A recent exposé in Newsweek reveals that American creativity is on the decline – and Canada won’t be far behind. In 1958 a Professor Torrance devised a method of evaluating a person’s Creativity Quotient (CQ), somewhat akin to testing our Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, authors of the Newsweek article, suggest that “The correlation to lifetime creative accomplishment was more than three times stronger for childhood CQ than childhood IQ.” Further that “A recent IBM poll of 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the No. 1 ‘leadership competency’ of the future.”
Albert Einstein: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Fortunately there are innumerable actions we can individually take to promote and instil creativity in our children and grandchildren. This 2/3 blog focuses on a variety of direct responses to the Newsweek article. Yes, creativity can be taught!
Newsweek continues with: “…highly creative adults tended to grow up in families embodying opposites. Parents encouraged uniqueness, yet provided stability. They were highly responsive to kids’ needs, yet challenged kids to develop skills. In the space between anxiety and boredom was where creativity flourished.”
Richard Louv says that “Boredom is the Font of Creativity” in his book about nature-deficit disorder. Lisa Dewey Wells confers that “It’s when kids are allowed the space – physical, mental, metaphorical (my word) – that they begin to dig deep into themselves. Making connections, trying out methods and processes, making a mess, having fun. Often, even producing something novel, functional, amusing. We all need that unstructured thinking time.”
The accepted definition of creativity is production of something original and useful, and that’s what’s reflected in the Torrance tests.
Tara, a KidZui Mom, replies that “It’s critical to keep our children thinking creatively. By exposing our children to many experiences and taking a step back, we encourage their little minds to come up with some very interesting ideas. There are so many things that we can do as parents to set the stage for our kids’ creative young minds.”
Newsweek: “Preschool children, on average, ask their parents about 100 questions a day. Why, why, why—sometimes parents just wish it’d stop. Tragically, it does stop.”
Ann Bibby responds: “Parents can promote creativity, too, by encouraging the natural instincts of children to ask ‘why’. This means reading to/with them, watching what they watch and discussing it, and just overall being engaged.”
Back to Newsweek: “In early childhood, distinct types of free play are associated with high creativity.”
Darell Hammond’s response was: “Remember when a cardboard box used to inspire hours of imaginative play? It’s a doghouse; no, it’s a drum; no, it’s a secret fort! A cardboard box comes with no instructions. It doesn’t require batteries. It doesn’t talk to you when you shake it or pull a string. And yet, children are drawn toward boxes, just as they are drawn toward bottles, or rubber bands, or Styrofoam peanuts.”
Again Newsweek: “Highly creative people are very good at marshalling their brains into bilateral mode, and the more creative they are, the more they dual-activate. Those who diligently practice creative activities learn to recruit their brains’ creative networks quicker and better.”
Todd Hirsch writes about “The importance of right-brain attributes – skills such as imagination, creativity, intuition, and relational abilities – to ensuring Canada’s future prosperity.”
Sara Lipoff suggests that “Encouraging kids brains to be more right-brain dependent can be as easy as doing some creative activities that don’t overwhelm or frustrate left-brain learners. Finding ways to encourage the use of both sides of the brain creates a complete human, resulting in harmony and the use of its full potential.”
B2C Marketing Insider also responded to the Newsweek article by suggesting 7 Ways to Increase Creativity: reduce screen time, don’t ask someone to ‘be creative’, be active (exercise), follow a passion, ditch the suggestion box, take a break, and finally gain exposure to other cultures.
Blog 1/3 introduced the Newsweek article with sources of the problem. Blog 3/3 will continue offering ideas from a variety of unrelated sources.
