Does School Kill Creativity?

I have never met a stupid child.

It sounds like a silly thing to say, but it's true. Children are by their very nature inquisitive, perceptive, creative, imaginative and many other words that seem to end in '-ive'.

However, by the time they reach their teens many of them have lost these abilities that seemed so natural to them just a few years before. What happened to them between these years?

Schooling.

For me, school was not a place to learn, it was a place to learn how to pass exams. There is a distinct difference between the two - critical thinking. Asking questions was replaced by being given answers. I stopped thinking for myself and started to learn and re-learn what was written in exercise books so that, at some point in the distant future, I could regurgitate them onto an exam paper.

A few months later they were most probably forgotten.

In the below video Sir Ken Robinson tells a story of a little 6 year old girl who was sat at the back of a drawing lesson. The teacher said that this little girl hardly ever paid attention but during this particular lesson she did. The teacher asked the little girl 'What are you drawing?' The little girl said 'I'm drawing a picture of God.' The teacher said 'But nobody knows what God looks like.' The little girl replied 'Well they will in a minute.'

Einstein once said "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world", and I would have to agree. Somewhere along the way this imagination is being drained from us and replaced by a uniformed, dogmatic style of education that serves it's purpose, but does it serve yours?

I urge you to watch the below video. You wont be disappointed.

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

[edit on 12/7/10 by LiveForever8]

Well i found out in 1992 doing my alevels, they where using electronic mind control in schools, in london.

So who is doing this and why, and what are they doing with this stuff?

They destroyed my alevels on purpose. SO school certainly destroyed my creativity on purpose.

My advice never ever bring someone into this world ever.

reply to post by andy1033


I'm genuinely sick of your constant copy and paste thread replies. I have alerted the MODS and hopefully they remove your post.

Thanks.

reply to post by LiveForever8


why cant he reply? if you dont like it why berate him, cant you just have the "imagination" to ignore it.

Yes the way schools are set up nowadays kills both genius and creativity...

Thank G-D I taught myself back then! I wouldn't have all the knowledge I do today if I went through regular schooling and killed all my braincells...

I think that school destroys a lot of things and, in my oppinion, makes children dumber.
At least in my time at school and that's not that long ago, every day was basically the same: Sit 5-6 hours (School in germany is mostly from 8am to 1 or 1:45pm) around and write down everything the teacher writes down on the chalkboard. You have to write exactly the same, you weren't allowed to be creative and write it down in your own words. I don't see how you learn much. It's better to read it, memorize it and write it down in own words.

And it's true, most of the time you learned only the things you expected to be asked in the next exam. Not much learning there either and we and i bet most other school children directly ask the teachers what to expect in the next exam. We did it a lot and some teacher blatantly told us exactly what to "learn"

But the biggest problem in my oppinion are the teachers. Most of them don't really like their job after so many years doing it. We had a lot of grumpy old teachers who basically hadn't much interest. That's really bad.
The one i hated the most was my german teacher. We always to write essays and stuff and while i liked it, she always told me i can't write and i'd never make it as a writer. Basically because she hated the topic. For example we once had to write a movie critic. I choosed one of my favourite movies, Terminator. I got a 4 (D in the other grading system) because she didn't like action movies but said "you can't write".
Today i write movie, game and music critics not only for my website but also a couple of others and i get a lot praise for them. I started writing them, because my friends thought i should give it a try, where i said "I don't know, i can't write, that's what my teacher always sad"
She bascially nearly would've destroyed my dream of writing about the things i like

And that's something i see with a lot of children, in a lot of schools: Teacher who destroy dreams of children and basically tell them they suck, because they think so. I never understand the school system, especially when it comes to eassays or summarys and teachers act like critics.

The same with the newest fad: school uniforms. For decades school kids were allowed to wear what they wanted, it's part of their lifestyle, how they are. But now suddenly a lot of school require uniforms.

I think a good school system is the Waldorf Education, way better than the normal system (at least the one we have here in germany)

Schools are set up by the Free Masons/Illuminati. They're symbol is on the side of schools everywhere.

So yup you are taught to think inside the box.

Our schools are run by progressives. They push a agenda and try to sway using the cruelest thing possible our children. It is know wonder kids are getting less and less from a education.


Just like the green movement. It is like a religion and that is on purpose. They get the kids young and sway their minds over the years.



Hitler used this perfectly with the Hitler youth. They have learned from the failures in the past and are much more discreet about it now. But it is the same agenda just wrapped with a pretty bow.

Yep school is for dumbing down. If a child who can learn a language from scratch and all the social skills that go with was taught properly as opposed to the rubbish repeat after me dogma in schools, who knows what a different world we would live in.

When I was in school, If someone asked a question outside the box, the reply was usually something like "are you trying to be smart?". Well I thought that's why you are sent to school - to become smart.

This reminds me of the Harry Chapin song about the kid drawing the pictures in school.
Link to Lyrics of song

peace

Yes, school does kill creativity and makes most kids conformists to the maintream.

Without a doubt schools do just that. However there are the rare mentors that are still out there that encourage it. But like anything in life, you can only get out of it what you put into it.

Yes, there are the things that have to be done as part of standardization, but once that is over there is freedom to be had. In an elective history class, we played Axis and Allies for two weeks as part of the class.

reply to post by LiveForever8


Does School Kill Creativity?

Yes, I think it does. And dreams. The school system itself is preparation for an adult future that fits in the mold. Obey, listen and do not answer, practice with tight schedules, exams on tight deadlines, conformity with the norm of rules and regulations.

And honestly, some teachers are just terrible. Some of them will discourage creativity and dreams. I know, it happened to me. Wanting to be a veterinarian, one teacher gave me a "friendly and honest" talk about this field being so hard to get into ( even if I had great grades ), long working hours to make a reasonable pay, in brief, I changed my mind and went in computer engineering instead. Another one of my friends was laughed at for wanting to become an astrophysicist. It's quite sick.

I have two sons in college now and they still don't have a clue what they want to do. In orientation nowadays, they try and switch them on trends...wether they like the trend or not. Very little encouragement on what they like. So it hasn't changed. Creativity and dreams aren't a value.

Sad.

reply to post by LiveForever8


That was probably the best thing i have watched on the net for a long time. Thank you for posting that LiveForever8, much appreciated. Starred and flagged.

It struck a chord with me not just because of my own schooling, but because of my two daughters.

My girls will probably never be the greatest at maths, they have always struggled despite help at school and plenty at home. They are ok with the basics but otherwise they struggle.

As a result they often say they are rubbish at everything.

Everything? Just because of one subject?

They love the other subjects, but especialy art and sports. However these aren't "proper subjects" as they often remind me. My girls are so creative, i have turned half of thier bedroom into an art and craft space for them...and they thrive in it!

My youngest has a natural knack for it, will dissapear for a couple of hours and come back with something i would never have thought of in a million years. Yet she thinks she is no good at school.

My eldest thinks she is not creative, but it just takes a little time and coaxing out of her. With some quality time dedicated to her and her project, the result will be one 12 year old who has just doubled her confidence and willingness to do more.

When she comes home with a poor maths result, you may have well stamped a huge "F" on her head in her eyes.

Kids are amazing, and there is absoloutely no reason why they can't stay like it for longer than just a few years.

Thanks again for this thread LF8, i know i've always tried hard as a dad to encourage my kids to be creative, but i think after watching this, i will do it more consciously.

Cheers.

CX.

Edited for spelling....but i am creative.


[edit on 12/7/10 by CX]

reply to post by SonoftheSun


Ah, dreams. How did I forget to mention those silly things.

I say 'silly' because that's exactly how my career advisor described them while I was at school. If he had his way the whole of my school year would be faceless drones, sat behind a desk doing a job they hate. I think he was still bitter that he himself had turned out to be a faceless drone, sat behind a desk doing a job he hated.

But yes, along with creativity, dreams are most certainly stifled in favour of more 'realistic' goals. What kind of lesson is that to teach children?

my kids will not go to a public school unless there is no other option, and even then i would not be happy about it and fight it.

there is no question in my mind that public schools hurt/ damage most kids in some way or another, be it creativity, self confidence, or the ability to learn, not just memorize for state standards tests.

[edit on 12-7-2010 by toolstarr]

i have to say yes too.

one of my earliest memory's from school, is when i must of been about 7.

the teacher asked the class to make a house each out of paper, i made mine with round windows, when the teacher came and had a look, she told i couldn't have a house with round windows, they had to be square, ever since then i questioned what i was being taught at school. well, in fact i questioned everything.

much love and peace

Wow lets not joke here.

This is the reason i was a outcast.

Thinking out side the box, 2% of the public does it, the other 98% follow the same schedual every single day, and make fun of you for being different even though i remember the first week in grade one, we went for a trip the the library to learn what thinking outside of the box ment, and why everyone should do it.

do we though?

do they really teach us to think outside of the box? no,..... they teach you to follow the lines to create the box, only once do they let you know there is something outside of the box, and then they trap you in it

Absolutely!
As a former elementary art teacher and a victim of public education, I know for a fact they do their level best to stop creativity in it's tracks.
Look at how they have cut art funding for schools. Music programs no longer teach how to play instruments if they even have them at all.
It's all about passing the SOLs here in America. Instituting SOLs was the dumbest thing they have ever done.
All they want from pupils now is to sit quietly all day and regurgitate what was thrown at them. Don't analyze it, don't think about it.
Try as they might they cannot kill creativity in children but all kids are sadly losing a great deal of learning opportunities due to their programming.
I thought it was bad when I was a kid 40 years ago but it has gotten far, far worse.
Agitate with your local school boards for more art, music, theatre and literature. Sure, we all need to know how to do math but the arts are what gives life depth and meaning.
If our kids rebel against this boring curriculum don't wonder why they have given up on school.

reply to post by CX


It's such a great video, one of the best I have seen in a long time too.

I don't have kids, I'm still one myself really, but I know for sure that I will not be overly emphasising the importance of any specific subject in favour of another to my children.

Mathematics.
English.
Science.

Yes they are important, but they should never be singled out as being more important than any other subject.

I think enough pressure is put on kids shoulders without them being made to feel stupid just because they don't know what E=mc² means.

Thanks CX, I'm glad you got something out of it

This thread just reminded me of one of favourite ads, the Apple one.

It's my fave because it reminds me of two of the closest people to me, who whilst both "intriguingly strange" in thier ways, i love them to bits and you just cannot ignore them.



CX.