Over the past decade a hot topic in education has been the rise of standardized testing as the number one measure of student achievement. When teachers know their students are going to be measured by a test, it is only natural to want to prepare them for this assessment. The time that is now spent "teaching to the test" is taken away from other activities. Since test preparation is usually a more logical endeavor focused on academics, it is safe to say that the edification of creative thought has decreased.
Unfortunately, this lack of creativity is beginning to show in the workforce. According to Partnership for 21st Century Skills' survey on readiness for the workplace, "three-fourths of the survey participants ranked “creativity/innovation” as among the top five applied skills projected to increase in importance for future graduates." If this is the case, then why are we continuing to let creativity get lost in the mix of education?
I see the effects of lessened creative applications in school everyday. Students who are not given specific directions on what and how to complete projects spend half of their time being lost. When I tell my students I want them to "get creative," I get a slew of basic Powerpoint presentations (which lost their luster long ago). And don't get me started on the writing...
So, as much as I try to incorporate some creative opportunities in my class, I know that I can only do so much. Plus, I only see my students for an 1 1/2 each day. This means that the responsibility to build creative skills is placed upon the individual. My advice - do something "creative" every day. Play an instrument, draw a picture, take up a hobby.
I want to hear all about your creative outlets...and maybe I will see the result of some of them in class...
13 comments:
For starters, I love that in your class we are able to do projects that arent just a few pictures with captions on a poster board.
My class fourth hour is pottery, so everyday I get to mess around with clay making anything my little heart desires. As well as letting my creative juices flow, this class relieves any stress that I have built up.
I think getting away from the standardized test as it is now needs to happen. I think school needs to be geared a little more the creativity like you said then just "study a, b and c for the test" There should be a little more real world application. The current class project for example. No guidelines, no rubric and no limits. Please show me a job that breaks down everything you do and gives you specific guidelines of how to do it. Creativity should be pushed a lot more in all grade levels to help promote and push students to thinking on their own more.
I agree that standardized testing interrupts my creative flow. Do they make those tests so boring and random on purpose? Aside from the clammy school system… I also agree that the amount of potential creativity in many students is far above the level of creativity they show in class activities. I think from the beginning in a way students learn to manipulate the school system and do just enough to get by, get a grade, and move on. I think the only explanation for this is the lack of motivation to go above and beyond or shier laziness. I can honestly say that sometimes I find myself doing just enough to get by, and I’m not lazy.=D
There's plenty of different outlets, but for creativity as you know it's definitely writing. Lately there hasn't been a lot time for it or much inspiration since I usually do my best when in pain. That's mostly how it is for people. I'm glad I have it, everyone needs it. I think creativity is a big thing we need, but also we need to learn better analyzation skills, so much goes unrecognized.
It seems every class we take now, is "teaching for the test" before it was FCATS, now its SATS and ACTS. It helps for the tests, but does it really help with our education? I really like how you approach teaching,you make it fun and enjoyable by using technology and "going green." I'll take your advice, I love creativity.
I have guitar class and I never thought that I would play the guitar. I am actually good at it. I can play about ten or so songs. My favorite to plat is the handlebars. The into is hard but I am one of the few that got the song down pat.
Calling out lack of creativity when you're writing about one of the most exhausted and cliched topic a teacher could ever pick? That takes guts. I guess it works out though, considering you're a teacher.
In any case, we're moving on to a new world of wonderful laziness. Everything is done and dictated to us. Math? Leave it to computers. Grass? Child labor (or Illegal Immigrant labor). Flushing? Lasers. Maybe this whole lack of creativity in standardized tests are simply training us to live in a world where everything is dictated to you and done by the book.
Have you heard the saying Necessity is the mother of invention? That's complete BS. When was it ever necessary for lasers to flush toilets for me or calculators to do even the simple math problems, or Guatemalans to cut my grass (I omit children because, honestly, I strongly believe either you actually TEACH them something in Middle school or make them cut grass every day). Comfort is the Mother, father, Uncle, girlfriends roomate and possibly friends old used underpants of invention. If there's a way to make it easier and facilitate our sedentary lifestyle, we'll invent it.... Standardized testing is just one in many. (I hate it by the way. Just the truth as I see it though).
I love being creative. When I come home I tend to play guitar for a while(unless I'm too tired from football). And throughout the day I usually find myself drawing whatever is on my mind. This is weird though because I was never and still am not a very artistic person. I just enjoy seeing what I am feeling on paper. No matter how ugly it may be. But I do think studying for friggen FCATS is retarded. For one, the tests are not that hard. And two, it's like the biggest waist of time I have ever seen. I remember when I first started comming to public school I was shocked by how much time is waisted studying for these stupid tests.
i think standorived testing gets in the way of alot of things. it keeps you from learning new matirial. instead of teaching new things, you have to prepare for this test. and if you dont then your going to fail the test. like the test isnt borning enough right? i think they make it this boring just so it makes it even harder to pass.
Since elementary school teachers have been programming us to think a certain way and follow the "format." After so many years of being use to this it is hard for me to personally think outside of the box when writing. The only time I seem to have trouble with being creative is when writing. Outside of school I do creative things like musical theatre, piano and scarp booking, so you would think I could be creative with my writing. Creative writing is something that I will never be great at but with practice hopefully I can get better.
I do like some of the creative things we get to do in class such as using technology resources for projects like voice-thread and podcasts. I also enjoy blogs because you can share your opinions with others and comment on what they had to say.
Wow I never though about it that way, it is true that all this standardized testing is taking away from our creativity. That’s actually one of the reasons why I don’t like standardized tests so much, they only test you on the ability to take a test, and I know plenty of smart kids who do bad on them and dumb kids who do good. They just aren’t broad enough. People need to keep their creativity, its what makes us human, so we need creativity. Having a creative outlet is important for your mind and yourself as a whole.
I would have to day that my creative outlet is drawing, I love to doodle when im bored, and it keeps me entertained and brings out my creative side. I have been doodling for as long as I remember, and I have always love it, it’s fun and relaxing. I think that its important to have a creative outlet so I can relax and let my mid flow, it makes all the problems go away while im concentrated on the doodle. Creativity is important and it’s our way to get away from the world.
When you first assigned the Glides project, I didn't think that their was enough direction. My group was so lost and it took us a while to get on track. In the end, I appreciated the lack of direction because it allowed us to be creative. Standardized tests are so annoying. I agree there needs to be an achievement test to measure students success but they are just so stressful. Right when I thought I was done with the FCAT last year, I realize I have to start taking the SAT and ACT. I am having a lot of trouble with these tests and I don't want it to effect my future.
Honestly ive never seen this problem at all, not that i dont think its a problem but that im pretty much ignorant of it. Maybe my ignorance shows the serverity of the problem.
I think though that you make a good point. Now that i look back i had a engineering class were we had to come up with a contraption similar to how the game of mouse trap work. You had to include all six different types of simple machines, and it had to last at least 10 seconds. I had alot of trouble with this project, i couldnt think things through as how it would work or all go together. Maybe prior creative excisises in school would have been to my benefit
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