Creativity

Creativity is an extremely important skill to have in today's world. In a world where technology is constantly changing, more and more jobs are dependent on workers being innovative and creative. However, we are raised in an education system that is completely focused on passing standardized tests. This makes for an interesting challenge for classroom teachers. On one hand they have to prepare their students for the yearly standardized tests, and on the other hand prepare students for a world that is constantly seeking creativity and imagination in workers. Creativity is hard to teach, and hard to assess because it comes in a variety of forms and is largely self-driven. I think the most important thing teachers, and schools can do is to give students opportunities to express their creativity. This could be as simple as letting students decide how they want to present their research project to the class, giving them choices and allowing their own creativity to come through. Multiple choice tests do not allow for creativity, and while they are an appropriate form of assessment sometimes, other assessments such as projects and presentations encourages creativity while still assessing student learning. Another way that schools can promote creativity is to support and encourage fine arts in the schools. Music, art, dance and theatre programs allow student creativity to come through in ways that cannot be taught in regular classrooms. Fine arts help students to become more well rounded people, and learn to express themselves through other means. Unfortunately, the fine arts programs are often the first to be cut in schools. After school programs are forced to end because of inadequate funding, and less music and art classes are offered during the school day because of budget cuts. Schools that want to prepare their students for the real world, and promote creativity need to think twice before cutting fine arts classes. And administrators who do not see the importance of the arts should go to a choir concert or look at student artwork because they would clearly see how talented students are, even at a young age.