u04a1 = Creativity in the Classroom
The goal of most schools is academic achievement. The fact that schools are required to give standardized tests to monitor how well their students are doing academically shows where the value of education is placed. As Sir Ken Robinson states in the TED video, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”, the focus of our educational system is to train our students to succeed academically. As a result, the natural creativity that children are born with is eventually diminished. Students forget how to be creative because all they are asked to focus on is their academic studies. Educators often forget the importance of allowing their students to be creative because they are so focused on making sure their students are prepared for the standardized tests. Their job is often on the line if they cannot show proper growth amongst their students on these tests. As a result, creativeness is not a priority.
Many times, our current educational system appears to forget the importance of creativity. Students who are allowed to be creative on a regular basis are the students who have original ideas that have value. Our goal as educators should not be to focus solely on a child’s mind, but rather to educate the whole being. I was a director of a preschool for seven years. Our motto was “hugs, hurdles and happy hearts for the mind, body and soul.” I loved this motto because it spoke to the importance of educating the whole child, not just their mind. I now teach for a K-12 school that also focuses on the importance of the whole child. In fact their emphasis is on “academic achievement, artistic beauty and athletic distinction.” The development of the whole child is important. At the elementary school, students are exposed to a wide range of things they may be interested in as they get older. Throughout the week my first grade students go to a wide range of enrichment classes which include art class, music class, choir, science, P.E., Spanish class and computer class. Afterschool enrichment classes are also offered if students choose. These include dance, theater, a variety of music lessons, Lego club, writing, etiquette and a wide range of sports options. Students are constantly given the opportunity throughout the day to be creative. This year the elementary school has provided iPads for every student in the school. The opportunity to use technology to help develop creativity is now more readily available. Different teachers do this in a variety of ways. I have seen teachers allow students to do many things that allow for creativity on their iPads. One fourth grade teacher allowed his students to choose how they wanted to give their California mission report. One of the options was to go to the mission they were reporting on and make a movie about their mission which they then showed to the class. I have seen one class who posted the art work the students created and printed and then displayed on the walls outside their classroom. Our music teacher has allowed the students to use the iPads to create their own music, which they were allowed to play for the class. One group of students wrote a play which they acted out at home, recorded on their iPad and then showed the video of the play in an assembly. Many of the classes allow the students to journal on their iPads. The younger students or students with learning delays who struggle with typing record their voices for their journaling while the older students type their journals. The possibilities for creativity using technology are endless. The children get so excited to create when allowed to do so using digital media. Teachers who give their students this option on a regular basis are helping to develop the whole child. As a result, their students will be more prepared to develop original ideas that have value. In other words, they will be developing creative thinkers who have the potential to make a difference in this world.
Reference:
Robinson, Sir Ken. (2007). Do schools kill creativity? Retrieved at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
