Why Students are more Creative at Home than at School

Why are Students More Creative at Home than School? themindguild.com/students-creative-home-school September 17, 2017

Amazingly, a recent study has indicated that students are more creative at home than at school. As we look after the development of our children, both parents and teachers play a huge role in this. We should all value and encourage creativity above all as there are considerably correlations between creating and happiness among people.

We wonder sometimes whether or not creative potential is nurtured properly. And whether is it encouraged or even allowed at times in our society. When we see studies that are demonstrating perhaps a restriction in creativity and innovation, then we wonder if children are allowed to realize their full potential.

How Much Do Public Schools and Education Restrict Creativity?

Sadly, research has been telling us for many decades that creativity and innovation is not typically abundant in our schools. This can be very difficult for those who are very creative and love to innovate. The truth of the matter is that quite often we see highly creative student get shut down, and then they lose all interest in learning when creative juices are not allowed to flow.

To make matters worse, this scenario is often times misinterpreted as a behavior problem or even a learning issue. This misperception leads to many terrible outcomes like detention, laying out of school, and even unwanted medications. The good news is that a new study is providing fresh insight on how to better support these creative students.

A Fresh New Approach to Student Creativity The main finding of this new study was about most students are certainly more creative outside of school. These researchers made it very clear that the decline of creativity in schools is not all improving. In fact, this trend was first documented during the 1960s and has not changed since then.

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The best part of the study is that it went on to explain all the reasons for this creativity gap between school and home. It was found there was a direct correlation between the creativity level of the student and the creativity gap that exists between creativity at school and creativity outside of school. In other words, students that were highly creative outside of school were less so during school.

The study found that the more a student values creativity and expresses creative behaviors, the greater the discrepancy between their creative expression at school and outside of school. In other words, highly creative kids are more likely to express a lot of creativity outside of school and less creativity inside school. The thing is that kids who are highly creative would prefer create either with one additional person or by themselves.

And everyone knows that schools are all about groups and group activities. So this is one big explanation why kids are less creative at school.

So the question is what can everyone do to support those kids who are highly creative? How can we make home and school more supportive for them? Empathy is always a great place to start. We have to also realize that if a student wants to work alone, that it is not a bad thing or a behavioral problem.

In school, we should realize that it is fine if a student does not want to be a part of a group project. Allow the student to have some leeway. At home, do not overreact if the creative student does not want to have a playdate or two. Let them express themselves.

Understand that students are more creative at home than in school for a reason.

Reference – http://www.creativitypost.com/education/new_study_finds_student_creativity_is_at_risk_at_ school

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