This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »
What place does creativity have in education?
Almost every education related TED video available states or implies that creative thinking is at the center of the learning process and at the root of every breakthrough.
What place do we give creative thinking, free exploration, uncharted discovery in our current educational models?
Are the prevalent public education systems becoming a means to program the masses rather than a way to facilitate discovery, growth and self realization? Are students truly turned into useful citizens, or rather adults trained to respond to induced stimulus in predetermined ways, much like rats in the lab?
Are we afraid of where original thinking can bring us? Are we afraid of change? Are we afraid of losing control? How far are we ready to go to keep it? And do we really think creativity can be killed?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This debate is closed, now what?
….......................................YOU ARE INVITED......................................
WHAT? Stage 2 of this debate, do it!
HOW? Connecting, cooperating, organizing information, sharing our skills, giving ideas, encouraging, writing or blogging, creating a web page, reaching out to our own communities.
WHERE? New TED debate, Creativity in Action
WHEN? Now.
We can overcome geographical, language, age and political barriers. We can make a difference. Let's take the next step. Are you in?
Closing Statement from Karina Eisner
This debate is closed, now what?
….......................................YOU ARE INVITED......................................
WHAT? Stage 2 of this debate, join us!
HOW? Connecting, cooperating, organizing information, sharing our skills,
giving ideas, encouraging, blogging, creating a web page, reaching
out to our own communities.
WHERE? New TED debate, here, Creativity in Action
WHEN? Now.
We can overcome geographical, language, age and political barriers. We can make a difference. Let's take the next step. Are you in?
Karina Eisner 10+
I owe you a thrilling 30 days of great company, and I want to give you my heartfelt thanks!
It has been a wonderful journey through the ins and outs of creativity, and I am humbled by your tremendous participation, honest sharing and committed presence on this page.
You built a community within a community, searching for truths in a subject that has proven relevant for all ages, but particularly key for our feature.
You provided challenging questions, in depth answers, soulful reflections, academic resources, provocative links, real life scenarios, childhood memories, school anecdotes, project ideas, even inspirational music.
You pushed each other further into critical thinking while preserving a climate of respect and care.
You made us laugh and cry.
You made it come alive.
As we reached deeper, the debate took us from creativity in education to the very nature of education itself, and the clear need for improvement.
We looked at models from the past, from Socrates to Montessori and post-war, and considered contemporary alternatives.
We wondered weather it was better to think out of the box or make a new box altogether.
We begun to focus on what we can do better, rather than dwell on what was done wrong.
We begun to concentrate on specific cases, anywhere from your own classroom to the troubled city of Cairo.
And more palpable suggestions starting pouring down, specially after Peter and Andrea showed up.
We came to the end of our debate, what do you want the outcome of this debate to look like?
Go to the stage 2 debate, Creativity in Action, and POST your idea. This I hope will be a temporary place for us to organize ourselves, choose one project, and tackle it.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, let's make creativity infectious.
Karina Eisner 10+
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Mike Euverman, Gisela McKay, Silvia Marinova, Joseph Perez , Frans Kellner, James Kindler, Michael M, Fritzie Reisner, Amir Azizi Sarajy, Orlando Hawkins, Rosie Waygood, Mark Hurych, Shokrullah Amiri, Lynn Lee, Ed Schulte, Salim Solaiman, Albert Ip , Jim Moonan, Jessica Figueroa, Daniel Howard, Lozano Garcia, Tim blackburn, Jagdish Patel, Frank Rothstein, John R Schuh, Craig Patterson, Mary Mascaraque, Alex Mero, Christopher Thompson, Juliette Zahn, Mo Jacoby, Eduard Ghiur, Udit Kumar Sahoo, Amira Makhlouf, Tee Cee, Keith David Henry, Christa Hollis, Rahul Misra, Thomas Brucia, George Kong, Tavaris Eiland, Walter Radtke, terry wilkinson, Just Schoolit, David Mays, Unanima Theatre, Thadeus Frei , Nicholas Lukowiak, Durvesh Shinde, Bryan Gilbert, Rebecca Hader, Felix Lanzalaco,Erich Kreppenhofer, Brittney Stewart, Robert Vantage, Phillip McKay, Susanne Gannon, Stern Rockwell, renzo provedel, Leslie Saunders, Melissa Csikszentmihályi, Stephen Camm, Rasik Hulsogi, vishneswar reddy, Shobhit Agarwal, Greg McWhorter, vinay kallat, Dylan Gonzalez, Thomas Brooks, Scott MacAfee, Craig Patterson, Sanket Gupta, Jake Williams, Emmanuel Mashandudze, Chae Hiang Chua, dan philips, Cleo Abram, Alonso Espinosa-Domínguez, Jessica Mashael Bordelon AlMisbah, Gloria Felicia, Ayelet Lazarovitch, R Vishnu prasad, Jacinto Ela, dan philips, Brandon Alexander, Varlan Allan, Valerie Burton, Nick Belt, Richard Horowitz, Pascal-Xavier Van de Goor, Nicholas Ravencroft, Patrick Lu, Luigi Vampa, Jaime Lubin, Andrea Grazzini Walstrom, and Peter Han
Patrick Lu
This becomes a huge problem in math. Instead of using tools (formulas, methods) to solve problems, the tools become the solution to problems.
Example: everyone learns about factoring in algebra II. In most schools in the US, it is taught by the FOIL method. So one of the "problems" that the teacher might give is expand (x+1)(x+2), or factor x^2+2x+1. And that would be the extent of learning factoring. So now, most kids should know and understand the concept of factoring, right? But what happens when you give most kids this problem: How many positive two-digit integers are factors of 2^24-1? Because this question wasn't given in the familiar form based on x's, many kids cannot solve this problem. But the method is the same, factor this expression into (2^12+1)(2^12-1) and so on. From there, you will need to find the prime factorization of the expression, and play around with the numbers a little bit to find out how many two digit integers are factors. The problem certainly isn't easy, but most kinds won't even know how to approach the problem because it wasn't given to them in a form that was explicitly taught to them. And this is where education fails kids -- what happens when society encounters a situation that hasn't been seen before, will the new generation be able to problem solve their way out of it, or will they be stuck with it because they weren't taught a solution?
http://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf
There's a good article, albeit long(25 pages), about the issues in math right now.
Alonso Espinosa-Domínguez
Karina Eisner 10+
Have you read Peter Han's comments on standardized tests/measurement?
Look for it below, it will help you to understand how this tests come into play in the whole puzzle. As it is today, measurement is necessary. While individualized, informal assessment still takes place to some extent in classrooms, it is a very rare thing and certainly not what drives your GPA.
That said, it is a good thing that you have noted that different learning styles need to be addressed differently, because your own journey is just beginning.
While you can't do much to change the way your previous education was imparted, you do have choices for the future. And knowing your learning style will be instrumental in relationships, work, etc.
Google open curriculum colleges, also pass or fail colleges. Some have adopted an open platform where you can navigate their whole menu of courses through the 4-5 years of college, and try different things outside of your major. The pass/fail system let's you go for things that you may not be too strong at, but have an interest in, without risking a blotch on your transcripts. My daughter tried Swahili that way, and loved it!
Food for thought...
Karina Eisner 10+
Please, come to the next debate and help us to find ways to make it better. You'll see several other students all over the globe have the same complain.
And BTW, thanks for the link!
Nikolas R
Whatever model is proposed will have to keep this element in tact.
Peter Han 500+
A little review of this conversation thread will reveal that Karina often worked into the wee hours of the morning for her to nurture this conversation. She has provoked, prodded and poked us into stretching our thinking on this important issue in her unique style.
I have copied this entire conversation thread onto a MS Word document to archive for my further reflection. It's easy to do by simply cutting and pasting from this website.
I look forward to seeing you all on other TED conversations that either relate to this topic or focus on an entirely different topic. I wish you all success in your creative ventures and thank you for your interest in promoting creativity in education around the globe. Never has so much depended on creative minds. Keep the faith in this mission. It's worth the exhaustion and frustration. It will reach a tipping point. Let us serve as the vital nudge that tips the monument over.
Best regards,
Peter Han
Houston, TX USA
Karina Eisner 10+
Honored to have you here, enlightening us with your thoughts and unending resources... and helping us test the maximum datat capacity of the TED.com site ;-)
See you soon to continue this interconnected dialogue...
Pascal-Xavier Van de Goor
Schools, from kindergarten to university, should enhance and support creativity. But parents as well, you can't leave everything to the schoolsystem. You know your kid best so it's up to you to create an environment in which it's creativity is supported. And to be honest I think it's hard for schools to support every kids in its creativity. Every kid has different points of interest and talents, you can't support all of that of all of them with our standardized education system. For that we must go to personalized learning system like Sir Ken Robinson said, but that isn't affordable for most of the population I think. So we need to find an affordable solution which doesn't deviate too much from the "normal" (to be accepted by others) to bring more creativity to the next generation.
In my experience in school you have a handful of teachers who urge you to be creative and supports every creative idea. I was lucky enough to have class from all of them and being a creative person I learned a lot from them in and out of class. Other students who weren't that creative didn't like their classes because it wasn't what they were used too. We need to isolate the creative ones from the non-creative ones and focus on the creative ones. And I think parents support creativity to a certain level as long as it's not too creative. I had more support for my creativeness in school than at home, that's not normal either. I would expect the opposite.
Point is: Parents, gather other creative parents, become a member of the school board, start by changing something small to convince the others and then you can tackle bigger things.
(sorry if things aren't clear I had to write down all my thougts fast because I need to go back in class and if I didn't write them down I'd forgot them by the time I get home)
Peter Han 500+
Structuring such service projects with tangible and visible successes in the short term would recast the introduction of creativity in education as a highly pragmatic move - namely to provide a generation of community problem-solvers rather than disobedient, trouble-makers filled with foreign ideas that are destabilizing to the community. It would be patriotic thing to do.
Another idea is to introduce creativity and innovation in education as something very familiar to the local Egyptian culture. If you can tie it to something very traditional (e.g. innovation is part of our heritage) then it won't be nearly as threatening. "You don't resist that which you create". I would be careful about the language you use to introduce the creativity in education. I would use as much as possible language that is familiar and reassuring to the local culture. For example, in some parts of the USA "social entrepreneurs" may sound too like socialism which may be opposed in those areas. So one could use the term "local problem-solvers" instead.
Hope these are helpful ideas.
Karina Eisner 10+
Service projects that have direct application AND involve the youth itself. It sounds like a leap into the TIPS, and it will let the students get a taste of the creative process as well as the sweet taste of success on the product itself, while demonstrating to the adults that creativity doesn't have to be threatening. Much like the skating project in Burnsville, it seems to involve every player in a win-win idea.
I like ti very much!!!
Peter Han 500+
Amira Makhlouf
Richard Horowitz
dan philips
I know that if creativity is to grow and combined with all of the many social problems that are barriers in many countries, it will take more people like you to make it happen. You can start a spark and lead by example. And as you do, other people will join in and help. With enough creative people thinking together, creatively and in sync with each other, I would think that it can be done. We must show somehow, that creativity can solve problems. And through education, gather those ideas and figure out a way to implement them in a fair and balanced way. The economic conditions are just one of those barriers, and probably the biggest.
I haven't been up on the news lately, but a while ago I read of the project called the Millennium Dam, that was to be built for giving more power, Hydro-electric, that would give more economic relief to all that live on and around the Nile. Is that still happening? And what stage is it in?
Just remember that Creativity, combats many different obstacles, with Creativity.
Amira Makhlouf
As for the Dam, it is not in Egypt, its in Ethopia and the project has been causing a lot of debate as how it will negatievly effect other nations in the Nile basin.
Nick Belt
I feel when cause and effect are in straight relation of each other everyone knows the answer.
But when cause and effect are pulled further and further apart.
Cause and effect becomes rather abstract and interdependent.
But I suppose that is the juggling act that nature provides for us to define thru trial and error.
It is the nature of variables that define a thing..In this day and age.
No longer universal standards....Up to a point of course
Nature is the ultimate mistress ..and works in combination, and is always interdependent..
I feel one can not help but be creative in accessing her true value, let alone her meaning....
Valerie Burton
You have given me much to think about because as a high school teacher who feels that technology has allowed me to be artist that I was born to be, I would like to think that by integrating technology into my classes I am giving my kids their Creativity Back. But am I...???
I expect creative thinking, free exploration, uncharted discovery to happen regularly in my classroom. I expect it but often do not get it. My curriculum demands that I teach my kids to read and respond but I try to leave the ways they respond up to them. I want them to create blog posts, digital stories or even PowerPoints that allow them to express their thoughts and opinions on the subject matter.
Yes, we all know that the prevalent public education systems are merely a means to program the masses rather than a way to facilitate discovery, growth and self realization but I want to take them above and beyond the required responses. I want them to relate what they've read or seen to things that they are familiar with so that they can create links that take them out of the box.
NO, I don't believe that we are CHURNING out useful citizens. We are making trained lab rats who give us the answers that we are looking for. I sing and dance when I get out of the box responses whether they are right or wrong. I celebrate their individuality and I try to encourage unusual responses. Many of them are not used to doing this and/or are too scared to respond so I have to fuss and complain to them in hopes of getting more out of them.
I am not afraid of their individual thinking and often laugh when some of them complain that they want worksheets because what I am asking them to do is too hard. Creativity can be killed if the students do not see the value of it. They turn off their thoughts so that they can supply us with our thoughts. I know what I think. I want the messiness and uncertainty that their original thoughts can bring.
It helps to keep me honest and on my toes.
Alonso Espinosa-Domínguez
Anyway, I applaud for your attempts at incorporating creativity and critical thinking into the educational system. Don't stop trying!
Valerie Burton
I try to convince myself that that is the case and I am asking them to move out of their comfort zone. That's the only thing that keeps my trying. It is frustrating when they keep asking me "What is the answer?" and I keep replying "I don't know. What do you think?"
I know that they have to be trained to think independently.
Alonso Espinosa-Domínguez
dan philips
When you say that the students are to scared to respond, this seems to be a broken record, because I'm hearing it a lot, and noticing it in my school education.
I have an idea that you might want to try, to get some responses that will probably shock you.
Try to get them to react to something being anonymous. If they know that they can say something with out anyone knowing it was them, maybe you just might find the real creativeness that's in the class.
And then see where that will take you and the students.
The more creative you are doing this, the more you'll get creative answers, maybe.
Instead of thinking out of the box, maybe we need to start thinking out side a bubble. A box has six sides to choose from, when a bubble has only one side, and that's out.
Karina Eisner 10+
:-)
Valerie Burton
I do ask for them to do other things and sometimes I get good responses so some of them are getting it. We make photomovies, blog, wikipages, wordles,etc. Many of them see and appreciate the connections between what they normally do in class and the techie things that I ask them to do.
Thanks everyone for your great words and advice. I will keep up the big fight and try to get them to think OUTSIDE of the bubble.
Peter Han 500+
Peter Han 500+
Karina Eisner 10+
Thanks for giving us an honest look at your daily efforts in class.
I agree with Alonso, it is possible that the students are just not used to think out of the box. Maybe you can motivate them by finding a few original, surprising projects along the lines of what you expect.
I'd show them something totally above their means (not, "this is what I'd like it to look like").
Something crazy and inspiring. Something in multimedia, intercultural, international. Maybe make it yourself! A collage of the best music in the world (classical and contemporary), the best architecture, inventions, poetry, speeches, paintings, quotes, even food.
Stimulate them by helping them REMEMBER (because it is all in there)
Just take them for the trip of their life into what they could be!
Stay in touch and let us know how it went :-)
Valerie Burton
We are working on poetry now and I don't just want them to write poetry, I want them to produce poetry slam videos.
I want them to record themselves performing poetry that they have written. Some of them will use templates to write their poems if they do not feel comfortable creating their own. I won't require them to talk on camera if they are uncomfortable. They can make voice recordings and then create screencasts with visuals to go along with ther recordings.
Many of them are not used to recording themselves and I am trying to get them to feel comfortable by not requiring them to use the video camera, etc.
I know that this is pseudo creativity because I am giving them the format/venue to express themselves but I am doing it in a way that allows them freedom to incorporate other aspects of their creativity. I think of it as creativity on training wheels.
I figure that if I introduce them to enough things that are new to them that they will eventually feel empowered enough to do their own thing. We have started using Weebly for ePortfolios and Animoto for PhotoMovies and I have students who have created their own websites and photomovies to help friends and family keep in contact. I was floored.
I will let everyone know how our work goes. Thanks for all of your comments.
Andrea Morisette Grazzini 30+
To share with you how young people were engaged in a creative solution in my community:
Students wanted to skateboard. They found one of their favorite places to do so was the high school parking lot. (As a former hockey player -- I know why -- it's far most exciting to dodge danger than just coast merrily along the sidewalk!)
Needless to say, the adults didn't think this was a very good idea. Though many understood outdoors exercise with friends is far preferable way for young people to work out social and physical energies and get their excitement than the alternatives.
Leaders engaged the youth in creative solutions. The students told our Mayor that the city needed to build them a skateboard park. To which the Mayor offered something to the effect of:"If you take leadership in creating it, I'll put you in touch with leaders who can help you with the planning, designing, building, management and governance of it."
We now have a skateboard park -- a culmination of the energies and creativity of youth and the experience and relationships of adults.
Youth have something to do, Police have fewer calls to the high school to stop skaters. Leaders are proud. Because, in the process, alliances have been made between "rulle-making adults" and "boundary-pushing kids" not least of these is collaborative respect, pride and empowerment of diverse sectors, ages and interests of local citizens.
Who, through doing creatively, are constructing concentric layers scaffolded by real relationships and co-engaged solutions that solve problems and strengthen self and cultural identities --- all while encouraging more of the same.
Andrea
Karina Eisner 10+
I hope the young TEDsters here can take heart and see that [whatever the problem is] they can handle it, it can be done.
I hope they can rekindle the I CAN frame of mind with which they started out this journey...
I hope we can make it happen, not only their quality of life is at stake, but our future is in their hands as well.
When I pass the baton, I want to be excited to know that they are bursting with ideas on what to do to make this a better place...
PS:: did you get my email? It did work at one point...
Andrea Morisette Grazzini 30+
I actually have a good deal of confidence that young people can create and collaborate in quite robust solutions.
I did get your email and sent you one in return, this afternoon. I'll re-send it to you.
Its time like these I imagine a young, creative programmer laughing at her/his computer screen, going: "Hehehe! Got 'em again! That'll teach 'em to doubt my power and brilliance."
If this is the case: here is my humble appeal:
Dear Master Yoda. Whether our problem is due to a duck, hiesenbug, or I know, I know, a PEBKAC or id10t code, will you please have Tux or Biff or whomever liberate us?
Andrea
Karina Eisner 10+
I just think it is the cold weather, TED got a virus, like many of us these days. Quite a few things have been acting silly lately, not just that... remember the replay button?
Anyway, if that doesn't work, we'll find a way around it. Where there is a will, there is a way.
Karina Eisner 10+
Andrea, your model makes a lot of sense! TIPS and ROOTS ( the middle will come later)
I like how you can simplify something so dense and bring it back to basics: just an issue at hand that CAN be separated into a few small parts to better tackle it. This is a unique gift of yours :-)
Amira, here is an idea...
If other TEDsters here want to join in, we could be part of your "root support".
Using this site or another one, we could continue to meet regularly, think out loud, problem solve, gather resources and sound research (I think it is now high time for that, to give any outcome a solid base), copy-paste solutions that did work before, generally provide you with support, and give you an unbiased point of view on the progress of things.
You, on the other hand are there, in Cairo. Would you like to be the agent of change? The innovator in your local community that will start spreading a different way of thinking? Our kind "consultant" here suggested to start out small, so an immediate goal could be gathering concrete field information, correlate it with research, maybe add some expert opinions, and then write an article to print or read in the radio... Sounds within reach?
Doing this can attract the creative thinkers that really care about education in your area, the weird ones that Andrea mentioned (I guess that includes both of us and all the other posters here :-P Lovely...)
Think about it. Is this worth your time and effort? If you decide this was just a platonic discussion, that's fine too.
I personally still would like to do something on my end. I feel strongly that all the synergy we shared here, and the value of so much input shouldn't just evaporate when this debate expires.
But that's just me, by now you probably know me a lot better as someone that can't keep her arms crossed if she can help it.
Andrea Morisette Grazzini 30+
Your idea that some from TED could help Amira's efforts is great.
However, Amira would want her strongest base of "roots" to be people in her culture. They are key stakeholders. And important for the development of their culture that the roots be integral to it. In great part because todays roots become tomorrows leaders. By using in-situ groups, the connections to their place and each other's groups become, overtime stronger.
Another natural metaphor: think of the "acorn" model. An acorn creates roots, roots grow into a tree. Which continually provides for decades beyond it's emergence, via shade, beauty. And, of course, more acorns to grow more roots.
Any off-site or virtual supporters, in my mind, should become advisers. Sharing feedback, relatable data and information, lessons and encouragement. But should not been seen as the main or even key problem-solvers of Cairo's changes.
This is a "constructivist" vernacular style.
Where the stakeholders of a place/space are the co-creaters of it. The closer to the center or core of the place/space the stakeholder is, the more relative weight their input should be. Given our stake is Cairo is secondary to Amira's and her fellow citizens there is, the stake of our contributions in the solutions should be perceived as commensurately less.
A popular older model of civic engagement, known as communitarianism would, by contrast, see others as perhaps "knowing better" or more about civic problem solving, if not Amira and Egypt then they do.
I don't usually prescribe to this model. In my mind, in place-experience always trumps distanced views.
Which is NOT to say people in the TED community and in a group like you are developing can't be very valuable to Amira. Only that this value should be construed as adjunct and/or advisory, not primary to the place-based work they are doing.
The "roots" than, should be homegrown and/or home-based and closely tied to the growth focuses.
Andrea
Amira Makhlouf
1- Officials take pride in serving and finding solutions for socials and community issues
2- youth engaged in a constructive debate with adults who listened and communicated
3- the needs of young people have intrinsic value
4- the general welfare of society is achieved when the needs of subgroups are addressed constructively
It sems to me, that all these points have been securely established in the collective mind to enable debate, problem solving and cross-generational discussion to be fruitful, inspiring and even considered as an option.
Bringing this to my country, we need a really creative approach which would instill these fundamental values to both the experienced generation (adult/officails) , and the young, less experiences generation( creative, resourceful) to move this society from the stagnation caused by over 60 years of dictatorship. I believe it will all come together soon, I am dreaming of a better, more open and creative educational system for my 2 yr old grandaughter.
Karina Eisner 10+
Thanks again for your insight.
You are right pointing out how the same steps may need adjustments in order to work out in a global perspective.
Some communities may not have a developed civic conscience. When they have to live in fear, or struggle to sustain their family every day, the focus narrows to the individual, to the smallest unit: self. The sense of community and oneness is often damaged, solidarity and "otherness" are lost.
Or there may be a lack of awareness of the positive, long lasting impact that caring for and meeting the needs of all age groups would bring to the whole.
What is the case in Cairo today? What is being done in regards to education? Where do you think creativity can help?
Stay in touch as we continue to discuss this on a new debate...
Amira Makhlouf
A cab driver told me today that it is shamful to ask for directions, if you are a cab driver, then study the map! This made me think what he was taught. It was better to be lost, than ask and show ignorance. That is what Sir Ken Robinson talked about, this man's creativity was schooled out of him. He told me that as a young cabby, it was custom to pay a quarter of your day's earnings to ask another cabby for directions," pay so you remember never to ask again" he told me. There are many Egyptians who, in spite of these challenges, were raised in homes were questions, discussions, reading and knowledge were the norm. These people have grown to be leaders and stars in their fields.
Creativity is often confused with disobedience, arrogance or even stubborness and refusal to just fit in.Introducing the value of creativity should not be an educational issue, but a cultural and social value as well, Just like the issue of" children with educational challenges or needs" they used to be called "retarded" and kept at home.
Amira Makhlouf
Andrea Morisette Grazzini 30+
Amira's situation is complex and I won't pretend to be an expert on how to inspire a revolution of creative thinking in a place that has undergone such a sea-change. Though I'm drawn to the problem, so happy to give ideas.
Much of what you mention, Karina, would be apropos.
My preferred model with an innovative effort to transform a community that has never even thought of the ideas--and may well conceive them, as Amira says as "weird," is to go to people who feel comfortable being "weird." Good advice Warren Buffet gave -- and we have examples in the late Steve Jobs and other creative geniuses, is to be great one must be willing to be an outlier.
For culture change you want outliers who, as part of their differentness are concerned with culture (as opposed to cynics who choose the outlier persona as affect of their rejection of society. )
I like a "tips and roots" strategy.
Engage experienced leaders who've taken risks to achieve success--they are outliers, your "tips."
Then engage energetic young adults who are hungry for change or to save the world/culture, your "roots."
Put them together to collaborate early efforts. From there you can "move to the middles," as the groups demonstrate credibility, staying power, commitment and incremental outcomes. There is much more to the process, but that's a start.
I would also work hard to create empathy between generations, provided they are somewhat insightful. When adults cluck-cluck about the weirdness or audacity of younger change-makers, don't try to convince them they're wrong.
Instead, seek parallels to their own younger behaviors. Was their teenage contrarianism a sign of critical thinking skills? Were their struggles in school due to a doodling habit a sign of creativity? Was their inability to sit still prescient of future strengths?
Point out the connections--generally an Aha!. They see youth's strengths much like their own were, back when.
A start!
Andrea
Amira Makhlouf
Andrea Morisette Grazzini 30+
A very astute analysis of the cultural environment that undergirds examples like these. So good, I'll be sharing it with leaders and others in the community.
And Karina -- It is true, there is a cultural ethic in this community that is remarkable. And that some communities, due to fear and struggle, might find this model harder to adapt.
That said, the community is quite diverse compared to others in our state. And, many of the solutions like this one have been ways to maximize the gifts of a community that has been in transition from an aging bedroom community which resisted change for many years. In fact, there have been significant tensions in the leadership ranks regards solutions like these, which engage all citizens. Many, for a long time, didn't think these efforts were worth it. Some still don't.
Only by a few brave leaders shoring through, have believers been made of many others.
Leaders began to understand that for the area -- and thus their self-interests -- to survive and thrive, they had to do things differently. It hasn't always been easy. And there remains differences in what we do and don't value. But, to their credit, many many older citizens have showed astounding energy in learning from newer and younger generations. To, as Amira notes: "he general welfare of society is achieved when the needs of subgroups are addressed constructively."
There are numerous governance and structural tools that can be developed and employed to help create this level of cross-sector change. But, ABOVE all, it takes actually doing them and communicating the outcomes in ways citizens can appreciate things they might not have believed possible before.
My colleague Harry Boyte has covered Burnsville's success in several books and articles, if you are interest in more.
On a separate note -- Karina, I re-sent the email. And also sent a note to TED Admin. Did you get it?
Andrea
Karina Eisner 10+
No, I didn't get your email. I do know that it is enabled, so it should work fine.
Do not worry, we'll sort this out one way or another...
The situation that Amira has placed in front of us so carefully analyzed is extremely complex. I can see several cultural elements that may be deeply ingrained in the social fabric, making it very resistant to change.
As a participatory researcher, what steps do you think are advisable TO BEGIN WITH?
The all-out-in-your-face truth already took place; deep political changes shook Egypt early this year.
Now is time for them to take the pieces and make something better and new. Is not often that we see such an opportunity (here, as of today, we are painstakingly patching up an existing system in hopes of eventually improve it from the inside out) What would be prudent to do first?
Reaching out to families in small groups and inform/train them in alternative education methods?
Pulling a group of community members, representative enough of a wide sector of society, and meet with authorities to brainstorm a newly branded system?
Marketing a new vision by creating advertisement? Articles in local publications and radio/TV to saturation point?
Complementing the existing system with scaffold organizations (evening schools, tutoring, study groups)?
Associating with outside educational advisors/ organizations in order to get input and trained staff?
What do you suggest?
Amira Makhlouf
It is important to see the process of creativity as well as the outcome. I understand the process is an uphill struggle, but we have no option. I really believe that without creative ideas and solutions, we risk self destruction on all levels, spiritual, above all. Stagnation and surrender to what we know rather than what could be is a fatal illness.
Comment deleted
Varlan Allan 10+
In addition, it is my further belief that creativity and other thought processes must be interwoven, as is often the case needed in order to solve difficult problems that we may not have encountered before.
Peter Han 500+
Thanks for your post on creativity in the classroom and of de Bono's work. If you find de Bono's work of value, you might also find Conceptual Blockbusting by Adams and Creativity in Business by Michael Ray of value. The latter work has a rather misleading name. It actually is not a typical business book but rather a book filled with holistic advice. Best regards, Peter
Varlan Allan 10+
I'm very curious to see the books you mentioned because I am very interested in the business side of creativity. Maybe that is another good conversation starter..."Creativity in the work place."
Cheers,
Varlan
Karina Eisner 10+
Why not, your action role could be to start a debate on Creativity in the Work Place. Go ahead, and see where it takes you :-)
I'll be on the look out!
Peter Han 500+
If you start a TED Conversation on Creativity in the Workplace, I'll post on it. I have lots to share and explore on this topic. So are interested in hosting that conversation?
Best regards,
Peter
dan philips
!
Craig Patterson 10+
I agree with you. How can living lightly with a very small footprint become cultural "success" instead of opulence and consumerism. It will take a shift of consciousness in fundamental ways. Reevaluating and deframing the cultural myths that undermine cultural values. Understanding that 'discounting the future' as an economic concept undermines ecosystems as bio-physical and interdependent basic life support networks. We seem to know ' the price of everything and the value of nothing' as little accounting is given to consequences of our 'management' upon all resources. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005 states 60% of ecosystem function is in decline while the onslaught increases geometrically.
As you eloquently point out, our advertisers and marketeers are the most creative in a culture which sees nor understands the finite nature of the planet. If the world adopted our standard of living, it would take 4 to 5 planets. Seen any lately that might be of use? How arrogant can we be? Is there no limit?
Creativity for me is synthesis, a daily endeavor. How do we learn from past trends incorporating corrective measures as we understand them. How can we understand how, 'Cultural mores' undermine creativity in many ways from economic slavery in a race to the bottom to confirming value on Industries and businesses who destroy our ecosystems. Its all connected.
Creativity connotes a synthesis and responsibility to evolve in conscious ways in every choice we make.
Karina Eisner 10+
Talking on the finite nature of the planet, "living lightly with a very small footprint [should] become cultural "success" instead of opulence and consumerism [...] How arrogant can we be? Is there no limit?"
"We seem to know ' the price of everything and the value of nothing'"
"Creativity for me is synthesis, a daily endeavor."
"Creativity connotes a synthesis and responsibility to evolve in conscious ways in every choice we make."
Brandon Alexander
Karina Eisner 10+
Thanks for sharing!
I think your nutshell might be too small for my words... I have to say, your summary of recent history as it relates to education is a little skimpy. It overlooks a couple of significant events that still have remnants in our classrooms.
"These days we are pretty cool with being different." I disagree. If we just take it from WW2, to follow your lead, we cannot overlook the deep impact of segregation. While a combination of social, political, and later academic action helped to even out differences, it is simplistic to say it is pretty cool today. This melting pot may be "almost" done with the n word, but Latino population is growing exponentially posing some challenges of its own, while gender and religious issues are red hot as we speak. As a teacher I can tell you nobody is yet pretty cool. Education is organic, alive and changing as much as the society it affects... we will really never be done.
My modest opinion...
JACINTO ELA
Peter Han 500+
I hear the frustration in your post. I think that many teachers have imagination to share with their pupils but are unable to due to the administrative barriers you so clearly described. Too often I hear from a teacher that despite their best intentions to share and cultivate creativity and imagination in their class, they are unable to.
One example of a teacher in a public school who has been able to share imagination and creativity in his classroom is Jared Vanscoder of the Dallas, Texas area. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few months ago and discuss the issue of promoting creativity in the classroom. Take a look at his website for his school classroom: http://www.irvingdesignstudio.net/
Best regards,
Peter
JACINTO ELA
will take a look to that link.
Thanks !
Brandon Alexander
Varlan Allan 10+
I feel your pain. There is nothing worse than having a brain full of creative ideas and methods of teaching, than to have it all placed into the guidelines "box" never to be used.
My sympathies,
Varlan
Karina Eisner 10+
It takes a lot of courage to face risks and change!
dan philips
This creative mind was, Amira Makhlouf. At this point of the discussion, when I heard your response, it made me pause and get into the conversation. You can tell that she is creative in the way she writes and thinks, everyone should go and read, and you'll see what I'm talking about.
There are a few other young students that came in and gave their thoughts, and then left the discussion. And the theme was the same in their thoughts. It came down to thinking the school system just makes them, learn, memorize, test. They sounded real bored, and wanted to find the reason why.
I'm asking the same, but have a different view, because I'm not a young student, I'm an older student. But seeing the same thing in a different, more experienced way. I see that the younger students are having a hard time in communicating their thoughts, and are staying on their guard.
When you said that Facebook was created by college students, but now that is lost to the younger. I thought that maybe something like that could be created "JUST FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS ONLY." I don't know if that could be done, but would make scene, would it not?
I would like to ask you a couple of question in regard to the discussion........
I was wondering if Walter was you PE teacher?
Even responding in Luigi language was great.
I thought that Katrina was a creative point, Saying you aren't as destructive LOL.
The computer MAC in the boat and the shark, made me laugh.
:-), this is the creativity that is missing in people, I new what it was right away.
Again, excellent job on this conversation!!!
Karina Eisner 10+
I am also glad you found it meaningful enough to give it your time, and then put into words what the debate did for you. It was my hope that it stirred readers into thinking and moved them into action.
Keep in mind that none of this would have happened if everybody just passed by, passively read and moved on. It took effort from everyone, longer hours (I can attest to that!) and a decision to be part of the solution. It all begins with a single step! You are taking yours now :-)
I feel famous now that you quoted ME, but in all honesty, here are a few clarifications, for the records:
I don't remember suggesting teaching a creativity class, but rather teaching creative process, creative thinking; also, the "creative output ratio" is the brainchild of one of our most active posters, and also one of the most incredibly creative minds I've known, Mr. Peter Han. I simply cited it...
And Walter was not my PE teacher (I had an awful teacher), but the dialogue here is cut off by another poster removing his part, so it becomes hard to understand. Walter suggested that the focus shifted from competitive sports, which don't account for individual differences, to fun activities such as obstacle courses, where everyone is competing with himself. I loved that. The other poster just was against anything Walter said :-P back to school, eh?
Yes, Amira, we need her back, someone get her, we need her here :-)
And yes, you are very perceptive, Luigi's presence was short but profound...
I hope you stick around, this debate expires soon, but as you read, I will open a sequel so we have time to start an action plan. We need man (and woman) power with a creative edge, and I think you've got it.
dan philips
I'm amazed at how this topic is so popular, and has many worries and concerns. I wanted to get the full picture in this conversation, but thought that would take a long time to go back and read everything. So I did some "critical" and "creative" thinking. (I'm an artist, and in college, that's what I do) and decided to go to the beginning, and read just all of your comments to responders. It gave me a different view of the fluidity of this conversation. You have done a great job on guiding it all the way through,"my hands are clapping hard right now, I hope you can hear!" I would like to put some of your quotes here, hope you don't mind.
"An Individualistic society afraid of the Individual, could it be."
"for each question there is more than one answer"
"when you unleash creativity, there is an uncontrollable, unstoppable need for action!"
"Creativity implies risk"
"collaboration is the stuff of growth"
"to the point of including EVERYBODY, made of individuals with differences that needs to be addressed differently"
"wouldn't it be fulfilling for teachers, if their grateful students would come back after a while to let them know the great inspiration that they were"
"what if we created a class, that was titled, CREATIVITY"
"creative output ratio"
"growth, promotion, and success are taking the brightest minds"
"this information I'm putting in my thoughts, is making me do a lot of soul searching, and goal setting"
"FYI, there was no pre-charted outcome for this debate, open discussion, everyone's input (even political)"
"classrooms becoming conveyor-belts of data"
"we can change the world,one creative goal at a time"
This is the one that stuck with me,"like a piece of chewed bubble gum, underneath a school desk";
" I think you just distilled the question to the core, to the bare essence"
This was a response to a real creative mind, that was reaching out, like you said, to the core of the problem.
I'm running out of characters, I'll continue on next post.
Craig Patterson 10+
How do we culturally support or undermine creativity? What dominate values control our perceptions and feed our myths trumping other less emphasized values sometimes in direct opposition to creativity?
Where is the discussion which takes these questions deeper to reveal how our perceptions of success and opulence undermine our ability to see we are one species on one planet riding through space. When we focus on our differences, control and greed we create war and destruction. When we focus on being a responsible member of the human family, we show love for our children. For me, creativity must be grounded in a basic understanding and commitment to future generations. The fire-sale codification of earths resources must be stopped and we need to find creative ways to make that a culturally human value of the first order.
"Creativity" that leads to war, death and destruction needs to be seen in another light.
Peter Han 500+
Interesting questions.
In response to "How do we culturally support or undermine creativity? What dominate values control our perceptions and feed our myths trumping other less emphasized values sometimes in direct opposition to creativity?", one dominant value that damages creativity in my opinion is Consumerism. It has been called the world's most prevalent and powerful religion. The myth that material acquisitions can lead to success, happiness, and meaning is and has been deliberately created and perpetuated by legions of highly creative and accomplished marketers and advertisers. This myth discourages the production of creativity by individuals and encourages the consumption of other people's creativity instead. (That is what led me to conceive of a personal creativity ratio consisting of the instances of me creating something divided by instances of me consuming someone else's creativity.)
So Consumerism is one value that diminishes creativity.
Another value or perception is that creativity is often associated with the fine arts, performing arts and child's play but not the mundane world of adults as they go about their quotidian activities. Ruth Richards writes at length about our need to recognize and cultivate Everyday Creativity in her book by this same name. She is a professor at Saybrook U. See: http://www.saybrook.edu/spotlight/rrichards
This everyday creativity is a favorite topic of mine ever since Javier Fernandez-Han gave a talk on this topic ("Demystifying Creativity: You Don't Have to be Creative to be Creative") at TEDxTheWoodlands ( www.TEDxTheWoodlands.com ) last month. I believe that creativity is a daily decision we make either explicitly or implicitly. I aim for creative output everyday. Some days, my creative output is trivial. Others, a bit more significant. But I aim for creative output everyday as a habit. Hope this helps someone reading this post.
Best regards,
Peter
R Vishnu prasad
Ayelet Lazarovitch
I believe that a teacher's job is to provide the platform from which students can learn. A teacher should stimulate, create thoughtful and appropriate scaffolding for students and invite students to take part in the learning process. If there was no need to "quantify" students' learning, and to demonstrate that they are worthy of a degree, we could have created wonderful platforms and allow students to learn as much as they want from it. I believe this would have also made students less passive and take charge of their learning (that is, since they would have come to Uni to learn instead of to in order to earn a degree).
One of the most wonderful things about creativity is that there is no limit to it - as there is no one correct answer. The easiest way to give grades - is to ask questions that have one answer (which creates a limit). Therefore, unless a big change in the educational-system's assessment methods will be made, I can't see creativity getting into the curriculum. Any ideas for how could we assess creativity on a large scale (for example a class of 200 students)?
Peter Han 500+
Good point about the conflict between being efficient in assessing competence and enabling learning. However, maybe efficiency is not the appropriate goal when it comes to assessing human beings, which are the incredibly complex and have the capacity to grow and change.
How would I assess creativity on a large scale for 200 students? If I were assessing them to determine how best to encourage, enable and cultivate their creativity, then I would need to learn about them as individuals and thus efficient mass assessments would not be possible. Human beings are incredibly complex and creativity is incredibly general a term so assessing a human beings creativity does not lend itself to simple assessment tools or processes.
Sorry to disappoint you with no simple efficient mass assessment for mass application.
Karina Eisner 10+
I hear both of you... Ayelet, you obviously have a keen eye, as you got into the heart of the matter right away.
We want students to learn, but we have to measure; we want them to be active in this process, but we have to set limits... we want more quality but it is quantity that gets in the way!
And that is for sure: there is no getting away from those numbers, increasing by the minute.
As a teacher myself, I see a higher student-teacher ratio each year, even in the lowest grades. To me this is a crucial problem, as Peter mentions, one needs time to get to know the children, but I see classrooms being turned into conveyor belts of data...
I recently had the chance to ask a leader in education about her opinion on that trend. Her answer was, do not complain, "Young woman, in my first years in education I was given a first grade class with more than 50 students". Hmmm, does the fact than it can be done prove that it is right? Or does the fact that the teacher survived prove that kids learned? Did they graduate from elementary or eventually fell through the cracks and went out to work the field with their parents? Is this quality education anyways???
I was speechless...
Peter Han 500+
Constrain the amount of time and energy our youth spend on social media. See article on the detrimental effects of excessive use of such technology on learning and creativity: ( http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/technology/21brain.html?pagewanted=all )
Albert Hong
Instead of limiting this (which can pose a number of personal problems), however, maybe we can leverage social media.
Think about it:
-it can spread inspirational ideas quickly (like TED vids)
-it can encourage student networking and cooperation
-it can be an outlet for creative expression- photos, videos, writing
I don't think the problem is social media but the way it is used.
Parents and teachers can potentially have a profound impact upon the type of content shared by the child.
Peter Han 500+
One issue I see with the use of Facebook and Twitter is in the very nature of the activity involved in these social media. There is in my opinion too much emphasis on superficial expressions of approval and too much scanning for novelty inherent in these forms of social media. So the structure of these social media tools channel the user to certain types of cognitive activities preferentially over others (e.g. deep reflection, debate). So the way social media is used may be far more limited than one may think.
Albert Hong
Personally I don't use social media so I am not an expert.
But I think that fundamentally it depends upon who uses it (which would probably be circular reasoning). Many of my friends use it to organize various social activities, or spark opinion or debate. It is also a good place for artist, writers and musicians to post content (and many of my friends do so).
It's probably true that the way facebook/twitter is built doesn't optimize this. can anybody who is a facebook/twitter 'expert' verify/refute my statements?
Thanks for the reply.
Karina Eisner 10+
You outlined three great benefits of social media. And by discussing this here, we are already proving all of them -we are inspiring others, networking and cooperating, and being creative:-)
Like you, I don't generally use it but can clearly see a potential for the risks that Peter mentions. The need for approval and speed of communication can combine to cause serious damage. One only has to look at the news to see embarrassing cases, from top ranking politicians and international media moguls, to local teachers or well known students.
But I'd argue that the problem is not in the technology, but in self esteem (excessive need for approval) and parent responsibility, in the case of students. Busy minds will not have too much time to fiddle with the phone. But can resort to it when a particular invite needs to be made, or a wide reaching question asked... As in everything, excess is not good.
If anything, I think social media has brought to the light a big gap, a void that we will have to accept and deal with: several generations today feel lonely, undervalued, unappreciated, and hopeless. There is an inner vacuum that the sudden absence of social media, TV, games, etc, will not heal.
I believe at the root of it all there is, if you will, a vast soullessness. Not universal, but prevalent.
Karina Eisner 10+
Yes, by all means parents, limit socialMEDIA and spend time to teach kids how to socialIZE.
I find too many children that have learned to type at the speed of light, but are awkward in public, or do not know the subtleties of a thank you note or the need for a RSVP, nor can they negotiate personal differences before escalating into aggression or totally withdrawing...
There should be an age limit for social media -wait a minute there is one! facebook started as a tool for college students -now the min. age is 13 (too young if you ask me)
Parents need to be parents, I think that is what it boils down to, again. No rule or law will change the kids' will, if they are not educated into this since the early years.
Richard Bradley
Peter Han 500+
I will start with a few actions I am/I will take:
1) I will share a learning program called "Invent and Innovate" which my son and I developed last year with schools in my local area. This program integrates design-thinking, social action and creativity techniques. I will help schools use it to launch a variety of creative social action projects through which youth apply creativity to solve social problems locally. See introduction to this program at: http://www.wix.com/peterhan/invent-and-innovate-program
2) I will serve on the advisory board for my local school district to promote creativity and innovation in the school through a combination of curriculum enhancements, workshops for teachers, partnerships with local entrepreneurs.
3) I will give talks/workshops to youth to encourage them to cultivate and apply their creativity. My next talk/workshop will be on Nov 4th to 50 student leaders (officers of career and technology education programs) of our local school district.
What might you be willing to do?
Best regards,
Peter
Gloria Felicia
As a student, I honestly do not see that creativity is being encouraged in school. The education it offers lead to stagnation of developing ideas.
The freedom for a student to speak his own opinion lies dominantly on the teacher whose charater is willing enough to receive the student's point of view regarding a subject. Other than that, only a few being supportive. The curriculum sometimes enforce these scholars to gain quick information based on the textbooks since there is a limited period for each course. (For ex: a teacher must finish a topic within a week, unabling him to demostrate a more enterprising and innovative teaching.) In the end, these teachers are lack of will to use alternative way of teaching and instead, they just used the common way of teaching their students through monotonous lectures.
Schools in developing countries have poor concern about this issue. They encourage the students to expand more on the academic performances rather than the outgoing skills which are needed soon in the work field. Emotional intelligence also matters as a part of stimulator for the student to gain a broad, bold and creative mindset.
However, although most universities nowadays take a look on social activities which are stated in their CVs or personal statements, a vast majority of them are actually taking only a bit into consideration these kind of achievements. And later on, in the university life, the student will be required to stick to the courses without having the opportunity to change them.
You can take an outlook over this article: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/159/indian-engineers-education
(Why Education Without Creativity Is Not Enough)
"In India, it takes engineers two to three years to recover from the damage of the education system."
Karina Eisner 10+
I appreciate your input.
I see two main points that you make:
One is the status of education in the classroom in developing countries, where you find a focus on performance (not real world skills) and book based teaching and monotonous lectures.
The other is that universities (in developing countries?)do not really take into account achievements (which ones?) and, once student is enrolled, do not give students a chance to work on them.
Thanks for the link. I guess your intent is for it to support your point of the situation in India, since the article says, "The U.S. education system is much more geared to innovation and practical application,[...]It's really good from high school onward." So I will not consider that you follow the small dialogue above.
The article actually tells us that there is a desperate need to fill job vacancies, and despite the huge number of graduating engineers, "India's schools can't keep up with demand." There is pressure to fill that workplace need, and that is part of the reason the study modality is so focused.
This is a complex issue deeply interconnected with the socioeconomic profile of the country. That creativity is not encouraged in engineering is to me an oxymoron, as it should be one of the areas where it should bloom. Obviously you can't change everything, but do you see anything you could do where you are, today?
Bring awareness, post articles in the local newspaper, create a club? Other?
Would you like to stay and help put together a pool of ideas, and draw from it for your own scenario?
Gloria Felicia
*what I meant in my comment was most prestigious universities only see academic performance and overlook the activities of student being involved in social/art events or in creative organisation (only portfolios being noticed)
I do agree with "creativity is not encouraged in engineering is to me an oxymoron".
...
Let me try again and go straight to my actual main point: Action.
Small Scale: supported by parents, friends' habits, country's cultures
(parents encourage kids to do simple science praticals and fun arts handmade at home, demonstrate the importance of creativity in education thru schools' mini events arranged by the student councils, show some movies to youth to show them how lacking creativity can cost a lot to their future so that they will take the level of creativity in their school life seriously and so the same goes to the teachers; if these are done, automatically, the school's atmosphere changes leading to change in the city and hopefully, the nation.)
Bigger Scale: supported by government and the curriculas
(government should take better control on the amount of students per class so teachers could manage them better and stimulate an interactive discussion with the students so they'll be unafraid to confess their creative ideas; who knows an innovator might be unobserved in the classroom? the curricula should also provide a chance for the student to grow creativities.
I think my friends and I am actually working towards emphasizing creativity among students.
Currently, I'm endeavouring to manage an art exhibition in Jakarta, gathering all the scattered talents which lie inside the students in many schools around Indonesia. (performing and visual arts)
I hope this will raise people' concern abt importace of any types of creativity in any field.
Wish me luck :-)
Karina Eisner 10+
And thanks for all the suggestions, you gave this a great deal of thought!
Stay in touch to continue sorting out the creativity puzzle and getting ideas on some practical solutions...
Peter Han 500+
Jessica Mashael Bordelon AlMisbah
Our states are where curriculum decisions are made. I am guessing that you unfortunately live in a state or county/parish that neglects creativity in general.
I am in Louisiana, and before this year our state focused very heavily on the LEAP exams. Parents and teachers fought against "teaching to the exam" because it was obvious this was not leading toward success. And now changes have been made.
So there is your answer, in my opinion, it is up to the states and local school boards to decide what is to be taught in the classroom. Direct your fight there.
Karina Eisner 10+
As you said, every state has a say in (public) education, and that attests for the significant differences from state to state in outcomes, high school drop off, college acceptance and graduation percentages. Not that those are the only ways to measure the success of a system, but they are the ones currently used.
While I agree that legislators and districts design and put in practice the systems, I don't think those are the only areas where we can focus.
First of all, because this debate includes TEDsters all over the world, beyond your parish, beyond my county, with different educational formats and problems, we need to see the big picture.
Next, because we know we cannot solve the whole world, but we can make a small difference, one issue at a time, we ask ourselves, "even when I am not a legislator, I am not sitting at the board of my district, or I can't vote because of my age, how can I change things for the better? How can I stop blaming others and starting to be the change I want to see? How can I bring awareness to the key role of creativity in education?
Jessica Mashael Bordelon AlMisbah
Tapping into resources such as "Art In Action" for ideas as well as possible curriculum additives.
In the meantime, how can a parent or teacher or student bring in creativity?
Parents can add this at home.
For example: For a history exam, ask the child discussion style questions. If you can't come up with your own, google search related topics and interview each other.
For time tables, let the child draw out the problems and answers with chalk on the sidewalk or with window chalk on the bathroom window.
For an english lesson on subjects and predicates, do a verbal exercise. 1st person says a subject, and 2nd person says a simple predicate. Then 2nd person repeats the subject and the 1st person says a more complex predicte.
Teachers can incorporate this easily into their curriculums weekly. It just takes a little creativity.
For a history lesson, have the students make pictures of the events discussed in that chapter, and then tape them to a time line in the order the occurred. Then they can write the date next to each picture.
They can then go further and analyze something by explaining to a small group or to the whole class what they would have done if they faced one of these events in history
for mulitiplcation have the kids make up a song and even add in a little drum tapping on the desk as they sing out their time tables.
The options are endless.
These are things that can be done by individuals whether or not they get the support of the administration because it reinforces the existing curriculum, but allows for young minds to develop those critical thinking skills.
Peter Han 500+
Thank you for the many simple practical examples of imbuing, embedding and integrating creativity into subject matter lessons. The possibilities do seem endless and are limited largely by the teacher's imagination.
Your comments remind me of 2008 Teacher of the Year Mike Geisen's approach to teaching science. He used a multiple intelligence approach to make the learning come alive for his students. See: ( http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?=1864 ).
Keep the good work. Your students are fortunate to have you.
Best regards,
Peter