Students Speak Out on Creativity

One of my best sources on teaching methodology is my students. I am constantly asking them to reflect back upon their experiences and analyze the course content and my instruction. Many teachers, rightly so, are suspicious of student feedback. Name one career that allows fourteen year olds to assess and judge the actions of a trained professional. However, I still find that students are experts in the how they experience the formal and hidden curriculum. 

Since, the spring has been dominated by the theme of creativity, I recently asked members of my year-long courses to reflect upon their growth as creative thinkers and problem-solvers. In particular, I wanted to know about students’ beliefs about their own creativity and how they felt teachers impacted their thinking.

Adv. Painting, 2009

I asked,” Have you improved your ability to solve creative problems?” “Does the curriculum of the course help you build your creative thinking skills?” “What teacher actions helped or harmed your creative development?” The responses contained a few interesting themes.

One theme that emerged was the importance of high expectations that allowed students to push themselves and rid themselves of doubts about themselves as artists. “I discovered that with creative problems, my inadequacies kept me from having inspiration. Now, I know that I just have to keep painting, especially during those times.” “ I have been able to attack my problems first, instead of ignoring or procrastinating.” “The ideas we get in critiques help us push our ideas further.” “I no longer ignore the parts of a piece that I am afraid of.” Students need to have confidence to work creatively.

Another clear theme was the importance of positive relationships within the classroom. “The involvement of the teacher in every student’s work was helpful.” “When we brainstorm together, I improved my creative ideas.” “By looking at other people’s art and critiquing it, I am better able to consider many different approaches; collaboration is key.” In our solitary pursuits in the arts, we need a community to grow.

Students always  give me feedback that I can take into the summer with me. Many students desire more independence in short term, skill based projects. I know that I will wrestle on that one. Another idea to consider this summer is how to make the artistic journal even more spectacular. I was really surprised with by the feedback concerning the helpfulness of the journal to expand the student’s creative-thinking skills. I believed, through observation, that journaling was not a priority with my students and that they were merely “ticking off” my journal topic ideas. Teenage ennui is so deceptive!

In our latest Art Education, J.Ulbricht writes about the use of media to tell the public about the power of an art education (May, 2011). In particular, she calls for art teachers to use narratives to help the public and other decision-makers understand our purposes and values. If we were to share what our students say about creativity and their future potential for innovation, who knows how powerful our story may become. Could we develop a persuasive argument for more art education with the help of our student narratives?

-Laura Milas