Does School Kill Creativity?
Note: this article is a continuation of “What are Your Intentions for 2012.”
It was the year 2000, and after finishing 18 years of formal education, I was having second thoughts.
After I had calmed myself down, I suddenly realized I had felt this way all along.
Was it just me?
During my years in elementary school, I was constantly described as a “smart” boy but one who didn’t always “apply himself.”
This, however, was not entirely true.
I loved art class. When I drew time flew by. Years later, while at University, I stumbled upon the joy of essay writing. I’d often spend hours trying to come up with thought-provoking arguments for term papers as well as titles that would intrigue my professors. I did this not just because I felt the effort would lead to a good mark, but mostly because I loved the process.
On the flip side, I loathed exams.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t memorize the work. I could, I just disliked the process. Absorbing information that didn’t interest me just so I could regurgitate it the next day during the exam, then forget about it wasn’t very exciting and seemed like a waste of time.
Today, I seldom draw, but find sanctuary in taking the odd photo and then editing it in either iPhoto or Photoshop to add my creative touch. As for writing, if it weren’t for blogging I might have given it up all together.
Why did I let these creative pursuits go?
Mostly because when I was younger, I didn’t think I’d be able to making a living doing them. Funny, I don’t think that way anymore because I’ve realized something. Doing things just for money isn’t the only goal. Doing things that make you happy are. I’ve also realized something else.
It’s NOT just me.
There’s actually quite a few people out in the world who feel the same way. School wasn’t a fit for them. So they either found something that was after leaving or graduating from school or are still searching, which sadly, is the case.
Of course, you can’t blame the teachers, it’s not their fault.
The fault lies in the structure we use, which has been with us since the industrial era. I’m, by no means an expert on the subject, but Sir Ken Robinson is. His keynote talks at TED have become legendary [below]
To reform the education system, I believe we must start to incorporate new technologies that make learning both stimulating and effective. In a world where kids are texting, using iPads at home, and entertaining themselves on Facebook and with the latest gaming device, going back to school on Monday and looking at a chalkboard probably bores the hell out of them.
I’m not saying technology IS the answer, I’m just saying it’s become part of our children’s lives whether we like it or not. Therefore, technology should be considered when attempting to personalize how children learn and produce results. Are they audio-visual learners (like me)? Are they just consuming stuff or are they learning to create and produce things?
For example, take Steve Jobs.
Okay, Steve Jobs was not always a nice guy, but there are a few lessons we can learn from him. For example, he dropped out of University. Wait, I’m not advocating kids do this, but instead of leaving, Steve stayed for another 18 months as a “drop-in,” going to classes he thought he might enjoy. In other words, he personalized his own education.
This led him to discover typography, which is one of the main reasons why the Apple graphical user interface (GUI) looks the way it does. Take a couple minutes to watch this video to find out more:
I don’t have all the answers
But I do know this.
I have 12-year-old twins going through the educational system right now. Yes, I want them to have as many opportunities as possible, but I don’t want them to struggle with this as much as I did growing up.
Therefore, I’ve made it one of my intentions for 2012 to try and make a small difference in our local educational system. I’m just one person, so I’ve decided to join Rotary in an effort to make this happen. My hope is that part of my involvement in Rotary will provide me with the opportunity to give back to schools in my local community.
Working side-by-side with teachers, perhaps I can inspire a few kids to celebrate their own creativity. Maybe one of these kids will even learn how to create something using technology (like Thomas Suarez did) as they enter what I call the new Age of Digital Enlightenment.
So, what are your Intentions for 2012?