An Example of How School Tried to Beat the Creativity Out of Me

Yesterday I wrote a post about the importance of tapping your creativity. I think in writing that post I stirred up some deep seated childhood memory from a time I was in elementary school. I am going to share that memory with you now…

(Don’t worry, this story involves nothing illegal, nothing that requires real therapy, and nothing that involves me waking up at 2am in a cold sweat screaming “bad touch!” But it does involve a short-sighted approach to teaching that may be responsible for stamping out kids’ creativity)

Waaaaaay back when I was in elementary school, I think the third grade, we used to periodically have “creative writing assignments.” We would be given a topic and then have to write a story on that topic. I remember one time vividly not because the topic was awesome or interesting, but rather for the feedback I received.

The topic was, “what if all the clocks and watches in the world stopped working?” My comic-book reading, cartoon watching, sci-fi absorbing, superhero obsessed mind immediately went to the fantastical. I wove a tale involving time stopping, the Earth slowing down, and a protagonist’s quest to set it all right again.

Guess what comment was written on the story when I got it back?

“Why would all this happen just because the clocks stopped?”

What.

The.

@#$%…?

Ok, sure, logically, that was a valid question. Clocks stopping doesn’t necessitate a monkey wrench in the same time continuum. But keep in mind, this was a third grade CREATIVE writing assignment.

Isn’t the point supposed to be to be creative??

What really got my goat was some other wrote a story that essentially involved the main character being confused for a while and eventually asking a policeman for help. That’s it. He got an “excellent.”

I repeat: What. The. @#$%…?

Creative writing people. Creative. Like how Superman turned back time at the end of the Superman movie. Or how Luke Skywalker can use the Force to blow up the Death Star. Or how a man can blow up a shark with an oxygen tank and a well aimed rifle. Creative!

(Come on, you can’t tell me that this isn’t more ridiculous than my story of time stopping!)

And yet because my fantastical tale didn’t conform to the instructor’s expectations, I was criticized for it.

I think two things are obvious here: 1) This event clearly had an impact on me, since I’m writing about it almost thirty years later. 2) Things worked out ok for me, as being creative has become my stock in trade.

But what about others? How many kids do you think are out there having their creativity questioned or criticized to a point where they just give up? How many adults are walking around today feeling uncreative and blocked simply because they were influenced to give up long ago?

This is by no means an indictment of teachers. Like any profession, teachers vary. But it doesn’t have to be a teacher; parents, friends, relatives, or any influential person could effectively beat the creativity out of a kid.

Lesson #1: If you are in any position to influence a child’s development, please, please reward and value their creativity. Even if you don’t get it.

Lesson #2: If you had the creativity beat out of you as a kid, don’t give up! It’s never too late to start, and that creative well is always inside of you. Check out this audio. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Hell, just sit down and try writing something.

Don’t let a well intentioned but wrong minded person or influence from your past stop you from being the fully creative person you can be!

About

By Avish Parashar. As the world's only Motivational Improviser, Avish uses techniques from the world of improv comedy to engage, entertain, and educate audiences on ideas around change, creativity, and motivation. Connect with Avish on Google+

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