What is creativity?

What is creativity? Is creativity in everyone? Can creativity be taught? 

What is Creativity?

“...to raise new questions, new possibilities,  to regard  old problems from a new angle...”

Albert Einstein

“creativity takes courage”

Henri Matisse

“Creativity is intelligence having fun”

Albert Einstein

What is creativity for you?

It seems the definition of creativity today is undefined and that its different for each individual. Why is this? Could it be due to the fact that today creativity is seen as an skill that can be learnt through education and instruction.  To me, creativity involves two processes: thinking and producing. Creativity is evolving a solution to a problem through an open thought process by using our imagination to produce new possibilities.

Why is creativity important?

It’s clear that creativity is not only important to education but globally as well.

In education creativity  helps improve the pupils:

•      self esteem

•       achievement

•       motivation

This helps pupils:

•      Gain their own perspective of the world

•       problem solving

•       discovery through ; exploration, curiosity , play

Creativity in Education

Is there enough creativity being used in the education system today?

“…creative education involves a balance between teaching knowledge, skills and encouraging innovation..”  NACCCE,1999

The release of the ‘Plowden Report’ in 1967 saw changes in the perspective chidren were being taught.  One of the most important of their recommendations were how children were learning, they highlighted the significance of children learning through discovery and children being an active role in the curriculum. Play and exploration was then given a central role to their education, as creativity was seen as an important step in their development. However, is that the case today? Do children still have this input?

References

Craft.A et al.(2001) Creativity in Education. Bloomsbury Publishing

Craft.A(2002) Creativity and Early Years Education: A Lifewide Foundation
Continuum Studies in Lifelong Learning Bloomsbury Publishing

National Advisory Committee on Creative & Cultural Education (NACCCE), (1999)  All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education. London: DfEE/DCMS.