Creativity and Learning

I'm very interested in creativity, and which I believe is a knowable and conscious process, and very central to good and sound knowledge, wisdom, and learning. When I asked a friend his definition of creativity, he said that to him it means not being stuck down to one routine, but having a choice and variety of different activities. Another friend described creativity as being able to see things from different perspectives.

Both these definitions are very important to learning and education, and should both be a part of our schooling and education system. Whilst it's conventional to think that if we learn, then we can be creative, I believe that if we are creative, then we can learn more constructively and effectively.

My friend Luke described my friend Bill's artwork as starting from randomness and random colours and shapes, and that Bill then makes faces and images out of the random shapes, and merges the whole thing into a coherent and yet still remaining somewhat abstract picture.

I do indeed believe that randomness is a very important part of creativity, as is having a variety of activities, and seeing things from different perspectives. Some people on the Left of politics say that whilst they admit that certain individuals can be very creative, they say that it's better if we are all equal, and then we can be strong and creative together, and without having someone else's power and control over us.

I agree with this in a way, and want to focus on everybody's creativity, and do not want to be elitist and focus on just so-called gifted individuals. This is why I want to see more creative teaching and learning in schools, and not least because the peak of creativity can start at a young age, as well as sometimes developing later on in life intellectually, and which is why creative learning and teaching in adult education are very important too.

What occurs to me, is that some people who teach don't see creativity as important to learning, and the creative fields such as music and the arts, are sometimes separated from academic and intellectual development and activity, as are sometimes religion or spirituality, but which are also creative to varying degrees.

One other aspect of creativity, apart from randomness, is the reordering and restructuring of things. I see this as political as well as intellectual, and which is why I want to see liberal, social, and radical reform in society. The reordering and restructuring of society is in itself creative, and is very important to produce and create creative, individual, and human potential.

Another important aspect of creativity is emptiness, openness, and receptivity of mind, as well as having critical abilities and faculties. Prayer, meditation, and relaxation, enable a person to be more receptive, and to temporarily empty our minds, so we see things fresh and new again, and with new inspiration and ideas.

A great deal of learning, is about creating a frame of mind and environment where a person or group can have receptivity, randomness, and restructuring and reordering of processed information, in order to focus and concentrate on details, notes, and key concepts and phrases. This is what the education system should be teaching, and not bombarding the mind with masses of information, and using old and outdated methods of pure dictation, and which are not conducive to effective and creative learning.

I hope this article is read by our politicians, and that they will try to achieve a more creative learning environment for our children, and for our society at large.