Creativity in Education

This post is in response to Sir Ken Robinson's talk about creativity and its place in education, found here: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html


Sir Ken Robinson defines creativity as the process of having original ideas that have value. He claims that these original ideas stem from the interaction between unique or differing perspectives. I think we can all agree that originality is something that must be cherished - but can we conclude, without doubt, that we share this view point with today's education system? Probably. But is that enough?

Sure...in a perfect world, a school is a place where differing perspectives are nurtured and grow together to maximize learning in a diverse and stimulating setting. What we must decide is whether or not this is in fact reality.

Robinson makes an interesting point when he calls traditional education a means of meeting the needs of industrialism. From one perspective, it is tough to criticize a school for preparing its students for professionalism. The problem, he says, is when a school forges an academic hierarchy that essentially ranks subjects based on their future importance. He explains this by offering a hypothetical scenario where a teacher will tell a student, "Don't place too much weight in dance...you'll never be a dancer," or, "Don't worry about art...you're not going to be an artist." It is this type of system that Robinson criticizes for steering away from creativity and more towards a short-term narrow pathway to University acceptance.

Yes, college attendance is absolutely vital in today's world, but another thing we can certainly agree on is the unpredictability of the future. Without nurturing these creative outlets - without placing weight in artistic or unconventional areas - that unpredictability becomes more of a limited pathway. I'm not saying that all hope is lost...I'm merely suggesting that Ken Robinson seems to be on the right track, and that in looking forward, we continue to do our best to remove any and all creative obstacles.