respond to discussion 3AM

Pablo Picasso posed a very intriguing point of view stating that “All children paint like geniuses”. What do we do to them that so quickly dulls this ability?

Societal norms and expectations are a huge factor in dulling the creativity of children. One of the fundamental aspects of fine arts as a school subject is the development of creativity, which is the actual process of artistic creativity through which the students obtain their skills and techniques (Duh & Herzog, 2020). Educators have a major influence on either sparking, limiting, or differentiating students’ artistic creativity. A vast majority of students’ exposure to the arts and the role art plays in  the world around them is solely based on Primary Classroom exposure. Now a days, School Administrators consider providing Art class for 30 mins once a week with a Certified Art Teacher, a gift or courtesy to the  General Education Teacher. This puts the artistically challenged Educator in a position to be innovative as well.

It is important to note that everything about the learning environment highly influences and governs a child’s ability to feel at ease being creative artistically. Teachers are, in fact, crucial figures in providing a relevant, creative and enjoyable experience with art education (Duh & Budefeld, 2018). Settle things that we may think are irrelevant actually set the foundational stage for assuring learners that it is ok to express themselves.  This can be done by ensuring positive energy is displayed at all times in an educator’s  verbal communication, non verbal communication, classroom management, personal hygiene, and more.

In education, the importance of creativity is recognized as an essential skill of the 21st century (Kupers et al., 2019). Not only is it essential for Educators to exude creativity, but they educators must also be able to teach a child to open his or her imagination or learn how to redirect their creativity in areas where they may feel most innovative.

Yes, we place expectations on students based on societal norms and antiquated classroom expectations, that should teach the child how to be creative within expected limits. However, not all experiences are positive and ultimately some may have a lasting impact on the child.

So, I think it is more important as Educators to plan to spark and encourage creativity but also plan to differentiate when students struggle or have a lack of innovation in order to minimize dulling the child’s creativity.

Cheryl

People are born with creativity and imagination, but some never fully utilize them. We are told too early in life that our artwork is “not good enough” or “bad,” but good and bad are opinions. Everything is art, whether it's a handwritten note, a line you draw, or a piece of museum art. What is it about art that makes people feel inadequate, and do teachers say this because their students don't live up to their expectations or because they are actually using their creativity (Everyone Is an Artist - This I Believe, 2010)? Making art is about giving it your all; it's not about doing what society expects or fitting in with social norms. 

Children's natural curiosity and desire to learn about the world inspire them to use creative problem-solving techniques and their imagination to answer questions about what they see, how things work, and what they might think (Fletcher, 2022). Being creative is one of the best things a person can possess, and it's crucial to foster creativity from an early age . Because they already have their own ideas, children have a strong desire to be creative and to own the creative process from an early age (The Importance of Art and Creativity in Children, n.d.). We want to make sure that children are allowed to be creative and to keep it positive.