In order to be creative you must create. It doesn't matter what you create of how you create, it's just that you create something. We are designed and created to be creators. We are each unique. We each look differently, act differently and think differently. Therefore, we should all be expected to express ourselves differently. Creativity is achieved by expressing ourselves in unique and different ways.

It is important to understand that we are continually creating in our daily lives. When we get dressed, cook or even in our thinking we are using our creative abilities. In the work force the more creative you are the more successful you tend to be. It is the person that applies their unique and inventive ideas that tend to be the most successful. Those are the people that think outside of the box. When educators encourage creativity they are building their students up for success.

Creativity is done by promoting originality and imagination. It should not have too many guidelines and restrictions attached to them. When there are too many guidelines it causes the students to think like the teacher or the person who created the activity. By telling a student how to create you are taking away their freedom of creativity. It causes them to create based on the teacher's expectations and not based on their own perception and imagination. Giving too many directions and guidelines discourages creativity and causes students to hide from their own unique ideas. Therefore, any possible way to encourage originality should be promoted.

Creativity needs to be discovered. It is the world that students are discovering. Anything from nature to things made by man, from relationships to behaviors are examples of what students are discovering. Creativity comes with what you know about the world around you and is applied in a new and inventive way. It can be done by inventing and expressing something new out of inspiration of something already discovered. But before anything is created there needs to be a basic knowledge and inspiration for what is being created.

Creativity can and should be done in all subjects and all different ways of expression. It can be incorporated through writing, speaking, movement, and building. It can be applied in all subjects: English, history, music, math, science, physical education and the list goes on. It is when the student is able to apply their own perception of their beliefs, knowledge and understanding that they will remember something and better understand what they have previously learned.

If students are lacking in their ability to be creative it is a huge disservice to them. It causes them to lack interest in what they are being taught. By being free to use their creative abilities students are learning about themselves, discovering themselves. When they are not able to do this they learning how to conform to other and could miss out on the opportunity to learn about their unique selves and how to apply themselves to their fullest. It is creativity that stretches a person in all areas. It is conformity that hides a person.

Learn more about this author, Julia Fregoso.
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