need help with thesis proposal, theme: creativity, idiolect, education

I once took a English course in college where we discussed fairy tales. We took the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and basically broke it down into the fact that first she runs off into the bush and shacks up with seven men. Second it is always the men who go off to work, one wonders what she did during the day, perhaps sleeping after very busy nights? Third she opens the door to strangers and accepts gifts, which also makes one wonder. Lastly she runs off with a complete stranger who goes around kissing unconscious women he finds on the ground, one has to wonder what he would have done if she had not woke up. She leaves the dwarfs and believes his story about being a Prince and takes off on his horse with him. One could really wonder what kind of life she led after that.....

The point here is that anyone can take a story and make any point they want to make out of it, because of their own creativity (or logically) in their minds. I have to agree with the Great Marlowe on this, creativity may be one of the hardest things to teach in a world based on science and mathematics, but if one wants to learn the best example one can find is by watching young children at play without the TV or computer on. Kids often play with the box a toy came in rather then the toy itself, because it strikes their imagination and creative processes a lot quicker then the toy. It is too bad in some ways many adults are not just given a box rather then a TV or computer, the world may be a lot more fun to live in.

CS

I agree with this (how could I dispute the Great Marlowe) but I would like to add that the innate creativity can be honed.

I believe creativity can be nurtured and developed. Kids must be exposed to creative thinking. Often gifted kids who are not too quirky(some are so bright, that collaboration frustrates them- but still s/he should be exposed) who work with average kids- that is in a collaborative partnership- actually raise the level of creative thinking of the average student and gain not only confidence, but a solid sense of their own talents. There are reasons for the lack of creativity. Part of this deficit is our education philosophy- too much memorization, skills, narrow objectives and not enough attention to developing kids individual talents. There is also too much emphasis on the teacher as the center of learning and too little student led inquiry.

If I were directing the development of this thesis, I would suggest that "creativity" and "teaching a creative process (es) needs to be defined as they are two different entities. As for teacher centered learning vs student I have to agree that schools seem to spend an inordinate amount of time developing memorization skills - teaching to a test - rather than on independent thinking.
Last, Canadianspankee's description of the story of Snow White really had me chuckling. I'd love to hear the breakdown of other fairy tales. I do recall taking a college lit course many moons ago that made the suggestion that when Jack & Jill went up the hill, they had no intention of gathering water.

I believe that creativity is innate. Here is the basic problem with teaching creativity. Teaching is an intellectual exercise that improves the function of the left brain but being creative comes from the right brain. It's hard to teach history from a geography textbook. There is some crossover effect but it is limited. There have been many attempts to improve right brain functioning but the results have been pretty hit and miss.

A person can be taught how to express their creativity more effectively but they are limited by what they are born with. For example, you can teach a 5'2" man to play basketball fairly well but he will never become an NBA star no matter how hard he tries, he's simply too short. The best coach in the world can show him how to improve but nobody can make him any taller.

In short, Callingbutterfly, you have set yourself a very difficult task. You are talking about using a curriculum which is left brained based to change an ideolectic creative process which is right brained based. You are in the library on the left side of the house trying to prepare a meal when all the utensils and food are in the kitchen that is located on the right side.

By the way Callingbutterfly, you can use any of my wonderfully creative analogies in your thesis if you would like. lol

Actually I would think using a geography textbook would be a great way to teach history. With a few geograhpy books showing the maps of the world changing throughout time, things could easily switch into the history part, but perhaps that is just me and my way of thinking.

I disagree with Tiptopper, it may be very very hard for a 5' 2" man to be in the NBA but I would not say impossible. It would only be impossible because of the limited views of the ones in charge of coaching or managing a team, not because the shorter man did not play as well or even better then the 6' 6" players. In the same sense creative thoughts and processes are often discouraged or limited because other people in the world cannot see what the creative person is doing, not because they are mean or cruel, but simply because they have not the same creative skills.

I do agree with tiptopper that you have an hard course ahead, but I would love to read your writings as we go along. Likely not going to be able to on site but still what a great subject. And of course your PHD thesis is going to have several spankings in it, right??.....LMAO That would put the reviewing commitee to the test, I wonder how creative they would prove to be...LOL

CS

Well this is pretty far off-topic but I love a good debate so I can't resist replying.

The reason tall men are in the NBA is not becaue the managers and coaches have limited views it is because over decades it has been shown that taller men are better. The basket is 10' from the ground so the taller person is closer to it. It's just simply physics not prejudice. A taller player will beat an equally talented shorter player and only the most talented players will make it into the professional ranks.

You are technically correct that a 5'2" man could become a NBA star just as it is technically correct that I could become the next president of the United States since I meet the constitutional requirements. The chances of either happening are so slim that they are not worth seriously considering.

Perhaps some aspects of creativity can be taught. In junior school creative writing usually begins with mind-mapping of ideas and expanding on these. This focuses the mind on exploring ideas and connections. So perhaps that is a start to creative development. I tend to think that the motivation to write is an interest rather than an inborn attribute. If one is keen to do it, and applies their mind to it, the creative process flows more freely. So, 'can anyone write a creative story?' YES they can, but it may not always be a publishable or even of legible standard. For some, writing comes easier than for others. However, I believe that most people can be taught a high standard of literacy and if they are intrinsically motivated to write creative fiction they can be guided successfully with the right teacher/ support system; even if they don't have so called 'natural ability'. Creative writers, however, generally tend to have artistic natures with vivid imaginations. Can this aspect be fostered in an academic facility? Perhaps. The human mind is an incredible sponge, soaking up information continually throughout a lifetime; we are products of what we have been taught and what we have experienced, especially during the significant moments. If academic institutes foster the development of the creative process, via mind mapping and other ' thinking' techniques, fostering creativity is possible. Intrinsic motivation, of course, is paramount to the creative process being successful.

A 5'3" basketball player by the name of Mugsy Bogues had a fairly lengthy career in the not-too-distant past. More recently, 5'5" Earl Boykins played in the league. Several players have made it at 5'7". They were all extraordinarily quick and good leapers (other qualities that can't really be taught). Offensively they performed well. The problem they all shared at the defensive end of the court was... surprise, surprise... that they were short. Even the not-so-tall player of 6'1" or 6'2" they'd be matched against had no trouble posting them up. Although they made the most of their talent (which was considerable), they could't be what they were not. If a 5'3" individual could make it in the NBA, there's no reason someone 5'2" couldn't, but he'd have to have other extraordinary innate talent, with skills well-developed, and still couldn't be an all-around star do to his height limitation.

As IC said, creativity can be nurtured and developed. Like height for a basketball player, though (or leaping ability, or quickness), it can't be taught.

This is a great starting point when it comes to creativity and that is one's point of view; I am not sure values relates to creativity unless you are speaking of cultural values. For example, I was always interested in Art, studying it, making it and at some point- when I was about 14, my mother announced to me she would no longer pay for art supplies or approve a class schedule with another art class. She saw no value in studying art.
Her values resided in "work." On an assembly line you worked Xnumber of hours completed so many pieces of jewelry and paid accordingly. Art was not a living. Writing was OK because it was taught in schools, but again not a living. She saw no value in writing as a profession, yet she read and was intrigued by ideas. My four brothers and sisters embraced those values, her values; I did not. Why? There were no galleries in my working class neighborhood. I was not exposed to an art museum of modern or fine art until I was about 13 or 14 and found it personally inspiring and valuable.

But I'm still not sure that family values influence personal creativity. I had friends whose parent/s painted, wrote, were involved in theater and my friends expressed no interest. Yet others who embraced it. So let us consider nurturing as another "doorway" to the creative process. but also recognize there is no absolute.

Islandcarol