Current Education System Impact on Creativity

 

Abstract

This paper discusses how the current system education in Latin America kills creativity. The paper explains that standard test need to be reorganized and how the system would improve. Then it will show how free time is important for each student to have better knowledge. Finally, you will find how is the methodology of the system to reflect on the path we are following. Also along the paper there are some comments to solve the problem because that problem is affecting childhood.

Keywords: Current educational system, creativity, students , methodology, childhood.

The current education system kills creativity

Does every person have the same opportunities in the current education system? The answer is clear “No”. Nowadays the current education system is based on a few important subjects such as maths, science and language but it does not focus on people who like to dance or sing. In the article “The case for disruption in Latin American´s classrooms” (Segan, 2016), Susan says that many schools in Latin America continue to use antiquated models for education. For many years education system in those developing countries has not had a great change, even though humans are developing every moment; our cars improved, our computers improved, and our engines improved. However, in the article “Inteligencias Múltiples: La teoría en la práctica.” (Howard), Gardner suggest that we have been used this education system since industrial revolution. In those days this system worked because the world necessities only consisted on memorizing or following instructions. This education system uses those old techniques such as memorization but in today’s world skills such as creativity, imagination, and innovation are needed. Gardner also suggests that there is more than only one intelligence so why does education system only focus on some of them? We have different ways to learn, create, and innovate so we cannot keep on using this system. Each person is different and unique so the system cannot judge us equal. Also, the world has changed since the industrial revolution and our necessities have changed too. Now we have many people without work because the system does not prepare them for new labour requirements because the world need more people who can solve problems. On top of that the current educational system believes that some subjects are more important than others such as math and dance but nothing farther than the truth because a dancer can create and innovate with his/her body. However we sometimes think that a mathematic or a logic person only has theoretical knowledge and cannot apply that kind of knowledge in real life, but that is not true in all cases. However the current system education guides us to think in a unique way. For those reasons by me there are 3 issues with the current system education that kills creativity.

Standard test are not suitable for all students

First of all, standardized tests are one of the biggest problems in the education system. In the article “Inteligencias Múltiples: La teoría en la práctica.” (Howard) , the author says that there are several different intelligent. Based on this information in my view standard test is not a good way to evaluate a student´s progress. Standardized test are based on questions to benefit certain people with specific skills. For example, in Ecuador there is an exam called ENES which benefit people who have logical and linguistic intelligence. However, people who do not have those skills cannot pass this exam so they believe that they are not able to study anything. Those exams are created to benefit specific skills such as the ability to calculate math problems or create and solve equations. However, in the article “The case for disruption in Latin American´s classrooms” (20 May 2016), Susan Segal says that the way students learn and what they need to learn is rapidly changing so the main problem is Can a unique exam apply to everyone? According to Gardner there are different intelligent, skills and necessities so those kinds of exams do not work because each person has different skills and necessities. By the contrast this kind of test judges everyone as equals.

Another issue is that a test takes a lot of time to be answered and is exhausting for students. People who control educational system should change test methodology and try to make them less stressful. With this in mind if tests were more practical, students would increase their knowledge faster and they would develop new important abilities. For example, with a test is difficult to value the real awareness. By the contrast by creating projects would be better to evaluate each student. By creating projects students develop skills such as to resolve real problems, create new ideas or improve leadership. “In science, we don’t begin by knowing the answer-we value the process¨ (Ossola, 2014). That shows us that sometimes we need to move our hands to learn better. If we do not make the process we will have knowledge but we would not be able to apply that knowledge in the real world. One solution for this problem would be to decrease the number of tests and increase the number of projects but tests could be more practical because now there are a lot of tests that only exploit our ability to memorize. At the present time our world is more competitive and big ideas are required to improve our world. In this way test should be related to take advantage of those skills and guide us to use them to resolve real problems.

Time should be better spent

Secondly, the lack of free time for students is another problem in the current education system. Time is important for every one because we can use it on different things such as relaxing, doing homework, playing or whatever we like. However, what happens if we spend too much time in classes? We do not take advantage of the hundred percentage of our time because we have exhausting classes with a long schedule. In some cases each subject is token 2 hours per day, so teachers cannot stay those schedules and neither do students. Thus students get stressed easily and cannot pay attention very well. Also students who do not like some subjects spend their time in other activities such as playing on their cell phones, chatting or joking. Hence time is not taken advantage of in classes, so schedule should benefit students and teachers. Each one works better if they are relaxed. A good example to take advantage of time is in the article, “A Young Tinkerer Builds a Windmill, electrifying a nation.” (2007). Where Sarah Childress says that while William Kamkwanba quietly plowed through homework, his classmates were busy gossiping and checking their Facebook profiles. He took advantage of his time while his partners did not spend time in a good way.   Also William Kamkwanba created a new project without any pressure. He was relaxed and he worked better. Also he did not spend his time in classes because he was forced to work with his hands so he worked better if he was moving his hands. Also William Kamkwanba had done his work without any teacher; he is a great example of self-preparation. A great example of this is when he built a wind will only with a book. This shows that the only limit is our imagination. He worked every minute in his project so his project could be done. Based on that the scholar system should change the schedule and exploit each one´s abilities taken advantage of every minute in classes and give more free time to decrease stress. Also the system should consider different ways to exploit time. As we can see in Willian´s example creating projects is one of the best solutions because with projects we are able to think outside the box and not waste time. Time is too important because we cannot recover lost time.

The current methodology no longer works 

Finally, the current methodology based on memorization is an impediment to learn because creative people are wasting their time. Nowadays memorization is an important base in our education system. However not all students are able to learn in this way also this way of teaching does not teach critical thinking skills. If we think on memorization, scientist comes up our mind because some people believe that they are like robots and they only memorize their books. However , in the article “Scientists Are More Creative than You Might Imagine” (Nov 12, 2014). Ossola Alexandra believes that scientists are like artists as well. Scientists are able to create because they need new ideas. Also projects are based on new ideas and a scientist always does projects. If a scientist only has the ability of memorize, he would fail in the science world. However the education system, which I described before, is not useful for different skills based on creativity, it focuses in creating head knowledge. Schools only teach what they need to learn they only teach facts, but sometimes they do not teach how they can apply that knowledge and students are like machines, empty machines. A student can follow instructions but the real question is, can that student think by himself. Curiosity, initiative, leadership are not used in classes and they are abilities that can help a student not only in his studies also in his life. “Innovative solutions and new technologies are emerging around the world” (Segal Susan, 2016). That means that there are a lot of people with good ideas. However in Latin America those techniques such as creativity, collaboration, problem-solving and others are not taken of advantage because those skills are killed in schools or high schools. The system only teaches us to follow one way. Nevertheless kids are living a different reality so they need different skills. Memorization is an antiquate technique that should be changed by techniques like leadership or adaptability initiative.

To sum up

In conclusion if the current education system in Latin America based on memorization and head knowledge are not useful in the world today, we should find a solution to help people with fresh ideas, innovation or creativity. Today we are judge a fish by its ability to climb that shows us that we are not creating people who can solve real problems because the education system is focused head knowledge. However, the world need more than knowledge as developing countries we should be able to pick the best of other education systems from countries with better development. Also education system is too important for each one because kids are formed in this system and they will be the future of our society. Nevertheless we are killing their abilities and we are formed robots that only have linear thinking. Is true that there are problems so we need to identify which are they and try to find a solution.

Childress, S. (2007, DECEMBER 12). A Young Tinkerer Builds a Windmill. Retrieved from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119742696302722641

Howard, G. (n.d.). Inteligencias Múltiples: La teoría en práctica. Barcelona: PAIDÓS.

Ossola, A. (2014, November 12). Scientists Are More Creative Than You Might Imagen. Retrieved from the Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/11/the-creative-scientist/382633/

Sean T, F. (Director). (25 june 2013). El Sistema Educativo Finlandés Subtitulado web [Motion Picture].

Segan, S. (2016, May 20). The case for disruption in Latin America’s. Retrieved from The World Economic Forum on Latin: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/05/a-case-for-disruption-in-latin-america-s-classrooms/