Creativity and Curiosity: My Thoughts - Special Post #12A

I believe that most schools in the United States indeed do systematically destroy the development of curiosity and creativity in students. It happens because school systems refuse to change. They want to keep things traditional. Tradition is good but when it has an effect on the world around us something must be done. In my experiences at school, I have been limited to creativity in many aspects of education. Many simple tasks that are assigned at school can easily be altered to destroying creativity. For example: A teacher gives a student an english paper assignment and gives them a specific topic to write about. This limits their creativity by not allowing them to explore and choose a topic that intrest them. Instead they are forced to write a paper on a boring topic making their paper boring. I believe a curriculum can be developed to increase the creativity and curiosity of students. I think school systems should take polls and surveys that indicate the students interest and alter the curriculum to best fit them. School systems could make school alot more interesting in many simple ways. They could add classes that students are actually interested in and enjoy talking about. They could add more physical activities instead of sitting in the classroom all day. With that said, I believe a teacher's actions can help increase the creativity and curiosity of students. The way a teacher teaches has alot to do with the way students learn. When teachers are energetic and excited about their job students tend to be more interested in what the teacher is saying, creating a better learning environment. Everyone has experienced a boring seminar or has had to sit through a boring teaching lesson. I'm sure you found yourself day dreaming or doing something other than paying attentin to pass the time. An example that perfectly protrays this idea is watching Randy Paush's Last Lecture. I was completely intrigued with the way he delivered his message. Watching him inspired me to become a teacher that students are going to enjoy having. Having experiencing a boring teacher and an energetic teacher, I can see the affects of learning. Teachers should strive to be the best they can. They should love their job and understand the impact that they have on students. School systems should strive to hire teachers who have a special passion for education and helping students succeed.