Creativity in the Classroom

Budget crises, the pressure to perform well on standardized tests, and the need to prepare students for a college education force schools to make tough curricular decisions. Helping students to achieve high scores means prioritizing math, science and English-language arts courses. Band, choir, art, and shop classes have taken a back seat as most resources are devoted to these “core classes.” In a few extreme cases, schools drop band, choir, and art from course offerings. Standardized testing has placed school subjects within a hierarchy “at the top are mathematics, and languages, then the humanities, and the bottom are the arts” (Robinson, 2006). In addition, math, science, and language help prepare students for college and future careers, boosting their importance (Robinson, 2006).

An approach to education that pushes students to acquire the necessary knowledge, patterns of behavior, and subject-specific skills helps students develop their disciplined mind (Gardner, 2008). A focus on the concepts and core values of a discipline are, according to Howard Gardner (2008) a valuable tool for the future (p. 26). Without the disciplined mind “the individual is destined to march to someone else’s tune (Gardner, 2008, p. 3). Does this approach to education come at the expense of another of Gardner’s necessary minds for the future, creativity?

In his TedTalk, Sir Ken Robinson (2006), asked the question “Do schools kill creativity?” He contends that current educational practices are hurting y0ung creative minds. According to Robinson (2006) “creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.” Children are born with a natural creativity. In the hands of a child, a piece of cork becomes a boat; a leaf becomes a sail, and a puddle the ocean. Children seek to understand the world around them, constantly asking “why.” For children, mistakes are chances to learn, and they do not fear making them. Something happens as children grow, they “grow out of creativity” or are “educated out of it” (Robinson 2006).

As an educator, I agree with Sir Ken Robinson to a certain extent. Standardized testing has increased in importance since my first years of testing, and this has started an avalanche of change. Math and language arts curriculums have changed, focusing on tested skills and vocabulary. My language arts colleagues mourn the projects and subjects they no longer teach. Math teachers fear not being able to cover the necessary material and worry about what they must sacrifice. Science courses have also adapted. My school changed the grades tested subjects were taught ensuring earlier exposure. Science teachers picked through their curriculums discarding experiments, inquiry and favorite subjects not necessary for achieving the highest scores. Students who fail to pass state tests are doomed to repeat the failed subject, or take an extra math or language arts course. These students cannot take art, shop, music, or computer classes because they no longer have room in their packed schedules. Gardner (2008) warns “too strict an adherence to a disciplinary track operates against the more open stances of the synthesizer or the creator” (p. 84). Those on a strict academic track lose the chance to develop their creative mind.

Non-tested subjects are not immune to the effects of standardized teaching. Foreign languages, humanities, and even health teachers are encouraged and often required to focus on techniques thought to improve achievement in science, math, and language arts. Some examples are focusing on the Collins Writing Style, Reading Apprenticeship Strategies, and STEM skills. Our latest teacher training is focusing on disciplinary literacy to help students understand discipline-specific texts. As a history teacher, I sometimes feel writing is more important than content as I try to reach my weekly Collins writing goal.

Even with these pressures, I cannot entirely agree with Sir Ken Robinson. Walking the halls of my school, I see many examples of creativity. Outside the school, our agriculture classes have planted pollinator gardens full of beautiful flowers and trees. The students designed, planted and cared for these gardens and it has been a joy to see them grow and mature over the past year. Our art students painted a beautiful book bench that both a work of art and a place to rest and reflect. This week our drama students will be putting on a new play written a former student. The sets and choreography were designed by the students with help from the director. A Veterans Day assembly was planned by students and teachers working together. They created a patriotic and moving experience that honored our veterans and reminded us of the greatness of this country. Beautiful music fills the halls as our national finalist harpist serenades her classmates with her original scores

Centre County Book Benches, Bald Eagle Area Middle / High School

Creativity extends to the classroom. Anatomy students learning about muscles incorporate art and language arts skills to create visual metaphors. Geometry students design marble mazes to show their understanding of angles and friction. Language Arts students who disliked the ending of a story write their wondrous tales of adventure. History students research and film mini documentaries for their History Day projects.

These examples of creativity are not limited to my school; they are found in any elementary, middle or high school across the country. Every day teachers are nurturing young creative minds. Curriculum, resources, and time limit teachers, yet they strive to incorporate innovation and hands-on experiences. I answer Sir Ken Robinson’s question with a no; schools are not killing creativity. Creativity is valued and nurtured, but integrated in increasingly innovative ways.

Incorporating digital media helps students get their creative juices flowing, providing endless opportunities to express their visions. My students introduced me to an amazing website Scratch.com. This MIT coding tool allows students to program interactive stories or games and then share them with the community. Any subject, and most grade level can use this website. Digital stories created using Storybird or WeVideo offer students amazing opportunities develop inspired narrations using artwork or recorded video. Storybird uses beautiful artwork to stimulate imaginations. WeVideo is a free and collaborative online video editing tool. As it works on Chromebooks, it is an invaluable tool for my students.

VoiceThread allows students to be creative in oral projects incorporating sound, images, and video into a single presentation that can be shared and discussed within the class. I used this in place of a written essay and was amazed at the results. Students practiced reading, writing, and research skills but the addition of images and video, and audio opened up the creativity of my students.

Through the use of Web, 2.0 tools students can nurture their creative minds and practice 21st Century skills. As Sir Ken Robinson (2006) said: “creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.” Teachers may need to adjust to the demands of the curriculum and standardized testing, but creativity and innovation are valued and nurtured.

Resources

Gardner, H. (2008). Five Minds for the Future. Harvard Business School Press: Boston, MA.

Robinson, K. (2006). Do schools kill creativity? [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

Storybird. (2017). Visual storytelling for everyone. Retrieved from https://storybird.com/

WeVideo. (2017). Online video editor for web, mobile, windows and OSX. Retrieved from https://www.wevideo.com/

VoiceThread. (2017). Amazing conversations about media. Retrieved from https://voicethread.com/

Originally Posted on my Wilkes Blog: http://wilkes.discoveryeducation.com/kristenmccarty/2017/11/15/creativity-in-the-classroom/

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