In the pursuit of academic excellence, schools often unintentionally stifle creativity. Innovation and change stem from creativity, allowing people to solve problems openly and think critically. A society that has lost touch with its creative side becomes sheltered and close-minded.
Creativity isn’t a talent—it’s a skill people can learn and it’s a skill that is being lost in education. Creativity should be part of the curriculum in schools.
In a 2010 study of about 300,000 creativity tests going back to the 1970s, Kyung Hee Kim, a creativity researcher at the College of William and Mary, found creativity has decreased among American children in recent years. Since 1990, children have become less able to produce unique and unusual ideas. These children are also less humorous, imaginative, and unable to elaborate on statements.
In 2005, Kim published a related paper that found that creativity and intelligence are not corresponding, meaning that all people are capable of creativity, it is their environment that holds them back.
Schools diminish creativity by focusing on memorization and standardized tests. With a constantly changing world, conventional educational approaches no longer meet the needs of children. Children are being deprived of one of their most powerful assets.
The American educational system puts an overwhelming emphasis on testing. Core subjects such as math, history, and science are not taught in a way that stimulates innovation and creativity. Rather, they are guided by a strong curriculum that leaves little room for cultivating strong and creative minds.
In today’s education, facts are learned and memorization is tested. However, creativity isn’t another test to take or something that can be studied. Changes in curriculum evaluation can encourage creativity through practice, exploration, and experimentation.
Instead of focusing on tests, projects and activities should be encouraged.
Project-based learning is a teaching technique that utilizes hands-on activities to solve problems and answer questions. According to a study conducted by California State University, project-based learning yields much better results than traditional teaching. This is because students are motivated to learn, grasp more content, and are more curious.
Changing the way the curriculum is evaluated will help students as they enter the workforce. Employers need creative employees. Creative employees can help create innovation and optimize current processes, giving the business a competitive advantage within their sector. If businesses do not find the creativity they require, they will resort to outsourcing and finding that skill elsewhere.
Schools should strive to provide an environment that encourages and cultivates creativity and innovation through a new curriculum evaluation that values and rewards the skill.
