EDIM 508 u04a1

I don't think that schools kill creativity. I do, however, think that they don't do much to help encourage it either. In my time teaching, I have been lucky to see many creative students cultivate their creative talents through various programs at school; we have musicians who perform their very own composed musical works, actors who ad lib the "please turn off your phone" intro to the school musical, and young artists who take a project to a whole new level.

Now, while these all sound amazing, and those students truly are, they are one in very few. I know many students who would be great in the musical who didn't audition well, and I run a ukulele club for students, many of whom didn't want to play in the school's music program. These students are just as wonderful as the others I mentioned, but school did not help them find and cultivate their creativity. I think when schools get a prodigal student of sorts, it's more because they fit the program and were in it at the right time. I think that students would be much better served if schools turned more towards encouraging creativity and less to encouraging creativity only when it's convenient to the programs in place. A lot of students who don't get encouraged through school find other outlets to express themselves and grow, but others aren't as lucky, and this is something very tough to swallow as a teacher who gets to interact with so many great young minds.

One way I think digital media could help bring creativity alive is through something I've mentioned before: podcasts. I am a huge fan of podcasts, in fact, when students peer into my classroom during my prep period they'll often see me with my earbuds in listening to a recent download. What I love about podcasts is that they can be about anything; I listen to podcasts that are serious interviews, podcasts that are improv scenes, and even a podcast dedicated to the show "Frasier." The media to record them can be pretty simple: a microphone (even a phone's audio memo function works well), a hard drive, and some basic audio editing software, some versions of which come with the computer (like garageband) or have a free download (such as audacity). What I envision is giving my students a general topic, and assign them to make a short 5-10 minute podcast on the subject. The rest is up to them, they could create an interview with a historical figure, create a comedic scene involving two famous people from history, or providing a review or criticism of a philosopher's ideas. Through an education platform such as Schoology the students could share their podcasts and comment on them; like a tiny educational podcast network that even has iTunes reviews! I think the students would have a lot of fun creating them, and the teacher and other students would have fun listening to them (not to mention it would make grading enjoyable!). But most importantly, if would allow students to find a way that they want to use their creativity and go for it. Who knows what it might help inspire them to do!