would be written for a formal essay. We are also challenged in this class to speak our own opinions, another form of creativity, in seminars. These seminars open our minds to others opinions and force us to speak our own. Classes should encourage these activities, but we should have a class that is designed for high school students to think outside of the box. In middle school, certain students had the opportunity to be in Enrichment, a class the was based on creativity and reasoning. We did various projects, such as our own Rube Goldberg machines, which tested our creativity in all aspects. I believe that our school should provide a class along these guidelines to all in high school. The class should be offered as an elective course. I believe allowing students to participate in such a class would allow for more creative success and allow our school to broaden our fields of study.
Sincerely,
Sydney Hoffman
Enrichment was a wonderful way to develop creativity. I remember the Rube Goldberg project and how it forced us to think about solving a problem in a completely different way. Instead of solving the problem in the fastest and most efficient way, we were required to solve it in the most convoluted form possible. More opportunities to develop this kind of thinking were the basis of the Enrichment program. This class was a wonderful way to develop creativity. Instead of having structure and one right answer, it promoted different answers and freedom. However, we were still learning. Some days we worked on projects about the environment or science, and some days we solved puzzles and played board games. Each of these methods required that we looked at the world in a new way, and with a unique perspective that helped us understand the subject just a little bit better. There needs to be more opportunities like this in high school.
DeleteI really enjoyed enrichment while I was in middle school. It was nice to get a break from the structure of school for a period and be creative while learning something fun. One neat thing about enrichment was that although the topics were not straight science or math, they were still applicable like the Rube Goldberg machines and the Greek history. We learned so much in such a unique way. I wish that we had a class like enrichment that allowed us to use our creativity in this way. Students should be able to use their mind in a variety of creative ways.
DeleteSchool board,
ReplyDeleteThroughout the last several years, the creativity found in students has been greatly on the decline. By creativity, I mean the ability to think outside the box in a way that is meaningful and useful. Students do not have many opportunities to express themselves in a creative manner during the school day. By sitting in desks, listening to lectures, they are unable to express themselves in a creative and effective way. If there was a class in which students could be taught a useful way to use their creativity, this problem could be solved.
During elementary school, a child's creativity is nourished and expected to grow. They get to color and draw and are given time to learn about themselves in this way. However, somewhere along the way to high school this experience is lost. In high school, students are expected to act and behave a certain way. This is not an environment where creativity is nurtured and expressed.
I think our school is a lot better than most in this realm. We have a terrific art program which enables us to express ourselves creatively. Mr. Winklbauer is a great mentor for creativity and he gives us a lot of opportunities to see and learn about art. A lot of our teachers also give us great projects that give us a good way to express creativity. Creativity is not just about art projects though. I wish I was more creative in picking topics to write papers on, for instance. I am not able to think outside of the box to write a unique paper. In conclusion, I believe we should create a class in which students are taught how to nurture their creativity and learn how to use it in their lives.
Abbey, I agree with you that we should have a class design to help students become creative in a educational way with essays and ideas to help better the future. Our school as a great art program which allows us to be creative, but I understand where you are coming from and I agree. I believe that high school students should have an enrichment elective offered to students because a program such as that encourages students to think outside of the box with problem solving activities. It was not easy work but allowed us to enjoy thinking and thinking creatively to solve the problems at hand.
DeleteTo the School Board,
ReplyDeleteCreativity is vital to the continued development of society and the human species. Creative ideas shape the course of the future, and push humanity toward bigger and better things. Without this vital characteristic, the species stagnates and society languishes.
Creativity itself is usually thought of as the inspiration for artistic ideas because artists use creativity everyday when they create their artwork. However, creativity is not only found in artists. Creativity is found in every human being. Artists simply retain their creativity long after others have lost theirs. Creativity is the use of imagination to create new ideas, and every human being is born with it. Children are full of creativity, and are gradually educated out of it. In order for people to retain their creativity beyond their childhood, the education system needs to find some way to help them retain it.
The solution is not a class meant to "teach" creativity. New ideas are not taught. In order to develop creativity, young people must learn to think in a manner that may seem illogical or unnatural. This thought process is not something that can be taught in a classroom. The classroom seems to stifle individuality and uniqueness. In order for students to develop their creativity, they should participate in classes of the arts. Music, dancing, and art are all classes that rely on the creativity of the student. They rely on innovation and expression that may not always seem right. However, they allow students to approach situations in their own way, and express themselves and their ideas creatively. As their creativity grows, they can apply this method of thinking to other problems in other classes. In addition, art classes help students improve other areas of their life. Those who can read music seem to have a better understanding of math. The ways these classes benefit the human mind are limitless.
The solution of the creativity crisis is a major push for students to take classes of the arts. Requiring each student to take at least one such class every semester would not limit the students' ability to learn other subjects that they may need for graduation. It would simply allow them to develop their creativity. The implementation of this policy would be easy, and require little change in course scheduling. In addition, it would push the students' development, and contribute to a better and more innovative society.
Sincerely,
Ashley Lenze
The education system wants us, as students, to be all the same. We should all have straight A's, be involved in a great deal of activities, and score perfect on the SAT's. Some people do not have brains that are "book smart", rather they have that out of the box creativity that is necessary to survive in this world. The thing is creativity is unteachable in a way, we all have to channel our inner creativity in order for it to be demonstrated in the classroom and beyond. We are our own source of inspiration in these situations.
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