I just watched the Ken Robinson video clip. I enjoyed it but do not totally agree that schools are killing creativity. As an educator I feel my creative wings have been clipped. While at Silver Lake I have worked under four principals, each bringing their own flavor to the building. We have also suffered budget cuts. Luckily we have had our math and ELA coordinators reinstated and although one does not like the watchful eyes they have, it is comforting to know they are first in the line with the MCAS firing squad.
Perhaps I should address the elephant in the room now, I refer to MCAS. Let me just say I am not a fan of it. I think it stifles my teaching and the creativity of students. You are not suppose to teach to the test but I do, we all do. I believe it causes more stress for me than it does the student. I agree there needs to be some accountability but I find it ironic that we are taught to teach one way yet we test another way. Ken Robinson says that "creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value." Scott Adams says "creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes." MCAS testing seems to stifle creativity, not our schools and teachers.
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I agree with you, Mr. Robinson's video was very entertaining and I find it funny you should mention an elephant. Copy and paste this link (http://www.lazymaths.com/zlog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/_ramp.jpg ) into your browser to see why I think it is funny you mentioned the elephant. Sorry you have to copy and paste, I tried to make the link work but I was unsuccessful.
ReplyDeleteHi Digitdiva,
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the video of Ken Robinson - what a clever and amusing fellow! I agree that the MCAS test provides a challenge when it comes to creativity, but I believe that folding creative instruction and creative student projects into the classroom has positive returns on the MCAS. The many digital tools we are learning about in this class can help in this area. In the area of instruction such creative sites as xtranormal, wordle and voki can help in grabbing student attention while imparting curricular content. These tools and other digital tools such as PhotoStory can give the students a method to make their own learning products that not only in the production solidify the concepts into their knowledge banks but then can be easily shared with their peers to enhance and improve the understanding of their classmates. I know that the time you have scheduled for the regular class day is full to the brim - however, if the student's understanding is ultimately deeper and longer lasting - then perhaps you will find that the time spent in creating and sharing student projects is worth it. As your partner in integrating technology into the curriculum, I would be happy to work with you to design and implement a project integrating the tools we are learning about. The students could take the standards and create a digital product that explains that standard in a creative way that can be shared with the other students. Your partner - Vicki
Thanks Vicki, I will take you up on that! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Joe, you crack me up!:)
MCAS and standardized testing in general is a challenge we need to move beyond. I think Viki's comment hits the proverbial nail on the head.
ReplyDeleteTo quote Vicki, "I agree that the MCAS test provides a challenge when it comes to creativity, but I believe that folding creative instruction and creative student projects into the classroom has positive returns on the MCAS."
Dennis
Vicki-I really like your idea for the students to create a digit product to explain the standards. Just within the last two weeks my students completed an analysis of their most recent ELA test and identified standards, question types, and genres to improve. While many listed "structure and origin" and "style and language" as standards to improve, they weren't sure what the standards looked like. I think this activity would be a creative way for students to learn what they are and how that would look like in the classroom and on tests. This would give STUDENTS ownership and responsibility for their learning.
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