Creativity in the Classroom

During the videos we watched in class today, the TED talk spoke to me the most; I was struck by the amount of creativity the students displayed in discovering new ways to use the technology they had been given. The technology, being like nothing they may have seen before, forced them to think in new and different directions to problem solve the question or simply to explore the world via the internet. These students were thinking outside the box in the many examples shown in the talk and inventing new ways to deal with problems they encountered along the way, such as a language barrier or a challenging subject. Creativity, the driving force behind their achievements, is something that seems to be lacking in some modern day American classrooms. From general observations, some younger students have grown up in a world where they expect to be given ALL the tools and ALL the instructions on how to complete an assigned task- they can be frightened at the idea of the unknown variables of life. I recently found an article about promoting creativity in the classroom that I think offers a few good ideas that teachers can easily implement into their daily classroom activities. (http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/30-things-you-can-do-to-promote-creativity-in-your-classroom/) These ideas can assist students in gaining the confidence and skills needed to flourish in the growing global network that they will inherit. Students should be encouraged to think of multiple ways to solve a single problem and be praised for taking risks and failing. These are skills that must be taught from a young age and encouraged throughout their educational career. I believe that a resurgence of emphasis on creativity across all grades is essential to the reforms needed to the modern American school system.