Creativity: Its place in Education By Wayne Morris

Creativity: Its place in Education By Wayne Morris

This is the beginning of a very interesting article about creativity at schools. I haven't read it all yet.

“The roots of a creative society are in basic education. The sheer volume of facts to be digested by the students

of today leaves little time for a deeper interrogation of their moral worth. The result has been a generation of

technicians rather than visionaries, each one taking a career rather than an idea seriously. The answer must

be reform in our educational methods so that students are encouraged to ask about “know-why” as well as

“know-how”. Once the arts are restored to a more central role in educational institutions, there could be a

tremendous unleashing of creative energy in other disciplines too.”

Source: OnArts: Creative New Zealand. Michael D. Higgins, the former Irish Minister for

Arts, Culture and Gaeltacht

But is it enough to focus on the arts as the source of creativity in education?

Is there a much broader role for creativity in education?

“All our futures: Creativity, culture and education”, the UK National Advisory Committees

report [DfEE, 1999] defines creativity as:

“First, they [the characteristics of creativity] always involve thinking or behaving

Second, overall this imaginative activity is

objective. Third, these processes must generate something

of

From the US - the Creative Classroom Project was a collaboration between Project Zero and

the Disney Worldwide Outreach to produce materials that help teachers explore and

understand:

1. the role of creativity and innovation in teaching and learning

2. the importance of developing classroom and school environments that can bring out

the best in teachers and students, and

3. methods for making classrooms more engaging places

The following quote, from one of the teachers involved in the project, adds to the UK

definition.

imaginatively.purposeful: that is, it is directed to achieving anoriginal. Fourth, the outcome must bevalue in relation to the objective.” This from the UK.

“Although most people might look for signs of creativity in the appearance of the bulletin boards,

student made projects, centers and displays in the classroom, I feel the truly creative classroom goes way

beyond what can be seen with the eyes. It is a place where bodies and minds actively pursue new

knowledge. Having a creative classroom means that the teacher takes risks on a daily basis and

encourages his/her students to do the same.” Source: Pann Baltz quoted in Creativity in the

Classroom: An exploration.