Encouraging Creativity in the Face of Administrative Convenience: How Our Schools Discourage Divergent Thinking.

Abstract

This article reports observations of 2 classrooms in which arts based creative activities were integrated with curricular subject areas. One successfully incorporated a positive approach to sup- porting creativity. The other classroom used a more traditional approach to creative activities in the classroom. Suggestions for and possible outcomes of supporting and/or not supporting cre- ativity in the classroom are discussed and relevant literature on the topic presented and a discussion of the institutional barriers that keep creativity from being fully emphasized in the class- room. These include 1) the erosion of arts in the school curriculum 2) lack of Preservice teacher training in the arts and 3) over-reliance on praise in the classroom.