How can we come up with innovative solutions if we are afraid of making a mistake? How can we make changes if we are afraid of taking risks? How can we stand up for ourselves if we are afraid that who we are is wrong?
Creativity is and needs to be an important part of all learning. It helps us personalize, and integrate what we have learned. At the same time, creativity teaches us how to trust ourselves and take calculated risks. This is important in all walks of life.
Our children face a far different world then we faced when we were their age. Reading, writing and arithmetic alone will not prepare them for the rapidly changing future. They need to know how to think for themselves, not be afraid of being different, and be well versed in the art of creative thinking and problem solving. This can be accomplished through creativity, though creativity cannot be taught in a linear manner or as an isolated separate subject. It needs to be integrated into all learning and life like breathing.
We are told there is no time for creative outlets. We need to focus on core academics and test scores. Unfortunately this kind of thinking is not taking brain development or the impact that stress has on the mind into consideration. If we stopped—just for a moment-––and reorganized our approach so the mind was considered and ready for learning, then we could accomplish more in far less time. Creativity does require some space, but at the same time creativity can create more space and be a great time saver.
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”––Albert Einstein