1. The key ideas I found from the different speakers was that creativity was being extinguished from our students. Sir Ken Robinson said it best when he said,
"What these things have in common is that kids will take a chance. If they don't know, they'll have a go. Am I right? They're not frightened of being wrong. I don't mean to say that being wrong is the same thing as being creative." But fear of taking a risk is what kills adults creativity. We as adults don't go back after we fail and think of it differently. We have become frightened of being "wrong". "We stigmatize mistakes. And we're now running national education systems where mistakes are the worst thing you can make. And the result is that we are educating people out of their creative capacities." Another quote from the videos says There was a wonderful quote by Jonas Salk, who said, "If all the insects were to disappear from the Earth, within 50 years all life on Earth would end. If all human beings disappeared from the Earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish." And he's right. How thought provoking is that? John Seely Brown continues with this same thought that the institution is what is driving creativity out of it's students. As people who are educating the future, we have to let our students be "willing to fail constantly, and look for adjacencies all the time from peers. In turn there will be spikes of incredulity around the world. And they learn and then give learning back to others. He also said that without digital media this kids would not have been able to grow the way they did. I feel John Seely Brown summed up what all these videos are trying to say. He asked and answered the question. He said. "How do we prepare our children for a world of flux? It is not a skill but it is a disposition." My personal findings fit with the other things in this class by the use of technology. I have thought and have been further supported by the different things we have studied in this class that the school and the education I received when I grew up is nothing like how I should and attempt to teach my students. I remember in the 8th grade my teacher talked about us getting into groups but that never happened. Haha I was always writing correction sentences. Today thought we are suppose to have collaboration almost everyday. Computers and the use of technology that never happened except in my Computer Information System class. As far as creativity in my classes now I strive to keep the kids open to expressing themselves. One thing I need to work on is allowing them to make mistakes. If I am to implement a mistake free curriculum I am not sure how to implement my grades. I as of now wonder and don't penalize for late work except after the quarter is over. It is hard to change their once the quarter grade is given. John Seely Brown's slide said for building the 21st Century Challenge: 1. Preparing our students for this world of constant change! 2. Perhaps we need to rethink how we actually learn- especially the tacit. 3. What we need to learn & 4. Creating a resilient mindset in our students – ability to change, adapt, re-conceptualize and engage in deep listen with humility. I will apply Mobley's 6 insights into my class by having a more self-centered learning model. A version of the flipped learning model. The thing that I feel I will struggle with is grading. Well maybe not that but allowing my students to not being afraid to make mistakes. I mean in theory this should already be the process. But, sadly it is not. The whole education system is set up to have a right answer and unfortunately a wrong. There has been talk about our district changing our grading system to not being a letter grade but by being graded on their comprehension of the common core standards. I feel that is a step in the right direction as far a breaking the mold and holding students accountable for a real thing they can control. I also think that this will help with number four on his list. If we start having kids allowed to be creative we will start having this spread faster around the school. Kids will feed other kids their creativity and it just grows. Soon enough the school will be a built on creativity. Which will raise the moral which will ultimately raise grades/and "test" scores.
3 Comments
Todd
11/7/2016 07:24:32 pm
Adam,
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I agree with the fact that we aren't letting students take the risk of failure as much as we should. Unfortunately we are pushed so much to perfection that our curriculum leaves out creative ways of helping students learn and learn from their mistakes as well. I notice that many children don't like to take the chance of making a mistake and want to give up so easily when they do. I think educators need to figure out a way to allow mistakes to happen and allow the student to find creative strategies on their own to problem solve. I do believe part of this strategy needs to be taught to the student. Older grades would be able to handle it more than lower grades but I believe no matter what age it is a challenge for students and teachers alike.
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Becky AlbertazziI
11/9/2016 10:55:49 am
I really enjoyed your blog. And in some ways I do agree that school can educate the creativity out of students. But I do see hope. I think that we traditionally think of creativity as art, drama, dance, music. But I think that there are creative mathematicians, engineers and scientist. Our new math programs requires students to show their answer in multiple ways. I hated math, but I now realize that I hated algorithms. I could solve the problem and get the right answer, but it was considered wrong if my equation wasn't correct. I have noticed the push to show multiple ways of coming to a solution. This is thinking creatively. I also see the push towards inquiry and PBL as a move in the right direction. Inquiry requires curiosity. PBL requires collaboration, peer learning, voice & choice. We still have a long way to go, but there is hope.
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Adam
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