Creativity

I rather enjoyed Ken Robinson's video. I agree with him that all people are born artists. If you don't believe me spend some time with young children and listen to some of the things they say. My youngest child is seven and he is very creative and very much a thinker. He analyzes everything frontwards and backwards and picks everything apart. He asks questions that I would never dream of asking. He definitely thinks outside the box. Have you ever heard the saying "kids say the darnedest things" or "out of the mouths of babes". That's because children aren't afraid to say what they think and most of all they aren't afraid of being wrong. To me that's what's so special and unique about children. As parents, teachers and educators we should promote and embrace each child's creativeness verses discouraging it. In some sense the educational system is a little "a__" backwards because some of the first programs that are cut in schools are art and music. There are other ways of expressing your creativity besides using a pen and paper. As Ken Robinson said our challenge is to educate a child's whole being. (Mind, body, soul and creativity...)

I agree with his statement that we don't grow into creativity; we grow out of it. As an adult it's hard to think outside the box that we've been educated into. Growing up, there were a few teachers that challenged you to think outside the box but not many. Those were usually the funnest teachers and sometimes the hardest teachers, because the older you get the harder it is to think outside the box in some instances. As a child, it wasn't hard at all to wonder "why not" verses "why", it was almost second nature. Now I look back and wonder what happened to that. Ken was right, traditional education is what happened. Nowadays, it is treat to have a teacher that challenges you to think outside the box. It helps to get those creative juices flowing. I believe each of us was born creative but not all of us were trained to tap into our creativity.