Do schools really nurture creativity?

Much has been said about school systems in general and how effective they are in preparing learners for “the real world.” One such timeless talk – which is still as relevant today as it was about a decade ago when it was made, was given by Sir Ken Robinson. He makes an entertaining call for solid education to lead the youth into a future one can’t grasp due to its unpredictability.

It is perhaps worth mentioning that Sir Robinson’s talk hinges on the TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give a talk on their lives. “My contention is that creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status,” said Sir Robinson while talking to a live audience as captured in the YouTube video.

One of his examples to illustrate the creativity of children was of a little girl who never concentrated in any lesson, except drawing class. The teacher asked her what she was drawing. She said she was drawing a picture of God. When asked how she could do that because no one knows how God looked like, the child replied that they would in a minute.

“You see, kids will take a chance and if they don’t know, they will have a go. Am I right? They are not frightened of being wrong. Now I don’t mean to say that being wrong is the same as being creative, but what we do know is that if you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original,” he continued.

According to Sir Robinson, schools play a fundamental role in grooming or dampening this creative nature of children which can help to alter society. Schools need to do all that they can – and more, to nurture the lives of children in such a way that they are better prepared to tackle an unknown future and come up with innovative solutions. Schools need to give children the room to express their beliefs and ideas through their creativity, be it through music, art and drama, sport or play, and to allow literacy to develop hand in hand with creativity rather than take precedence.

Get your school on the right track with the High School Entrepreneurs Society program. We’d love to hear your thoughts on whether schools are doing their bit to nurture creativity – follow us on Facebook or join the conversation @247teenbiz. We are never too busy to listen to your ideas.