Today we discussed an article by Kaufman and Beghetto that referenced a bias teachers were having against more creative students in their classrooms. However, I felt that the paper was combining two things that are not automatically related. In the article it mentioned that there was a correlation between highly creative students and students with behavioral problems such as outbursts, not following instructions, and inability to stay on task. Because of these issues in the classroom the teacher's then have a tendency to have a negative bias for the more creative students.
I was really uncomfortable with that idea. Obviously, I understand the connection between the two. However, I find it hard to believe that every single child who is talented creatively is also having issues with behavior in the classroom. Reversely, I'm sure every child who is presenting behavioral problems is not excessively creative. As adults, teachers should be able to differentiate between the behavior of students and the positivity that comes with creativity. Further than that, teachers should be making very clear to their students that it is not their creativity that is the problem. Obviously I see the benefits of teaching students that there is an appropriate time for everything and the importance of being able to follow instructions. I think that mixing poor behavior and creativity sends a horrible message to students, and should be treated in completely separate manners.
I agree that this is not a good thing to be looking to negatively on children's creativity. But I think the thing most teachers forget is that creative students are just simply bored. At least that is my opinion. I have worked in early childhood education for about 7 or 8 years now and I see it again and again, the kids with bad behavior dawdling around the classroom looking for something to do, and so what do they pick? The activity that is out of the box, and creative, and engaging, even if it is not appropriate or safe. I have never been sure if I am a creative person or not, but I think I must be because I find myself often coming up with ideas and concepts that most other people seem not to, and I always have trouble concentrating in class (and I remember being that way as a kid too) unless the information in class was extremely interesting. My mind is always zinging away places and connecting weird ideas and I think that must be what it is like to be very creative (or maybe insane). Anyway, as a teacher I always try to play to kids strengths, and the kids I see who seem to be very creative, I try to give them more responsibility. I think often teachers think that the kids who behave badly because they are creative need to be reigned in and stopped from acting out, but I think the opposite needs to be done, we need to give creative kids stuff to do, ask them "Okay, I need to do x,y, and z today, but I want you to come up with a way to accomplish those tasks" For very young kids, just asking them to help you clean up is a great idea, because I two year old (and I have witnessed this) will start thinking and analyzing cleaning up (especially something like moping or sweeping) and if you engage them and ask them questions about it you can get them to think about the best way to sweep or mop, and then the kids minds is active, instead of them sitting at circle with everyone else feeling bored because their creative mind doesn't care if B comes after A, their wondering why A can't come after B.
ReplyDelete