Hornung 1 John Hornung Megan Keaton Eng.

112 27 March 2013 Is creativity being killed in schools or not (annotated bibliography)

Mostly everyone reading this paper has probably attended some level of schooling or if not received a diploma. So mostly everyone has an opinion on this topic. As Sir Ken Robinson said in the Huffington Post Article The current education system outdated and no longer affective for our kids. The whole article talked about how kids today our being stuffed with so much information to memorize for standardized tests and set curriculums that their not really stretching their minds. As soon as students are done with their exam for a class information is being forgot and thrown away because the brain dose not see it as useful information. The argument the author is trying to make is that so many students are thinking they are not smart or cant do well in school because they are getting bad grades on standardized tests. When in reality every kid is different and we should be teaching differently depending on the students needs. Students are not getting the spark needed to come up with creative ideas or original thoughts because they have to spend time memorizing useless, recycled information. As Robinson says in the article we're all born with deep natural capacities for creativity and systems of mass education tend to suppress them.(Robinson 1)

Hornung 2 How Im going to use this in my paper at the end of the semester is quite elementary. From reading this article his words have sparked ideas in my head of original thoughts to add to the paper. Not to mention I will add some quotes and things I learned from Sir Ken Robinson in the article. I will share any information I feel is important in getting my point across and cite it. As well as use the information red to further my knowledge on the topic, which will ultimately help me, long term in writing my paper. People and organizations everywhere can see that current systems of education are failing to meet the challenges we now all face and they're working furiously to create alternatives. (Robinson 1) Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. (Robinson 1) Robinson, Sir Ken. "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 07 Dec. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2013.

In the article I read Do schools kill creativity by Mitch Fanning you get to talk about the topic of schools killing creativity from the perspective of someone who has gone through education fully from kindergarten to graduating college. He also is now a father of twins, age twelve, so he has even more of a reason to be involved with his childrens education for they are currently in Middle school. Mitch talks about how all the things that sparked his creativity and he enjoyed as a kid he was strayed away from by the education system. All because he could not make good money doing any of the things he enjoyed. He learned later in life that was not the goal to have a job with good money, but to find a job where you are happy.

Hornung 3 The argument the author is trying to make in the article is why did he let his creative pursuits go? (Fanning 1) Was it the current educations fault for Mitch losing interest in what he loved? The author Mitch Fanning is all for an education reform and feels it is the best thing for our country, students, and future leaders of America. It would benefit every student in its own way. How I would use it in my paper is I would use Mitchs story as an example in proving my point of schools killing creativity. I could also point to the fact that Mitch is a father of two twins who are currently going through the education system. This article would be good to use for my paper because it talks about schools affecting someone on a first name basis. To reform the education system, I believe we must start to incorporate new technologies that make learning both stimulating and effective. In a world where kids are texting, using iPods at home, and entertaining themselves on Facebook and with the latest gaming device, going back to school on Monday and looking at a chalkboard probably bores the hell out of them. (Fanning 1) It was the year 2000, and after finishing 18 years of formal education, I was having second thoughts. (Fanning 1) Theres actually quite a few people out in the world who feel the same way. School wasnt a fit for them. So they either found something that was after leaving or graduating from school or are still searching, which sadly, is the case. (Fanning 1) Fanning, Mitch. "The World According to Mitch Fanning." Does School Kill Creativity? Nap. 7 Nov. 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. The next article I found was also by a parent, this time a mother and writer by the name of Melissa Taylor. She talks about how just a few years into public education kids

Hornung 4 are saying goodbye to their innate creative abilities. (Taylor 1) as said in the article An education system who produces poor problem solvers who lack the ability to create anything of substance. (Taylor 1) The argument that Melissa Taylor is making is quite simple, the need to put creativity back in to schools because it is obviously lacking now. Based off of reading the article I would say that she would agree with the need for an education reform. Creativity is a very important thing and no child should be robbed of it. The way I will use what Melissa said in my paper will not be hard because I completely agree with her. She also makes a lot of good points and examples (such as an example about Bill Gates) that I could use and cite from her article. Her way of thinking opened up a new look on schools for me.

Can you imagine a school environment where interdisciplinary studies replace

isolated subjects? And a place where the wrong answer is celebrated? (Taylor 1) "Innovation has been & will continue to be the key to improving the world." (Taylor 1) Taylor, Mellissa. "Do Schools Kill Creativity? If So, What Can We Do About It?" Parenting.com. Nap. 12 July 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. The next source found was a book called Changing the teaching and learning in primary school. This was a book written and edited by Rosemary Webb. The book is about how schools are trying put bring originality back in to schools and how schools are becoming more creative and trying to get more class participation. If schools make class more fun and entertaining then kids will enjoy what they are learning and find

Hornung 5 interests easier through there education system. The main thing the education system is doing according to this book is trying to challenge our students. The argument being made is schools are trying there best to make learning interesting and beneficiary for the education system and most importantly the students. The book talks about how schools challenge the students more and produces harder workers and better leadership skills. It is not the current education systems fault for any lack of creativity but simply the will of the students. There have been plenty of successful people to come out of this education system and this education system have been the same for hundreds of years, why change it now? How I would use this in my paper is I could talk about how more schools should try and get the most out of its students. Other then that there is not much from this book I could use in my paper. Mainly because this book, and the author of this books argument go against my topic for my final paper. The ethos of such communities can both sustain and develop individuals (Webb 172) The incorporation of a significant amount of direct teaching as opposed to Independent learning.. (Webb 42) Learning, is conceptualized as 'a creative process in which people reinvent culture.. (Webb 136) Webb, Rosemary. Changing Teaching and Learning in the Primary School. Maidenhead: Open UP, 2006. Print. The final source I used for this paper was a article called The Creative Classroom by Hannah Hudson as you can guess from the title this was a article about how teachers are sparking creativity. The article starts out by explaining exactly what creativity is

Hornung 6 and then talks about how schools face a up hill battle with standardized tests. The article is all about exciting ways schools can bring creativity to the classroom. The authors argument is that schools can still spark creativity, even in the current education system. The author even lists a whopping 18 examples of things that can spark a students creativity. The author is a firm believer in believing and achieving and feels that teachers can still spark creativity and gain an interest in learning. How I would use it in my paper is talk about how the things schools are going to put creativity back into learning. I could talk about how although the current education system is failing the majority here is how you can beat the odds. Other then that the authors argument goes against my topic and I would not use too many things from the article in my final paper. Creativity is on our minds. Thats because its central, along with skills like collaboration, critical thinking, and communication (Hudson 1) But creativity faces an uphill battle. The pressures of standardized testing can make any teacher feel as creative as a bubble test. (Hudson 1) Working with older students can inspire your students creativity and offer kids at both grade levels the opportunity to make connections. (Hudson 1) Hudson, Hannah. "TEACHERS." Scholastic Teachers. N.p., 4 Mar. 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.

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