Recently, a faculty member brought to my attention a CNN.com article entitled, “Why we need to let kids be creative,” by Carolina A. Miranda. The article states that divergent thinking is key to problem solving and is the backbone of creativity ―understanding what is, and then imagining the possibilities of what could be.
Here is an excerpt:
The word "creativity," in our society tends to be applied to artistic endeavors. But divergent thinking is an essential part of everyday life, whether it's navigating office politics or devising a new social-media network. When a toddler figures out that he can climb a strategically placed chair to reach a cookie on the kitchen counter, he has engaged in highly creative problem solving (to the chagrin of his parents). "We all have creative potential," says Mark Runco, Ph.D., director of the University of Georgia's Torrance Center for Creativity & Talent Development. "Our job as parents and teachers is to help kids fulfill it"
…This unique ability [dexterity in generating a wide range of potentially useful ideas] is one that will be crucial to the workforce of the future. Today's toddler faces a universe of rapidly evolving technology, an ever-shifting global economy, and far-reaching health and environmental challenges -- scenarios that will require plenty of creative thinking.”
The article is another confirmation that independent schools like USM have the advantage, as we have the freedom to design curriculum that encourages creativity. Starting in Prekindergarten, teachers are helping children become divergent thinkers by extending their knowledge of what is to what could be. For example, Prekindergarten teacher Muffie MacKedon Browne (known to her students as “Mrs. MacKie”) says, “A “pesky” squirrel was a frequent visitor to one of the bird feeders outside of our classroom. After observing that the squirrel often caused the birds to fly away, the children decided to create a special feeder for the squirrel. We combined the children’s existing knowledge of squirrels with the scientific data we gathered after visiting the library to come up with a plan. Then the children put their creative ideas into action and worked collaboratively to build the squirrel his very own squirrel feeder and playground complete with a small house, monkey bars, and even a “squirrel” pool. This is just one way in which the learning environment at USM stimulates curiosity, discovery, self-expression, and creativity. We strive to empower the children and their many abilities, as well as encourage their sense of what they can achieve.”
Here is the full article if you would like to read more.
