Schools and Creativity...Do they mix?

 Ken Robinson, in one of  the "Ted Talks.com" lectures  makes a compelling argument for how schools have historically educated the creativity out of children.  He argues that children are innately creative. They start kindergarten being highly creative and artistic and willing to take risks.  After a few years of education, they have learned to conform and to be afraid of making mistakes, and therefore afraid of experimenting.

Please see his lecture at this link:
Do Schools kill Creativity?

I believe there is a great deal of truth in what he says.  Schools are institutions managing a large number of children.  They have their mandates  set out for them by national  consensus.  In Ontario, teachers are bound to cover the expectations of the Ontario Curriculum.  I think that many educators, today, including those of us who are aspiring educators, feel that schools as institutions certainly have their limitations.  Many classroom teachers have 25-35 students under their tutelage.  They face an enormous task in trying to meet the needs of each of these people. It is easy to feel disillusioned as a teacher candidate when considering the magnitude of the role.   I sense the malaise among my fellow educators.  We are all aware of the problem, but our job is to work within this system, flawed as it is.

I have been asking myself what role I could play to nurture and inspire creativity within this system. I love the arts and I also love mathematics and science when students are encouraged to explore and problem solve, and experiment without simply being given the formula.  I am coming to the conclusion that we educators must be aware of the critiques that have been put forward about education.  We need to see the validity in those arguments in order to make a change.  Now that education has been exposed for  the way in which it curtails creativity, we can seek ways to reverse that trend.  Now, the difficult part is to not get discouraged and defeated, but rather to look for ways to shine a light when creativity is being expressed.

I already see evidence of teachers nurturing creativity within public schools that I am familiar with.  At my children's local school, they are putting on a production of the play, "The Outsiders."  My son has a part in this play.  My daughter, Sara, had the inspiration to start an arts based club, "Kids' Club"at lunch recess for children in Grades 1-3.  She has plans to read great books, do drama activities and  crafts each time.  Sara asked permission of the principal to start this club, and to the principal's  immense credit, she agreed right away.  Sara's classroom teacher volunteered to be the supervisor without hesitation.  This demonstrates to me that educators, today, are willing to support initiative, effort, and creativity by students.  I am encouraged that there is a place for creativity in schools.  We just have to work at it.