Creativity in Education (249 Words)

Sir Ken Robinson is a forerunner in advocating creativity within the UK education system. He argues in his inspirational 2006 TED lecture that the ties of curriculum oppress creativity and that schools should encourage imaginative learning.

 "Creativity is the process of original ideas that have value." 



Robinson (2006) argues that there is an abundance of human creativity within societies, however the education system of hierarchy suppress individual creativity with an "academic production line" to teach subjects that will allow for future employment.  Robinson (2006) explains that children have huge capacity to learn through creativity.  Children are not afraid to take risks, however, the education system enforces a need to get things right and this in turn produces children to be afraid to take risks, and not use their own creative talents.

More recently,Professor Dai Smith in, Arts in Education in the Schools of Wales, has championed the importance of a creative curriculum by emphasizing the need for creativity throughout all subjects to develop individuals for modern life.

A creative school ethos where every child is valued, encouraged, celebrated and allowed to take risks should be central. Creativity captures the imagination of the learner with positive consequence of internalising, relevant knowledge that the child can build on and deepen through its process.  It is also worth reflecting upon the scope for creative thinking throughout the curriculum.  Creativity does not need to remain within the boundaries of art.  Creative thinking is a process of thought that changes approaches to learning whether academic or vocational.