Video Response

Wow! What a great video!! I completely agree with Sir Robinson! Creativity is such an important part of an individual and without it, most wouldn't be as apt as they are today! So what if you are a brainiac when it comes to mathematics?! If you lack any sort of creativity to put the knowledge and information that you know into an "out of the box" use, then what good is the knowledge?

I do believe that creativity should be as important as literacy in today's schools. No two students learn the same and no two students have the same strengths and weaknesses. Due to that, you have to nurture students in different ways. His example of the woman who did all the choreography for the play "Cat's" is a prime example. It wasn't that she couldn't learn the information, she just needed an outlet. All students need an outlet! Some are lucky and can use sports as an outlet and that is enough. Some however, need more. Why can't that "more" be incorporated within the classroom?! Maybe it doesn't need to take on the appearance of dance or art. Maybe it just needs to start with students being allowed freedom. Freedom to imagine and envision. Freedom of choice and suggestions. That could be the very beginning!

My experience with creativity in a school setting has been increasingly less and less the older I've become. In Pre-K and Kindergarten you are allowed to role play and use dress-up items and kitchen items to enact creativity. In middle school you have music and art classes. In high school, you either aren't allowed time within your schedule, it isn't the "cool thing to do", or it just plain isn't offered. Those choices are rough. I was lucky however, my mother always fostered creativity. Looking back, I'm not sure she knew that was what she was doing, but she herself was always creative; engraving, air brushing, etc. When I grew up she encouraged us when we showed her drawings and paintings. My sister and I were famous at putting on shows for her, whether it was singing, dancing or acting. And she always sat through it, congratulated us and clapped. That was SO important!

Now, I express myself in a variety of ways. I still love to draw, although I consider it more doodling now. I love to dance and sing, neither of which I claim to be any good at, and I've always loved to write! I couldn't imagine life without the use and freedom of acquiring a foundation of creativity! I really hope that I can bring some of that back within my own classroom and that my students always feel comfortable expressing themselves creatively!