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"Here's what most of us know about creativity: We know that you aren't born with it, and that it can be learned; we know that people can be at their most in group setting; we know that the expression of creativity isn't exclusive to the arts; and we know that you shouldn't wait around for inspiration to strike.
But do we know that rewarding creative behaviour can stunt motivation? Do we know the creative brain depends on content just as much as it depends on imagination? Or that expecting one right answer all the time will actually prevent us from finding the right answer?"
Is it possible that we believe we are teaching our learners to be more creative, when we may be doing the opposite? This post from InformEd looks at ten habits that actually impede creative growth, although many of us believe that they promote it. Four are listed below, with brief explanations.
* Thinking "outside the box" - If by thinking outside the box you believe that constraints are not necessary you may be wrong. This post says "originality may require constraints."
* Rewarding good performance - I see this as the question of intrinsic vs extrinsic factors...and research is showing that providing rewards for completing tasks does not foster motivated children.
* Using outdated teaching methods - education is constantly changing as we learn more about the brain and how we learn. How many of us hold on to methods that have been proven wrong, such as teacher-centered instruction, right brain/left brain paradigm, and teaching to the test?
* Bringing technology to the student - technology has great potential, but it may also be a distraction. The post shares a story of a teacher who used Google Docs to help his students share knowledge, but quickly learned that they did not have the foundation to use Google Docs effectively. He reflected on what he saw happening in his classroom and realized that many students like to move while they think, and created an activity where students would have to work together using butcher paper, post-its and pens...and using this process taught the students how Google Docs works, but without the computer.
There is much more information in the post so click through to see six more habits that are creativity killers.