For this assignment, I interviewed a 12 year old seventh grader from a local middle school. Truth be told, I interviewed my son, because we are out of school, and my own third graders are not available. (I will tell you that I am enrolled in this program precisely TO increase the creativity quotient in my classroom, so I would not be surprised to hear my students say they would “like to do more with computers,” and things of that sort. That is what I would like for them, at any rate.)
I wanted to hear what my son had to say about creativity in school because I see close to zero creativity in his program, and I have been frustrated by that for the past several months. I know I bring my own bias to this interview, so I asked: “Do you CARE that there isn’t that much creativity, or is it not that big of a deal to you?” (Pretty much the only way to get more than a “yes” or “no” answer from this pubescent male.) His response was: “It isn’t that big of a deal to me.” Which, frankly, I found surprising.
There is the data, anecdotal though it may be. If I had to interpret it, I would say that school was not all that engaging this year due to a general lack of creativity. Our conversation went longer than this, but it continued to circle back to the same idea: seventh graders do a lot of worksheets and other “activities” that they don’t really connect to, and don’t really value. As a matter of fact, with one notable exception, The Hunger Games, the seventh grade language arts reading list was nearly identical to the one I recall from 1972.
Sixth grade was a highly creative year...his teacher was quite tech savvy, and they did a number of digital projects. Sixth grade is usually not someone’s favorite grade...it was definitely his. He enjoyed his homework...I was impressed with his academic growth and happy that he was personally vested in what he was doing. This year has been quite different. He has beautiful technology at his disposal here at home, and he is loathe to use it to do anything other than game. His assignments don’t push him in any way, so my “helpful suggestions” around utilizing technology to “spice things up” are met with the typical seventh-grade roll of the eyes. I don’t think this is just part and parcel of his age. I think school has bored him to death this year. I don’t get the impression they care whether the kids like school or not...that they have just written off these “difficult” years, and are just surviving.
I have often wondered why middle school is not a seething hot bed of creativity. If this is such a difficult group to engage, why are we not implementing project-based learning, and other highly motivating, meaningful practices? If it “doesn’t count” for a permanent record, doesn’t it “count” for exciting kids about learning and the world they are about to enter? Doesn’t it count for launching prepared, creative, energized freshman into the most important schooling years of their lives? Of all years, the middle years should be open to creative thinking, problem-solving and...CREATION. Who knows? Maybe kids who are highly engaged academically and intellectually, would be less highly engaged in the negative social aspects of these particular years. I hope some middle school somewhere is experimenting with this idea.
I wanted to hear what my son had to say about creativity in school because I see close to zero creativity in his program, and I have been frustrated by that for the past several months. I know I bring my own bias to this interview, so I asked: “Do you CARE that there isn’t that much creativity, or is it not that big of a deal to you?” (Pretty much the only way to get more than a “yes” or “no” answer from this pubescent male.) His response was: “It isn’t that big of a deal to me.” Which, frankly, I found surprising.
Here is a run-down of our Q and A.
- Would you say you experience creativity in school?We only have creativity in one class...science...we do science experiments and other projects.
2. Have you ever used computers to do science projects?
Yes, for studying and researching...googling and word processing. We made an
iMovie in science (could not remember the nature of the project).
3. In 6th grade, you did lots of digital things...could you name a few?
Wikispaces, glogsters, iMovies.
4. How would you compare last year to this year as far as creativity is concerned?
We did WAY LESS creativity this year.
5. Which year would you REMEMBER the most about what you learned.
6th grade (last year).
6. Why do you remember more from 6th grade?
It’s easier to remember the creative stuff. We actually had real projects and
stuff...we did things that were actually worth doing.
7. How does that compare to this year?
We had a lot of stupid things to do.
8. What do you mean?
We didn’t do any “hands-on learning” in any of our classes. It’s easier to learn from
the hands-on stuff.
9. What has been your favorite grade so far in school?
6th grade.
10.Why?
We had lots of hands-on learning...it felt like I was doing things that were
worthwhile...not just another stupid paper or stupid worksheet.
11. Why do you think the teaching got so conservative in 7th grade?
Maybe because it doesn’t really count in middle school. It will really count in
high school, so they want to make sure we know what we are doing before we get
there.
12. Do you prefer individual or group projects?
Group.
13. Why do you like group projects better?
Other people can catch things you miss.
14. Can you give me an example of when that happened?
We were reading a textbook, and I missed something, but another person
got it.
15. Can you give me some more thoughts on learning in a group vs. learning
independently?
In a group, you have to think harder...you get different ideas than if you are
working by yourself
There is the data, anecdotal though it may be. If I had to interpret it, I would say that school was not all that engaging this year due to a general lack of creativity. Our conversation went longer than this, but it continued to circle back to the same idea: seventh graders do a lot of worksheets and other “activities” that they don’t really connect to, and don’t really value. As a matter of fact, with one notable exception, The Hunger Games, the seventh grade language arts reading list was nearly identical to the one I recall from 1972.
Sixth grade was a highly creative year...his teacher was quite tech savvy, and they did a number of digital projects. Sixth grade is usually not someone’s favorite grade...it was definitely his. He enjoyed his homework...I was impressed with his academic growth and happy that he was personally vested in what he was doing. This year has been quite different. He has beautiful technology at his disposal here at home, and he is loathe to use it to do anything other than game. His assignments don’t push him in any way, so my “helpful suggestions” around utilizing technology to “spice things up” are met with the typical seventh-grade roll of the eyes. I don’t think this is just part and parcel of his age. I think school has bored him to death this year. I don’t get the impression they care whether the kids like school or not...that they have just written off these “difficult” years, and are just surviving.
I have often wondered why middle school is not a seething hot bed of creativity. If this is such a difficult group to engage, why are we not implementing project-based learning, and other highly motivating, meaningful practices? If it “doesn’t count” for a permanent record, doesn’t it “count” for exciting kids about learning and the world they are about to enter? Doesn’t it count for launching prepared, creative, energized freshman into the most important schooling years of their lives? Of all years, the middle years should be open to creative thinking, problem-solving and...CREATION. Who knows? Maybe kids who are highly engaged academically and intellectually, would be less highly engaged in the negative social aspects of these particular years. I hope some middle school somewhere is experimenting with this idea.
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