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LWolf

(46,179 posts)
8. Those are some old studies.
Thu Dec 15, 2011, 09:24 AM
Dec 2011

The most recent being 1992. That doesn't automatically negate their findings, but I'd dispute the conclusions.

THIS teacher has always loved creative people, including students in my classrooms. The structure of the system we work within doesn't always support the fostering of creativity as described in this article, though, especially in the decades since those studies were done. "The classroom isn't designed for impulsive expression..." that's true. Who "designed" the classroom structure we work within?

It might be interesting to poll teachers. How many teachers LIKE cramming as many kids as will fit into a classroom, teaching large groups in small spaces, with regimented standards, testing, and pacing? How many would run their classes differently given support and permission to do so?

In the current environment, creativity isn't tested, and we are all supposed to be obsessed with achieving acceptable standardized test scores. Our job evaluations and, in some cases, our pay, revolve around test scores. Everything is supposed to be "data-driven." Let's face it; that's a recipe guaranteed to kill creativity for all of us, teachers included.

Some of us get real creative in trying to find ways to sneak some things back in, under the radar, that allow for creativity. It's not easy, though, when our bosses are going to ask, not just us, but our students, what standard is being taught/learned for every activity we do, how that activity teaches that standard, and how students will be assessed to determine if they've mastered it.

It might be even more interesting to poll parents about what kind of education they want for their students; what kind of systemic structure they'd support.


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