Should a mandatory creativity class be implemented into the American public school system?

Creativity cannot simply be defined as one`s ability to critically come up with solutions to problems. Being creative doesn't simply entail the potential to do well in a creative thinking class: it is much more. Creative people think outside of the box and break rules, but a creative thinking class would only teach kids how to follow the rules and not give their minds the space to roam free as they wish. A creative thinking class would not be fruitful as the very nature of a traditional classroom setting and a set curriculum go against the very essence of creativity.

Currently, I am in a creative writing class, in which I am told to follow a series of guidelines and set activities. I write poems, sing songs, and sometimes even illustrate. However, these are just limitations set to hinder my creative progress. The most creative people in the class are also the ones failing the class. A fellow peer of mine, Greg, is failing because he consistently refuses to follow the instructions given to him. Instead of writing a poem about the injustices in society, he will draw a picture of a flower. Although is work was creative in its own right, he failed to follow the boundaries set by the teacher and thusly failed. This serves to prove that a creative thinking class could not accurately gauge one`s creative ability, and would not be effective.

“Name one genius that ain't crazy.” This quote serves to prove that creativity has historically been frowned upon in society. The most creative people, such as Albert Einstein, have always been deemed as “crazy.” Because the public cannot understand them, they outcast the creative. As a child, Einstein was not a good student, and was almost considered retarded by doctors. However, was it his own fault that he was outlasted? Or, was it the school’s fault, as the very system of education refuses to recognize raw genus as it is. The education system is very formulaic, strictly following certain guidelines. When one decides to go their own route, as Einstein did, the schools deem this person as an outsider, one not fit for the education system. A school could never recognize creativity for what it is because the school system is too rigid, and therefore a creative thinking class in school would not be able to identify creativity.

Today’s education system is not the same eduction system of the past. With teachers urging the elevated use of technology and the whole world becoming obsessed with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), is creativity really necessary? The nation’s education boards have consistently been imploring the integrated use of technology, and have been encouraging the entrance of new engineering and science classes. How is this emphasizing creativity? If the youth of America become mind-numb robots, what will be the necessity of creativity. Schools may claim that they wish for more creativity harbored in their students, but then continue to shove STEM down our throats until we're brain dead. With a newfound focus on STEM, schools are not prepared to foster the wide-range of creativity.

The very idea of a systematic education goes against creativity. School is all about preparation for the real world, giving students the tools and skills necessary for success. Creativity, however, is one’s ability to not do what they are told and instead act out their emotions. Im not attempting to say that there is no place for creativity in the school system: however, a class designed to teach creativity to students goes against the very nature of being creative, and therefore would not work.