Does the current educational system kill creativity? - Classroom 2.02024-03-28T09:01:28Zhttps://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/649749:Topic:96533?commentId=649749%3AComment%3A96964&feed=yes&xn_auth=noSandy,
I think that Sir Ken b…tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-02-24:649749:Comment:2970112009-02-24T20:01:59.919ZErik Johnsonhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/ErikJohnson
Sandy,<br />
I think that Sir Ken believes that the tools will allow students to learn in new and fantastic ways that non-digital tools do not allow. Much like this forum allows us to learn from educators all over the country/world in ways that are unavailable in a non-di, technology tools make information accessible in ways that were not accessible to prior generations and at incredibly convenient speeds. I think that tools can inspire students to want to learn more and I don't think that you have…
Sandy,<br />
I think that Sir Ken believes that the tools will allow students to learn in new and fantastic ways that non-digital tools do not allow. Much like this forum allows us to learn from educators all over the country/world in ways that are unavailable in a non-di, technology tools make information accessible in ways that were not accessible to prior generations and at incredibly convenient speeds. I think that tools can inspire students to want to learn more and I don't think that you have to give up anything by moderate interaction online. When was the last time you settled for not knowing the answer to a question? I don't settle, I just go find the answer online with some tool that both inspires me to learn more, and builds my confidence that I can learn. It's because of this that our students and kids are better educated now a days if they are better taught to most effectively use the tools that are available. Ken would say that kids should and will go towards the tools that suit their creative strengths, and I agree. I think this is a good thing to feed the interests of anyone to promote further learning and the desire to learn. How do you value your interest in <i>this</i> virtual world if it isn't appropriate for kids to learn? Sir Ken raises some very good…tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-02-24:649749:Comment:2969452009-02-24T18:25:25.870ZSandyhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/Sandy52
Sir Ken raises some very good points. I don't believe, however, that new "technologies" will alleviate the problems he poses. "Technologies" are simply tools. Tools can neither educate nor can they inspire. They can, if used well, facilitate. As an educator and as a scientist, I find that creativity, problem-solving, and true innovation result from experience "playing" in the natural world (not the virtual world). It is a sad commentary on our society that we are increasingly encouraging…
Sir Ken raises some very good points. I don't believe, however, that new "technologies" will alleviate the problems he poses. "Technologies" are simply tools. Tools can neither educate nor can they inspire. They can, if used well, facilitate. As an educator and as a scientist, I find that creativity, problem-solving, and true innovation result from experience "playing" in the natural world (not the virtual world). It is a sad commentary on our society that we are increasingly encouraging children to learn from a "simulated" world - instead of having them step outside and experience the real world. Esther,
Excellent video. I u…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-01-30:649749:Comment:1039392008-01-30T02:36:03.627ZJ Harringtonhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/JHarrington
Esther,<br />
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Excellent video. I use TED all the time and never saw this one. I appreciate your point it out! His ideas of intelligence inspire me to become more.<br />
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The theme of public education producing "university ready people" in a future culture that doesn't rely on education degrees for success.... is out of the box - thank goodness.<br />
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This is definitely a wind of fresh air that I need after a frustrating day in my high school classroom.<br />
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Thanks again, jack…
Esther,<br />
<br />
Excellent video. I use TED all the time and never saw this one. I appreciate your point it out! His ideas of intelligence inspire me to become more.<br />
<br />
The theme of public education producing "university ready people" in a future culture that doesn't rely on education degrees for success.... is out of the box - thank goodness.<br />
<br />
This is definitely a wind of fresh air that I need after a frustrating day in my high school classroom.<br />
<br />
Thanks again, jack<br />
<a href="http://www.educationreporting.com/">http://www.educationreporting.com/</a> Erik,
Thanks for the good wo…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-01-25:649749:Comment:1017962008-01-25T23:33:23.059ZAnne Pembertonhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/AnnePemberton
Erik,<br />
<br />
Thanks for the good words! Anything you can do to put a torch under Verizon would be helpful!<br />
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I agree that teachers who participate here are likely to be very creative teachers, but, from my experience, I will suggest that there are a lot of creative teachers who are not yet online either because of limited resources in their school or in their community. I am thinking of the many creative teachers I met during my teaching career, as well as those who I am in touch with in my…
Erik,<br />
<br />
Thanks for the good words! Anything you can do to put a torch under Verizon would be helpful!<br />
<br />
I agree that teachers who participate here are likely to be very creative teachers, but, from my experience, I will suggest that there are a lot of creative teachers who are not yet online either because of limited resources in their school or in their community. I am thinking of the many creative teachers I met during my teaching career, as well as those who I am in touch with in my retirement.<br />
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My career was impacted by administrators who stiffled the creativity of teachers. They said nice words to creative teachers, then overlooked those teacherss in providing resources and opportunities. Administrators who insist on a "quiet school" and object to students making merry noises while they are learning do more to stifle creativity than teachers do.<br />
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Perhaps what would help would be to designate awards (with cash attached) to reward and encourage creativity in teachers. Perhaps that could start with the "choir" in here!<br />
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Anne Anne,
Thank you for your resp…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-01-25:649749:Comment:1017742008-01-25T21:26:55.946ZErik Johnsonhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/ErikJohnson
Anne,<br />
Thank you for your response. We will have to rush you out a faster connection, but you certainly don't need anyone helping you to understand the creative needs of kids. No, it isn't an impossibility, but I think that most of the choir here at Classroom 2.0 would be the exception.
Anne,<br />
Thank you for your response. We will have to rush you out a faster connection, but you certainly don't need anyone helping you to understand the creative needs of kids. No, it isn't an impossibility, but I think that most of the choir here at Classroom 2.0 would be the exception. I believe they do kill creati…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-01-25:649749:Comment:1017712008-01-25T21:26:14.150ZRich Whitehttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/GBLabs
I believe they do kill creativity - and that premise is one that leads us with Greenbush Labs to develop the solutions we do (with the Edusim project for example).. we want our solutions to not only enable teaching, but enable creativity and the human desire to create and contribute to their environment.
I believe they do kill creativity - and that premise is one that leads us with Greenbush Labs to develop the solutions we do (with the Edusim project for example).. we want our solutions to not only enable teaching, but enable creativity and the human desire to create and contribute to their environment. Erik,
Alas and alack, I have…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-01-25:649749:Comment:1017512008-01-25T20:03:19.159ZAnne Pembertonhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/AnnePemberton
Erik,<br />
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Alas and alack, I have no choice of a connection. I liife out in the boonies and the phone company yawns and says ten years until they get high speed lines out here - same as they said ten years ago.<br />
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Actually, while I don't do any painting on paper, I do a lot of graphic work on the computer to illustrate the stories I write for children. I have not yet found anyone willing to do the art for me since it is a volunteer situation and there is no money in it. I do have a young artist…
Erik,<br />
<br />
Alas and alack, I have no choice of a connection. I liife out in the boonies and the phone company yawns and says ten years until they get high speed lines out here - same as they said ten years ago.<br />
<br />
Actually, while I don't do any painting on paper, I do a lot of graphic work on the computer to illustrate the stories I write for children. I have not yet found anyone willing to do the art for me since it is a volunteer situation and there is no money in it. I do have a young artist fiiend (former student) who is going to decorate an abacus with fake jewels so we can photograph it and use it in the story "The Beautiful Jeweled Abacus" which I wrote two months ago and have been waiting to illustrate it. I need someone with young and not-shakey hands to handle the jewels on the beads and the frames.<br />
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I agree that children should have more time to draw, paint, and create in their schoolday. When I taught a fourth grade summer school late in my career, I had the kids (who were learning Virginia history and geograph) create their own maps from the standard highway maps. The first day of the mapwork, I was out sick, and many of them did a sloppy job of outlining the state. The next day, when they were to add the mountains, some realized they hadn't done their best, and asked for more paper to start over. Each day of the week they added more to their maps, and it was an excellent way for them to remember the regions and locations in the state.<br />
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During the years when I was a computer teacher in a primary (K-2) school, I had the kids using paint to create pictures since we didn't have any decent chioldren's software. I took photos of the kids and had them edit the pictures in a free software similar to photoshop, and they had fun making various pictures out of their own photos.<br />
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Back when I was a high school special ed teacher, I used a reading/vocabulary program in which the kids had to illustrate the words they were learning. It required a decent degree of creativity, especially when they had to illustrate generic and sight words that don't lend themselves well to being illustrated.<br />
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I did a lot of other creative stuff. I am aware that the heavy hand of test-prep has limited the ability of the teacher to use creative projects istead of droning facts, but, I suspect if I was still in the classroom that creative activities would come to mind.<br />
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My sister, who was teaching American History a few years ago, worked with me on a project for her kids. She usually had them do a Black History project - look up someone and write up a report. She added to the assignment that the students had to look at my Personalized History Stories, and thn create a story about a single event in the life of the person they studied. Four of the completed stories were good enough to be added to my website <a href="http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/books/MtCarmel.html">http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/books/MtCarmel.html</a> ... Writing the stories required the students to get more deeply into the lives of the people they were studying and the times they lived in.<br />
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I could talk more about other things I did over my career, but these are enough of a start to provide some ideas. I can see where it is more challenging to include creativity in todays test-oriented classroom, but it is only more of a challenge - it is not an impossibility.<br />
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Anne I think we are all correct in…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-01-25:649749:Comment:1016882008-01-25T16:48:03.748ZErik Johnsonhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/ErikJohnson
I think we are all correct in that better instruction means more options and more freedom and collaboration. From the Ken R. video, however, I think what can be very urgently understood, is that "education" in general is lacking those out of the box, collaborative, demonstrations of understanding. Time and high stakes accountability has pushed teaching to an unrealistic time constraint. Teaching, in most classes that I have seen, is limited to a small number of creative opportunities for…
I think we are all correct in that better instruction means more options and more freedom and collaboration. From the Ken R. video, however, I think what can be very urgently understood, is that "education" in general is lacking those out of the box, collaborative, demonstrations of understanding. Time and high stakes accountability has pushed teaching to an unrealistic time constraint. Teaching, in most classes that I have seen, is limited to a small number of creative opportunities for students. Classes get so very excited for their "______ Day" and they work all year for a few of these flexible activities. Anne, do get a better connection an follow Ken R out through his video. One of Mr. Robinson's points is that from a very young age, we teach kids out of their creativity. Think about it. Visual expression (drawing, painting, collage) were our favorite hobbies as young children. When was the last time you created a painting of anything? Likely not in the last 98% of your life. For me, however, having a strong artistic talent to draw very accurately anything I can see, have always been praised for my abilities, while everyone around me was not. It was obvious very early that I was creative and expected to integrate that into my work while my peers were not. If my peers were praised for different creative strengths and offered opportunities throughout their schooling to find others, they likely would retain a better appreciation for their own capabilities.<br />
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My last thought speaks to the creative endeavors in our world. Websites, creative 2.0 projects are all incredible, but likely not work from a spectacular percentage of the people of this country/world. I really believe that without the inquiry, the flexibility, and creative promotion in early education to high school, we do indeed create little bubble-in machines who think creativity is an exercise for spare time and not any beneficial element that might help them later on. Let me tell you, the most common remark from someone who hears that I draw and paint is, "oh, I wish I could draw. I can't even draw a stick figure!" How sad. If they only gave enough attention to our art history to realize that a staggering number of great artists of this world "coudn't draw either." And so while there are fantastic creative examples in our world, there can and should be even more. Anne,
You say, "You are so ri…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-01-14:649749:Comment:973702008-01-14T17:47:26.345ZSylvia Martinezhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/smartinez
Anne,<br />
You say, "You are so right. It those who develop the technology applications are the same ones who developed the worksheets, there will be absolutely no improvement."<br />
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You are right, but they are developed because schools ask for them, purchase them and use them. These companies just reflect an insatiable desire of schools to buy things that make it "easier" for teachers to follow a set curriculum. Can some teachers eke some creativity out of these materials? Perhaps.<br />
<br />
If a teacher…
Anne,<br />
You say, "You are so right. It those who develop the technology applications are the same ones who developed the worksheets, there will be absolutely no improvement."<br />
<br />
You are right, but they are developed because schools ask for them, purchase them and use them. These companies just reflect an insatiable desire of schools to buy things that make it "easier" for teachers to follow a set curriculum. Can some teachers eke some creativity out of these materials? Perhaps.<br />
<br />
If a teacher doesn't know how to create learning experiences that are creative, technology will have absolutely no impact. It's teacher quality, experience, and a supportive culture that allow creativity, not technology. Ah, that's a great video, an…tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-01-14:649749:Comment:972272008-01-14T11:32:12.495Zdsgranhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/dsgran
Ah, that's a great video, an absolute must see. I'll just follow up by suggesting a thought provoking page- Marvin Bartel's<br />
<a href="http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/creativitykillers.html">Top Ten Classroom Creativity Killers</a>. While I believe that this is directed towards art teachers, in many ways its relevant to any classroom. Have a look!
Ah, that's a great video, an absolute must see. I'll just follow up by suggesting a thought provoking page- Marvin Bartel's<br />
<a href="http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/creativitykillers.html">Top Ten Classroom Creativity Killers</a>. While I believe that this is directed towards art teachers, in many ways its relevant to any classroom. Have a look!