Can laundry be inspiring? A resounding YES!!!
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Monthly Archives: July 2010 Why is creativity decreasing in children under 12 in the last 20 years. What can we do about it? show 10 comments 
When teaching my students I remind them daily that as many individual people there are in the world that’s how many potential solutions there are to any given problem. Certainly in art that is true. And more importantly, the more you consider an idea or a challenge the more opportunities you have for coming up with a unique answer. That’s why all your notes on the ways you give your mind and soul a chance to rejuvenate help you. You’ve created time and mental space for things to shift into a new alignment so to speak. Always a good thing 
When did schools focus on creativity? General basic arts. Where have been the SCHOOL DISTRICT OR INDIVIDUAL FINANCED Creativity Programs. I have been in the creativity field since 1976 initially as a novice and a volunteer gifted education teacher. I obtained both a Masters degree in education focused on guidance and counseling of gifted, talented and creative students and a doctorate in creativity with Dr. E. Paul Torrance at the university of Georgia and since 1984 have been full-time consultant and speaker focused on the development of creative thinking in the workplace in the US and several countries. The article that I first highlighted and spoke positive about, mainly for the public recognition of ONE of Dr. Torrance research projects out of the hundreds that he did over 50 years. Then I read the FORGET BRAINSTORMING article and the Newsweek Radio interviews (very short) with both Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. Then I re-read the Creativity Crisis article and found problems with some of the research references and some claims make to justify the title and the suppose CRISIS of Creativity in the US. The lack of support for creative thinking in school districts has been true for many years. Yes some schools, some teachers, and perhaps some school districts have promoted after-school programs or gifted classes included creativity work. The article implies like it is a current phenomenon. Which it isn’t. 
@Alan From my perspective, however, I see that the reality of what most schools are doing, when it comes to actual budget support is focused on improving the test scores not on expanding creative thinking.This is what I notice while in the field. Test scores drive many boards because of the powerful effect of pressure from their perceived value , especially when it comes to college acceptances and funding. Thank you so much for you passion for creativity as so obviously expressed your comments.
the programs I listed have been in news over time and yes some have been in some select media more recently. Look at the September 25, 1985 issue of Time magazine only one example from the 80s. Then do a google or yahoo or other search for “creative thinking tools” workshops and you find a many, many more with a cyclical nature to the number of articles printed in a year.
@Alan You are correct that a lot of programs based on creative thinking have been in the media lately and I am enthusiastic about that!
@Meghan I am SO in agreement with you that many do not understand the fact that creative “thinking” tools are essential to understanding the whole picture. They do need to be valued as the thinking that they are, just an expansion of the reach of the human mind to understand from many different 
Hi Beth, Ashley Merryman will be speaking about the Creativity Crisis tonight with Charlie Rose and others on Bloomberg Television. There’s a clip of tonight’s episode, including Merryman’s segment, posted on Facebook if you’d like to check it out( http://www.facebook.com/bloombergtelevision ). Maybe the episode will provide more insight to the Forget Brainstorming article? To answer your question, “What can you do to personally increase the collective creative and innovative ‘IQ’ of America?” I think being creative with our observations is key. Observe and digest information, then play with it, rather than just consume it. Great post, good luck with your creative endeavors this week. -Meghan
another point which was not covered in the CREATIVITY CRISIS article. more and more business schools have included innovation (mostly) and creativity classes in their undergraduate and graduate programs. the number of creativity conferences, innovation conferences, ideas festivals and other similar programs are multiplying nearly geometrically and have been over the same 20 years. TED, CPSI, ACE, FCW, Next Idea, Mindcamp, Ideas Festivals, go to http://www.ifoco.org to see a fairly accurate listing of such programs yes school budgets have been reduced yet at the same time there are teachers, even some entire schools that are doing vastly creative programs yes the following after school programs still exist and new ones forming do a google search for creativity, creative thinking, art, music, dance programs in the US and you will be amazed Please be cautious of letting to writers make generalized statements based on a study they don’t even provide enough details about
I first praised the Bronson and Merryman article in NEWSWEEK because of the first 3 paragraphs devoted to one study of the hundreds that E. Paul Torrance did during his 50+ years career related to creativity in education. Then I read a second article FORGET BRAINSTORMING that was completely inaccurate. Then I heard short radio interviews with the two authors separately when they again made incorrect or out of context statements. Then I returned to the main article and began to find questionable statements or incomplete statements out of context that were not shown to truly be valid. As you very well know that art classes, music, drama and other similar classes have been pulled out of school programs. But not just recently but over the past 30 to 40 years. When I was an elementary school student between 1949 and 1958 I had one or two art classes with wonderful Mrs Johnson, one of the many great teachers I was blessed with in the 66 years of my life. The study by Kyung Hee Kim at the College of William & Mary I found out last evening may not be what was implied. Also what are the facts other than the TTCT scores have gone down since 1990. Dr. Kyung is a relatively recent graduate of her doctoral program at the University of Georgia where Dr. Torrance taught for many years. My question where can anyone truly read what the study involved and what the numbers truly were that she makes the claim that authors then go and generalized as the CREATIVITY CRISIS in the US. I find your examples from your hands on experiences with teaching and students far more credible. 
I came across your writing in Tag Surfer. It was interesting, but I must disagree with your last sentence. It might be preferable to say ‘Come on, be courageous, pick one NON-thinking skill and try it.’ “Look, I don’t want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if you’re alive you’ve got to flap your arms and leg, you’ve got to jump around a lot, for life is the very opposite of death, and therefore you must at least think noisy and colorfully, or you’re not alive.” Mel Brooks (1926- ) American… show 3 comments 
Jumping around and flapping the arms sounds just right to me. Keeps the brain from going into overdrive.
Yes, it is not often you see a quote from Mel Brooks that has to do with art; and the sketch of red bills in Florida just fit! 
I love this quote – and the drawing is fantastically appropriate.  If only I had enough time. Do you ever find yourself saying that to yourself? That is what I said when the three boys were little, and part of me didn’t want that time to end. I painted pictures with them in between making Halloween costumes and cookies, parties and putting bandaids on knees. We… |
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Cathy - I don’t know what I love more, the beautiful watercolor, the headline, or the sweet little story.
admin - Oh Jenna, I am so glad to hear from you. Isn’t A-list the best? Exploring creativity is a passion, inspired by my work.
I look forward to having you on board!
Jenna Pacelli - Hello from a fellow A-list blogger! Found your blog on the member’s blogs page and I’m really excited to start reading your blog. I love the quote above. It’s so wonderful for so many reasons. Hopefully your blog will help me rediscover my creativity. Keep up the good work! Jenna
Nina - “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” –Zen Proverb
Nina - “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” –Zen Proverb
