نگاهی به خلاقیت در مدارس دولتی و خصوصی

This research study investigated the perspectives of teachers on student creativity. A group of 15 teachers from public schools and 24 teachers from private schools completed an Early Childhood Creativity Rating Scale (ECCRS) on four of their students. A total of 156 students were rated on this ECCRS. The major question asked in this study was: How do teacher perspectives of student creativity differ in public and private schools, between kindergarten and grade 3, and are these perspectives influenced by teacher characteristics. Results found that private school teachers rated their students higher on creativity, third grade students were rated lowest on creativity, and teachers who perceived themselves as most creative also rated their students as most creative.

The classroom has long been a very important environment for children to develop and learn to function in society. Teachers of early childhood children are obligated to empower each child to develop to their greatest potential. Tapping into their creative skills and allowing children the freedom to explore, experiment, question, and create may foster a lifelong love for learning and enable the children to lead more enriching and creative lives. It is important for teachers to examine their perspectives in the classroom. Are they comfortable with ambiguity? Are they genuinely interested in the children's ideas? Are they willing to let the children lead a bit more as they listen more? Most teachers have experienced moments of glorious creativity in the classroom; moments when the students are deeply engaged in their discoveries and intrinsically motivated to learn more, fully pursuing their interests. Conversely, educators are also perplexed at times when no student seems interested in the topic of the day, and learning seems to come to a complete standstill. There are days when teachers struggle to gain the attention of their students while the students wait desperately for recess and lunch time. Parents experience this dilemma about school as well, when their own children sincerely do not want to go to school; yet on other days, the children leap from the car and race into their classrooms ready for the next adventure in learning. Conscientious educators want to know what makes the difference. What is the magic combination to unlock a child's creativity and foster a love for school and learning?

Based on the data gathered in this study, it can be concluded that in the schools surveyed creativity is valued more in kindergarten than in third grade. It also appears that the private school teachers in the study value creativity more than the public school teachers in the study. And lastly, teachers who recognize creativity in themselves value creativity in the students in their classrooms more than teachers who do not see themselves as creative. Several interesting themes emerged as the responses to the 12 questions on the ECCRS were examined. The private school teachers rated their students higher on creativity overall than the public school teachers. The kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers rated their students higher on creativity overall than the third grade teachers. And the teachers who rated themselves as more creative also rated their children as more creative overall. All of these findings were important because they influence the environment and development of children who are busy growing, playing, and shaping ideas about their magical and wonderful world. The information obtained in this study suggests that the more years students spend in school, the less creative they become. This is probably due to the fact that they have fewer opportunities to be creative or use creative thinking skills as they proceed through the grades. To remedy this situation, teachers must engage youngsters in creative, constructive, student centered learning activities. The notion that these types of learning situations take too much time because there is so much material to cover to get ready for the test need to be abandoned. Most of the “getting ready for the test” type of teaching and learning rarely get beyond the knowledge or rote level and leaves no room for creativity or creative thinking. Teachers need to be given the freedom and opportunity to teach children the things they need to learn to be successful as adults. If they teach in the most effective, creative, and student centered environments, the tests will take care of themselves and the teachers may actually view themselves as being more creative. It is time to stop testing and drilling the creativity out of our youngsters!