Divergent Thinking Vs. Creative Thinking

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Recommended: Importance of creativity in education

Robinson states that divergent thinking is “not the same thing as creative thinking" but that it is an "essential capacity for creativity."Milena Segal

Many believe that people are born with an innate level of creativity that is later on influenced by the environment in which they are raised. Schools are one of the most influential environments in which people spend an average of eight hours a day. Whether it be a public, private, or home school environment, these early surroundings that children are exposed to shape their creativity. As students, parents, and even teachers we don't realize the effects that the education system can have on ones creativity. The public education system is defined by two main ideas, what are the most useful subjects for work and ones academic ability. So, where does this leave creativity? Due to the ideals of the education system, creativity can be seen as unvalued or even stigmatized. Understanding the correlation between the educational environment and creativity can help positively influences the progress of the individual as well as their society.

Before the 19th century there was no existing public education system, it was created during the intellectual cultural enlightenment period to meet the needs of the economic circumstances during industrialism. The public education system was a revolutionary idea that was paid for by taxes, mandated for everyone and free at the point of delivery. The education system was built on a hierarchy, where the most valued and useful subjects where at the top as well as ones academic ability. Putting subjects like math, english and humanities as the most valued and the arts such as art, music, drama and dance as recreational and unimportant. As the educat...

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...person who is an expert or a creative genius in a certain area such as dance or music , may not be as creative in other areas. As seen before schools focus on areas like mathematics and linguistics, excluding other areas. With this view the instant reaction of teachers is to assume that students who receive the highest grades are automatically the smartest and most creative students. During that time the idea of public education was to get a degree that would later guarantee one a job. In this day and age a degree does not guarantee one a job,unfortunately this is the begging processes of academic inflation within our century. With this view of the mind, the academic system breaks everyone into two groups academic, those know as smart and non academic, who are viewed as not smart or uneducated. Because of this many brilliant, intelligent people think their not.

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