Creativity

Are we shutting down creativity and the power of possibility?


I think teachers are trapped in a rather awkward position these days.  On the one hand we talk about rules and routines (which we need in order for our classrooms to function) and on the other hand we talk about inquiry and creative thinking (which can reek of hippy-like philosophies... "Let the children be freeeeeee...").  I think it used to be that school was where you did the hard work and home time was where you had the opportunity to climb trees and build cloud castles in the sky.  When did it become the schools' responsibility to provide both the basics and the fun?  


I find it hard to come to grips with the idea of creative thinking happening while we all sit on the mat at a specific time - "Ok kids, now let's think creatively for 10 minutes and then we'll move on..."  In this regard, I think our 'accepted' school culture, which has been ingrained for decades, is shooting us in the foot.  We are trying to put our little spinning tops into the neat square holes we have made for them and nothing is going to change fast enough.  I'm only repeating what I've heard numerous experts touch on when I say that our aspirations for our new breed of 21st Century Learners are fantastic but don't sit well in our industrial revolution classrooms and schools.


On the other hand, I have a certain amount of things that I really need to get through and it's so much easier if I just schedule in ten or fifteen minutes of 'thinking time' when there's space.


I think it's come to this:
Creativity has become the role of the arts and possibly languages.  Unfortunately, our real life language is so seldom poetic unless we become actors or novelists, that a large focus on poetic devices when we are preparing kids for the 'real world' doesn't seem right.  To do away with poetic writing and reading, though, would severely curtail opportunities for creative thought in my own classroom.


We are striving to introduce and improve creativity in all areas from maths and science through to technology and social action but the eternal problem seems to be TIME.  Creativity needs time but units of work (particularly in the 3 Rs) are crowded into a matter of weeks.  Creativity needs freedom and support but as a teacher I feel the pressure to get work done on time and everyone needs to finish at once for convenience.


I think our school provides some opportunities for creativity, particularly in the senior school, with explorers groups and personal inquiries done at home.  I try and look for 'real' opportunities in class for my students to stretch out and try something new or in a new way.  But is my classroom truly creative and inspiring?  I don't know that it is.