What is Creativity? (LEARNER)

 

    My Education 324 class is literally titled, "Creativity in the Classroom".  At first glance, someone (like me) may be a bit puzzled as to why we need an entire class to learn about incorporating creativity into a classroom environment.  I thrive on creativity, but I have to remember that not everyone does!

    Naturally, the first few weeks of class is all about defining Creativity and exploring what creativity is in a classroom environment.  Week 2's task was met with the essential question: what is creativity to you?  I wrote a long summary, as per usual, so I'll spare all of you an even longer post and give you the finer points.  Prior to reading any material issued to us, creativity to me is thinking outside of "the box".  That is to say as teachers, we have a curriculum we have to teach from.  A creative teacher will take that lesson and give the students an experience from outside of the textbook.  Textbooks can be dry and boring, but a teacher can bring the lesson to life!  I put creativity in the "arts" category because when I think of creativity, I think of crafts, theater, music, or even dance.  Finally, I said creativity is uniqueness and although you can show someone "creativity", it's up to that person to make it theirs.

    After reading the material provided for us, I knew I was on the right track.  What I wasn't on the right track about is how much creativity has been brought out of the classroom and at many points even discouraged.  We were led to a TED Talk by Ken Robinson titled, "Do Schools Kill Creativity"? Robinson had some excellent points in his talk and mentioned that "Creativity is as important as literacy."  He explained that we are discouraging children not to be creative because it isn't something that will help them land a future job.  He made the point that public education began around the Industrial Revolution in which there was a heavy concentration on ensuring our students were trained for their future in jobs.  Robinson then remarked that we've moved on to a renaissance age again in which the arts are heavily glorified, but we are stifling our student's creativity.  He even mentions that art has gone to the bottom of the subject hierarchy and he's right.  There are schools that have even put "the arts" off of the subject "menu" so to speak.  Robinson also mentioned something that hit a spark with me in particular.  He said that students are graduating college but heading back home to their families without a job.  He says the reason why is because those jobs that once only needed a BA now require a PhD.  That is the very thing I experienced when I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture.  Yes, I realize mine was an "arts" degree, but going out in the field meant I needed not just college, but experience.  My major concern was how to get experience when I couldn't get a job in the first place!! Fast forward 8 years after graduation and I reenrolled in college with a subject I knew had jobs, but that I was also more passionate about (more on this later).  Robinson goes on to mention his experience with a now-broadway choreographer.  In school, she was thought to have a learning disability, but it was found out that she thought differently than her peers.  She thought through dance and movement.  This is where we, as teachers, need to remember that everyone learns differently.  In fact, this is where we learn that creativity can be our resource for students that ARE struggling with the material.  Robinson's talk ended with him advising educators to "educate a student's WHOLE being" which is fantastic advice.

    A second resource given to us was a Podcast with Marie Greene titled, "Good Enough Creative" that questions, "Who Were You Before This?"  Greene's talk brought the listener back to their childhood years and concentrated on what gave them joy and peace when they were younger.  Oddly enough, in my exploration of creativity prior, I mentioned my childhood self and how I was thinking "outside of the box".  I played Barbies - all the time.  They were my favorite childhood past-time because Barbies didn't have to be dolls.  They could literally be anything.  My favorite thing was to design their home.  At one point I had a full doll "house" made in my closet complete with a second story.  I didn't have furniture, so I made some out of ordinary household items.  I used washcloths for beds, pizza "tables" as side tables, and even a mini- M&Ms container as a trash can.  My second favorite thing was creating stories for them.  In fact, I still do this part even today when I am able to play the Sims 4.  My Sims don't live normal lives.  In fact, many of them don't have a Sim-job.  They have jobs like selling art or collecting artifacts, and the newest story I have is a Sim managing a hotel!  In Greene's podcast, she told the listener to look back at those things and think about how you are using that creativity in life today.  Obviously building Barbie houses led to my desire to pursue a degree in Architecture.  Sadly I lost my passion for building when I went to college and I do believe it is because I was told how to do things and what I was doing "wrong".  I gave up on that dream because I loved it so much but my creativity was discouraged.  As for "creating stories", obviously in my game I still do this, but I do believe it is part of the reason I want to be a teacher.  Being a teacher means I can use that creativity to tell stories with my students.  I get to be the leader of my own creativity.  My hope for the future is that not only do I have to hold back my creativity - but I am able to let my student's flourish through theirs as well.

    There were a number of other resources given to us as well, but those two are the ones that particularly hit a chord in my "what is creativity" thought process. So, readers, now's YOUR chance.  Were you stifled as a child and told that creativity isn't allowed in a learning environment?  Did you have a teacher who's lesson you still remember because of how creatively it was presented? What did you do in your childhood past-time that you can see still lingering here today?  For my teachers, I leave you with this: How do we ensure every student is given ample opportunity to explore their world through creativity?  I hope to find many more questions and answers on this voyage.