A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO LEARNING

"Creativity in the education system provides a vital balance in the lives of children because it values them for who they truly are".

The current path of education has steered further away from developing the creative minds of students and leaned more towards a dislocated system that cocoons our children into an environment where competition in academics is the prime prize winner. This form of education, which values rote learning, memorisation and high scoring, not only falsely determines the success of children, but also moves away from the creative and psychological skills that the future is looking for.

"Encouraging creativity in children helps support the development of relevant skills to enhance their wellbeing as life long learners."

In conventional education today there is a pattern in pedagogy where results and recall have become the exclusive driving factor in determining the success of students. Whilst I will admit that rote learning can be effective for certain teaching methods, such as setting a foundation for math and science topics, this goal-directed approach is far more damaging to our children’s well-being and future.

This academic-oriented culture is problematic as it views students as a collective body that all learn the same way at the same time. This is further complicated when long-established attitudes towards traditional methods of teaching have called for educators to maintain control in their classrooms and deliver lessons with specific curriculum content that prefers focused and analytical thinking. Unfortunately, this approach creates a barrier for learners that possess their own way of processing information. Creative thinking students are often considered more of a risk, based on their unpredictable generative questions and answers, thus unfairly labeling them as impulsive, disruptive, and resistant to conform. This has been described as “curricular chaos” and marks creative students as “unruly”.

Furthermore, this method of education leaves little room to actually hear, see or assess individual students and how they are responding to the system. In fact, it creates an unfortunate circumstance that tends to push children to compete with their peers in school work and usually calls for parents to further enroll their children in comprehensive enrichment programs in order to stay ahead of the game.

Education has become so rigid that we are losing our children in a battle of competition instead of giving them what they need to become strong, competent individuals. Children as young as 8 years old are now expected to sit for academic testing under exam conditions in order to filter the good from the bad. Such testing may benefit overall school results but does not truly reflect what children actually know and understand. It does not help educators evaluate what worked and what didn’t and it certainly does not aid in teacher planning for the future. And most importantly, it does not help children create or adapt to new ways in our vastly changing world.

An alternative approach to learning involves a more creative way of teaching. A child-centered focus on education, often embraces the unconventional, acknowledging children as competent learners with the ability to achieve life-long success. This method of learning is deeply meaningful as it gives children the opportunity to learn through topics that interest them, giving them a deeper grasp of concepts. This form of learning inspires exploration of all possibilities beyond boundaries and motivates children to learn with purpose. It gives children a voice and the freedom to express their thoughts and ideas which builds confidence and self-esteem. It also encourages and stimulates creative thinking and provides opportunities for children to become reflective and independent learners.

The goal-directed approach versus the child-centered approach sit at opposite ends of the spectrum and produce different results for children. As an educator, I believe what is lacking today is a sense of harmony within the pedagogical practice. We need a method that is fascinating and creative for learning. We need a method that will enlarge the interactions children have with the world today rather than limit and isolate them. We need a method that will teach children to practice and discover new life opportunities by using the innate skills naturally built within them. We need a method that will help children love learning again.

Therefore, it seems reasonable to suggest that school curriculums must blend both academic and creative learning to bring out the best in every child. All children have creative potential and when promoted in the right environment, life-long skills like independence, motivation, flexibility, and problem-solving can flourish. This enforces the need for multifaceted curriculums that values every child for who they are and helps them become the very best of themselves.