Do Schools Kill Creativity?

Abookamongstthemany

This was really an inspiring presentation!

http://opposingdigits.com/vlog/?p=1843

"A must-see for every parent and teacher. Education guru Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. Sir Ken Robinson is author of “Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative,” and a leading expert on innovation in education and business."

Vedderlution_Baby

Yes, atleast at the public educational facilities I attended. Everything was focused on a standardized test that determined a school's grade, which then determined the amount of funding the school got. We were drilled on how to take and pass the test. Do not get this confused with learning the material on it. We ran through drill after drill after drill on how to eliminate the choices that were obviously wrong, and how to then make a accurate choice when it came to choosing an answer. The writing part is probably the best example of the killing of creativity. There are two writing topics. You are assigned one randomly then must write on the topic. The first time my g/f took it (you have to take this test, the FCAT, throughout your school career up until your junior year.) she received a three (maximum score: 6) and she said she wrote as creatively and has interesting as she could. This also happened with me. We then wrote another essay, this one bland and consisting of nothing more than what we knew was the normal method for essay writing on a test. we both got fives. So, yea, I'll say it kills creativity.

Alex_Coe

They have art class... and tech and PE and most schools have recess...

EDIT: Regarding the above, if you do well on the standardized test then it;s likely you learned something.

Abookamongstthemany

Alex_Coe wrote:

They have art class... and tech and PE and most schools have recess...

EDIT: Regarding the above, if you do well on the standardized test then it;s likely you learned something.

Did you watch the presentation on the link? We are all aware they have art class and pe

FinsburyParkCarrots

Catholic schools do. I can vouch for it. Cunts.


Okay, I'll watch the link, now. The thread title just hit a nerve, that's all.

Vedderlution_Baby

Alex_Coe wrote:

They have art class... and tech and PE and most schools have recess...

EDIT: Regarding the above, if you do well on the standardized test then it;s likely you learned something.

Yea, you learned how to take tests. By the way, for thirty minutes of my art class, each day (each class was an hour long) we took FCAT drills. And I remember a few gym classes which were canceled to attend school meetings about the FCAT. Man, I wish highschool had recess. That woulda been sweet.

catefrances

yes schools can kill creativity. but they also provide the ammunition to totally turn that on its head outside the structure of the institution and school hours.
you just have to take it and use it to your advantage. and dont let the bastards get you down.

NMyTree

Didn't we have a big dicussion on this subject, about two years ago; here on the MT?

Which featured a discussion regarding Ritalin being prescribed to kids, teenagers and adults. Creative brains and those who are not creative people....... ADD and so forth.


I'm positive we did.

We often have this discussion between several of my friends and I. I know a lot of people who are in either one creative art or another; or they are creative after their nine-to-fiver is done.

Well anyway, I'm a firm believer in nuturing creativity and not stripping away or stifling creativity. A lot of what this guy said in the video, regarding the educational system, the intentions and effects of their curriculum designed for 'Standardized" testing; is something myself and many other people I know have talked about a lot. I find today's educational system disturbing, narrow, stringent and very infelxible.

I've been giving some very serious thought to home schooling my sons, for the last two years. I really am not at all interested in handing my children over to their curriculum.

ForestBrain

I'm pro-homeschooling.

Vedderlution_Baby

ForestBrain wrote:

I'm pro-homeschooling.

Im pro-the educational system getting it's shit straight

Abookamongstthemany

NMyTree wrote:

Didn't we have a big dicussion on this subject, about two years ago; here on the MT?

Which featured a discussion regarding Ritalin being prescribed to kids, teenagers and adults. Creative brains and those who are not creative people....... ADD and so forth.


I'm positive we did.

We often have this discussion between several of my friends and I. I know a lot of people who are in either one creative art or another; or they are creative after their nine-to-fiver is done.

Well anyway, I'm a firm believer in nuturing creativity and not stripping away or stifling creativity. A lot of what this guy said in the video, regarding the educational system, the intentions and effects of their curriculum designed for 'Standardized" testing; is something myself and many other people I know have talked about a lot. I find today's educational system disturbing, narrow, stringent and very infelxible.

I've been giving some very serious thought to home schooling my sons, for the last two years. I really am not at all interested in handing my children over to their curriculum.

well said!

Cosmo

Alex_Coe wrote:

EDIT: Regarding the above, if you do well on the standardized test then it;s likely you learned something.

...
Unfortunately... it's possible that all you've learned was how to pass the test.

Abookamongstthemany

Cosmo wrote:

...
Unfortunately... it's possible that all you've learned was how to pass the test.

Glancing at the average intellengence in this country...it's a high possiblity.

Screw the dancers, writers, musicians, poets and artists...we have test takers!

Cosmo

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

Glancing at the average intellengence in this country...it's a high possiblity.

Screw the dancers, writers, musicians, poets and artists...we have test takers!

...
Seriously... because there are monetary rewards attached to higher test scores for school districts... I can see school administrators instructing their teachers to teach the kids how to get higher overall scores. This includes telling the 'dumber' kids to stay home on test day.
The schools that get the higher scores are rewarded... when, if you think about it... the ones that need the help are the schools with the lower scores. That's if the testing was administered fairly and school administrators and teachers were honest.

Vedderlution_Baby

Cosmo wrote:

...
Seriously... because there are monetary rewards attached to higher test scores for school districts... I can see school administrators instructing their teachers to teach the kids how to get higher overall scores. This includes telling the 'dumber' kids to stay home on test day.
The schools that get the higher scores are rewarded... when, if you think about it... the ones that need the help are the schools with the lower scores. That's if the testing was administered fairly and school administrators and teachers were honest.

actually, the more kids that take the score, the better the school looks. they counter this by constantly and relentlessly drilling us on how to take the FCAT, what it'll look like, eliminating choices, making educated guess...etc.

frgntoad

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

This was really an inspiring presentation!

http://opposingdigits.com/vlog/?p=1843

"A must-see for every parent and teacher. Education guru Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. Sir Ken Robinson is author of “Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative,” and a leading expert on innovation in education and business."

I feel that schools do hurt a child's creative side. Little Johnny is told to color the dog brown or black in first grade because that is what a dog is to look like. If Little Johnny colors the dog purple or blue, he is made to feel taht he has made a mistake, and has to correct it. What if Little Johnny just wanted a purple dog that day? What was the harm in letting him be creative? There is a time and place for everything, even school.

NMyTree

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

Glancing at the average intellengence in this country...it's a high possiblity.

Screw the dancers, writers, musicians, poets and artists...we have test takers!

Which manifests itself in the behavior or lack of action by a lot of Americans.

I know you have, but this is a rhetorical question. Have you noticed fewer and fewer people in this country seem incapable of thinking for themselves or thinking outside the box?

Fewer and fewer people seem to need someone to tell them what to do or how to react, in just about every situation?

It'a all such a narrow road which spills into one culdesac of a corporate-approved (or dictated) mindest.

Abookamongstthemany

frgntoad wrote:

I feel that schools do hurt a child's creative side. Little Johnny is told to color the dog brown or black in first grade because that is what a dog is to look like. If Little Johnny colors the dog purple or blue, he is made to feel taht he has made a mistake, and has to correct it. What if Little Johnny just wanted a purple dog that day? What was the harm in letting him be creative? There is a time and place for everything, even school.

'when i was four years old
they tried to test my i.q.
they showed me a picture
of 3 oranges and a pear
they said,
which one is different?
it does not belong
they taught me different is wrong'

Cosmo

Vedderlution_Baby! wrote:

actually, the more kids that take the score, the better the school looks. they counter this by constantly and relentlessly drilling us on how to take the FCAT, what it'll look like, eliminating choices, making educated guess...etc.

...
It sounds like those 'Contractor's Licenses Schools' that advertise on the radio. They don't teach you how to become a (Construction) Contractor... they teach you how to get a passing grade on the State's Licensing Exam. I don't know... but, I want a contractor that knows how to run electrical wires through my house, than one that knows how to pass the licensing exam.

Cosmo

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

'when i was four years old
they tried to test my i.q.
they showed me a picture
of 3 oranges and a pear
they said,
which one is different?
it does not belong
they taught me different is wrong'

...
It's the one that makes the picture interesting.

NMyTree

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

'when i was four years old
they tried to test my i.q.
they showed me a picture
of 3 oranges and a pear
they said,
which one is different?
it does not belong
they taught me different is wrong'

Didn't take, did it.:D

Because you dared to think for yourself and develope your own thought process, perceptions and opinions.

My grandmother always thought me to question everything and everyone. Except for her:D;)