This Is What Happens When We Close Doors On Creativity In The Classroom

Most of our public schools still run on an industrial model - like a factory, where children are put into boxes according to age and ability.

This process of schooling follows the framework of historical education processes and procedures, such as standardized tests, and learning from a one-size-fits-all curriculum. It is closing the doors on passion, imagination, discovery, and problem-solving, leaving little room for creativity.

• In the 18th-century, Common schools emerged and provided education to students of all ages. Parents paid for their chid's tuition and provided housing for the teacher.
• By 1900, 31 states required students between the ages of 8-14 to attend public schools. By 1918, all students had to complete elementary school.
• In the late 18th-century, European factory-type education came to the surface and was adopted in North America in the mid19th century. Student outcomes were designed to meet societal needs.

In 2015, The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) ended federal interference in State standards. ESSA was supposed to unleash a "flood of innovation" in states and districts across the country.

However, it is hard to measure creativity and innovation. Only when we

• let kids discover their internal paths of interest,
• use their imaginations,
• explore creativity,
• stop all unnecessary rote memorization and standardized testing 

will we set children up to thrive and change the world.

When we remove critical parts of a curriculum that lead to creativity - such as free play, music, art, recess, and gym - we can quickly squash a child's passion.

As parents and teachers, it is our place to encourage creativity. Our job is to lead and guide by example, by letting our kids discover, embrace, and change their world. We should not step in too much or take over and interrupt the love of learning.