To Encourage Creativity, You Must Understand What It Is - Sir Ken Robinson

As part of our Shared PLD with Hadlow School around creativity I asked teachers to read an article Sir Ken Robinson had written for the Guardian several years ago

Click the image to go to the reading

The article is his response to the Minister for Education in Britain, who had made some claims around creativity that Robinson disputes.

Robinson defines creativity as "a process of having original ideas that have value". The ideas don't have to be new to mankind, nor earth0shattering, but they have to be new to you/peer group, and have some kind of value. He argues that as it is a process it is both teachable, and assessable. It is about fresh thinking, and about being a critical thinker as well...is what I'm working on any good, have I created the message I wanted in my writing etc.

We need to allow curriculum space for the kids to be creative, not to focus entirely on skills, and to ensure our teachers have the freedom to try new things, that they aren't bound by the pressure of shifting students to 'At'. 

While his ideas about what creativity is are clear, he isn't giving out a programme for teachers to follow. There isn't a right path, a set way of teaching, certain units to follow...so as a profession we need to be questioning of each other, asking those critical friend questions...why did this happen, what was the impact? 

In my practice I am going to try giving the kids some independent learning space to focus on a creative project. I have a child that is keen to write a chapter book and has made a start. I need to provide his both the opportunity, and encouragement, to pursue this creative task.