Teaching creativity: methods and best practices

¶ … creativity be taught?

When attempting to answer the question of whether creativity can be taught, first we must define what is meant by creativity. Examples of creativity which come to mind include Michelangelo 'liberating' David from a block of stone; Einstein developing his theory of relativity; and Shakespeare writing his famous plays. However, these actions did not simply come from nothing, like a bolt of lightning from the sky. Michelangelo studied art for years; Einstein needed to learn the basics of the scientific method; Shakespeare was an actor as well as a writer and based many of his plays upon previous works of literature. Although all of these examples of creativity feature originality, they also highlight the degree to which creativity involves mastering a set of skills that have been developed by others, albeit using them in new ways.

To me, this is the answer of whether creativity can be taught. Teaching creativity means giving students the needed skills sets and confidence to use those skills in an innovative fashion. Students need to learn to write, to do math, and the basics of the scientific method. But they also need to be given a safe space in which they can experiment with these skills, even make mistakes, so they can generate something new and creative. Not every student will be equally adept in all the skills he or she learns, of course. For example, some students find it easier to be creative verbally while others find it easier to create using music or numbers. But even the most talented prodigy still requires some guidance in using his or her gifts.

An excellent parallel with creativity is that of memory. Some people seem to have innately better memories than others. However, with training and the use of mnemonic devices, the act of remembering things can become easier for virtually everyone. Everyone has the potential to enhance his or her memory, although we all begin with certain starting points. And certain cultures seemed to be uniquely adept at nurturing the skill of remembering long pieces of text, such as largely oral cultures of the past where people were accustomed to memorize epic poetry. Similarly, people have different levels of motivation to learn and to advance in life -- this cannot be 'taught' but good managers and teachers know that motivation can be enhanced with proper psychological techniques and setting people up for success.

According to Professor Jennifer Mueller: "Every theorist that exists today on the planet will tell you creativity is an ability that ranges in the population, and I think in a given context, creativity can be shut off -- or turned on, if the environment supports creativity" ("Can creativity be taught?"). In other words, a person with an average level of creativity can enhance that ability if surrounded by the right support network, just as a very creative person can be stifled in an uncreative environment. "Our brains were wired to be inspired; creative capacity and innovative ingenious work synergistically to energize the brain. Research shows that being innovative and creative builds new brain synapses. Creativity cannot only be taught, but because our brain changes daily by how we use it, it can be trained" (Bond, "Can creativity be taught?").