Creativity – By @mazzystar81
By Mary Kerr
Creativity
‘How can we help violence feel less normal for young people in London?’ This was our brief last week. A huge, important brief and one that could save lives. We were not being asked to end knife crime by creating a new scheme, of which there are many great ones already, but to actually attempt to challenge and change the very mindset of a large group of people who experience violence as an everyday part of life. The pitches our group submitted were impressive. To see our group using all the tools taught so far to tackle such an important issue with such empathy and creativity was really inspiring. It led me to thinking, if creativity was taught in secondary schools like it is at SCA – what the world look like?
It baffles and upsets me how little creativity is taught in school. As Marc once said in a masterclass – the education system is outdated. ‘We’re still teaching children as if their future is to work in an industrialised society when now, more than ever, we are becoming aware that ideas and innovation will be the world currency.’ Yet nowhere teaches children how to develop and hone ideas like we are being taught here. That creativity is a process and that there are formulas, guidelines and tools. We are taught to fail, fail again, fail better but we are safe. We learn that as painful as it is, it is often necessary to let go of what we think are our best ideas so that something better can come in its place – what a life lesson! We are pushed, we learn to take risks and we try to fly. To take one flap can feel like an immense accomplishment and fill one with such pride and then we return to our humble researching – go deeper, push further.
‘The tools for survival in todays culture are very different to those provided to students in today’s secondary education; it is no wonder that todays generation struggle to find their place in society.’ I know that I massively struggled at school and that instead of the way my mind connected dots being channelled I was just labelled dyslexic and given extra time in exams – something which I was always grateful for. I believe that if our children are taught how to think creatively as a part of their everyday curriculum we would see a far more progressive, connected society. A society with a greater understanding each other and ourselves. Creativity inspires happiness, fulfilment and a desire to share with others. I believe if taught properly we would see a drop in depression, violence and addiction in the world.
Yet kids are still learning Pi. Without creativity the world is stagnant. The greatest innovations are more than just technical, they also demand imagination, creativity and a sense of belief in the impossible. We study some of the greatest innovators and creators in history but have little guidance of how we ourselves can become great.
Osho said, “To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” If you’re in love with your world – where better a place to live?
