Subject: Creativity (was IBM Global CEO Study)

Posted by George Richardson on 8/10/2010
In Reply To:Creativity (was IBM Global CEO Study) Posted by Richard Hake on 8/10/2010

Message:

Back when I taught math at the U of Chicago Lab School, I recall a study on creativity and intelligence in the schools (I don't remember what levels) by Phillip Jackson and another University of Chicago scholar. This was about 1960-65.

To the extent that the study could separate high creative and high intelligence kids, the study found that school teachers liked intelligent kids a lot more than they liked creative kids. Creative kids were more disruptive, more of a bother, less easily led, and so on. Could be a reason we're not heavily invested in teaching for creativity now.

I don't have any idea what the scholarship on this says now (after all, that was 50 years ago), but it does sound reasonable that to encourage creativity would mean encouraging divergent, "subversive activity" of sorts. We'd have to learn how to encourage the good divergent stuff from the stuff that gets in everyone's way, including the kid exhibiting it.

If we get good at teaching for creativity, we may have to watch out or we'll get what we aiming for! : )

...George Richardson

Follow Ups:

Creativity (was IBM Global CEO Study) - Bill Braun 8/10/2010 
Creativity (was IBM Global CEO Study) - Chad Green 8/12/2010
Creativity (was IBM Global CEO Study) - Richard Turnock 8/12/2010