Do schools kill creativity?
“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up
Pablo Picasso
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The most popular TED Talk ever was presented by Sir Kenneth Robinson, an international advisor on education, in 2006. ‘Do Schools Kill Creativity?’ has been viewed well over 68 million times. It is a brilliant, entertaining and moving case for creating an education system that nurtures, rather than undermines, creativity. In the talk, Sir Kenneth challenges the way we're educating our children.
He champions a radical rethink of our school systems in order to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence. He argues that “we don’t grow into creativity; we grow out of it. Or rather, we get educated out of it.” Yet, he says, “creativity is as important as literacy and we should afford it the same status.”
He also points out that if you look at any education system in the world, they all have the same hierarchy of subjects. Starting at the top we have mathematics, science and languages. Then below these are humanities and at the bottom are the arts. But there is also an hierarchy in the arts. In the main, visual arts and music are more valued than drama and dance.
What can we do about this, as it has affected my own education journey, probably yours, and, I’d wager, the majority of people who’ve been fortunate enough to have been given an education?
Don’t blame the teachers
Teachers are arguably the most important members of our society. They give children a sense of purpose, set them up for success as citizens of the world, and inspire in them the drive to succeed in life. The students of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and teachers are central to preparing them for their future.
Teachers can fulfil many roles. They can provide a support system, for example if home life is complicated. They serve as role models, inspiring students to dream. Teachers can shape opinions and help young people form ideas about society, life and personal goals. They can also expand students’ limits and catalyse their creativity.
So, no, we must never blame the teachers.
As Sir Kenneth so eloquently summarised, the problems lie with the educational system itself, which — along with society in general — values mathematics, science, language, history and economics far more than creative endeavours.
Here’s a thought: if we championed the teaching of creativity as much as traditional academic subjects, we could meld imagination, self-expression and divergent thinking with knowledge, logic and the application of scientific and economic principles, leading to innovative new solutions to longstanding problems.
However, the sad reality is that no government would be willing to radically change their education system any time soon. So, what can be done?
Accept you weren’t taught how to be creative
You need to understand how your own education probably failed to teach you how to be creative, accept that fact and try and think slightly differently about it all. Here are three fundamental things you picked up in school that you may need to change if you want to become more creative:
1. There might not be an answer
A cornerstone of modern education is the exam. The way exams are constructed, you’re asked a series of questions designed to demonstrate that you have mastered the material the examiner presented. In school, you spend most of your time repeating back answers to questions that the examiner already knows. It is also true that many modern exams require the mastering of technique and are very formulaic.
In addition, most tests are designed so that there is one best answer that the examiner is looking for in order for you to get full credit. Not only that, most exams are long and have to be completed in a short period of time. That means you are rewarded for finding the best answer, giving it, and then moving promptly on to the next question.
Creativity doesn't work like that at all.
First, creativity requires answering questions that nobody knows the answer to yet. So, you need to get out of the mindset of figuring out what someone else wants to hear and get into a mode of finding ways to solve a problem.
Second, there are likely to be many different potential solutions to problems that require innovation. To find them, you need to be willing to generate and consider various alternatives, rather than finding one quickly and moving on.
2. See mistakes as good things
Success in school is measured by grades. The way you get good grades is to make as few mistakes as possible. So, without realizing it, you have probably internalized a belief that mistakes are bad and that they are to be avoided at all costs.
That strategy makes sense when you are working in an area where the solutions are known, and are just trying to execute those solutions flawlessly. Again, creativity does not work like this. If you’re trying to be innovative, there will always be times when conventional ideas and known solutions don’t work.
Some people shy away from situations that require creativity because they fear making a mistake. You need to overcome that tendency if you want to be more creative. You need to recognize that creativity and innovation involve lots of mistake making. Many of your initial ideas will be flawed. And, even if you try hard, an innovative approach may fail. Successful innovators learn from their mistakes. You must embrace your errors and learn from them rather than avoiding them.
3. Be patient
The best academic students are often the most conscientious ones. They plan, with a strict timetable, to get their work done on schedule, sequentially ticking off their tasks in a linear way.
Creativity does not have the same linear flow as classwork. In creative pursuits, there may be long periods of time in which you are reading, contemplating, sketching out ideas and test-driving possible solutions. All the while, you may feel like you aren’t making any clear progress towards your goal. Only when you hit on a really great idea do you suddenly have the sense that a solution may be in sight.
To be successful in creative endeavours, you have to be willing to tolerate periods in which it feels like you are not making any progress. That can be discouraging, and it’s tempting to go back and focus on tasks you can tick off your to-do list. Resist that urge. Keep working, even when it feels like you are moving in circles.
Hopefully, these three simple ideas — there might not be an answer; see mistakes as good things; be patient — can help you throw off the shackles of your education and unlock your creativity.
This extract is taken from Neil Francis’s new book, ‘’The Creative Thinking Book – how to ignite and boost your creativity’’, which will be published on 27th October. It can be pre-ordered from this website, https://www.neil-francis.com/shop-1/p/the-creative-thinking-book any other good book shops or Amazon.
www.neil-francis.com