We want to draw your attention to a new campaign in Washington state called Creativity Matters. The goal of the campaign is to reinforce the argument that teaching kids how to be creative (as well as analytical) is important for the economic future of the United States, and that creativity can be taught across all academic subjects, not just in the arts.
It’s worth noting that the campaign is supported by some big names in the corporate world, such as Microsoft and Boeing.
The campaign is considering some interesting proposals, such as training for principals on how to run schools that foster creativity.
Lately, we have been hearing more and more (particularly from the corporate world) about the need to foster creativity in students. On the surface, it seems like a good idea and educators and policymakers should be listening.
But schools need to really think long and hard about how they would accomplish this goal. I have seen many classrooms over the years in which “creativity” lessons turn into silly, academic fluff.
Bottom line: Creativity and academic rigor should be the goal.