Remember the good old days when you took art classes as an extracurricular or simply just enjoyed your weekends making handicrafts as a child? Who could’ve resisted that, right?
Creativity is not just a fun hobby but a critical life skill. However, when it comes to teaching skills and lessons to our current generation of students, creativity sometimes doesn’t really make the list. Traditionally, it is seen as something far less important and thus, many children today are missing out on the rich experience of creative learning.
Using more creative ways of teaching can help students develop a creative mindset. This mindset can help them relate better to what they are learning and actually make use of it. A creative mindset helps them look at problems with a new and unique perspective which leads to the generation of better solutions.
Here are 5 reasons why cultivating creative mindsets in students is as important as any other academic concept.
Creativity can keep the students motivated
Many studies conducted over the years strongly suggest that a creative mindset can help students stay motivated. When the students are taught in ways that nurture their creativity, they get actively involved in the process of learning. It also enables them to grasp certain things and concepts more easily and accurately.
With a creative mindset toward learning, students can easily correlate their education with their surroundings and develop personal interests. This gives them more autonomy and helps them feel more competent.
Creativity can strengthen cognitive skills
Cultivating a creative mindset in students during their learning years leads to the development of strong cognitive skills. Creativity requires the usage of skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and great eye-hand coordination. Thus, in a way, creativity can indeed ‘light up the brain’. Lessons that the students learn through creative methods in the classroom are retained for a long time.
Creativity triggers emotional development
A creative mindset in the students can aid their emotional development. It helps them process their emotions in better and more productive ways. The sense of achievement that creative practices provide helps in building their confidence and self-esteem. And even when they fail at something, they learn to start all over again.
Creativity is for everyone
Cultivating creative mindsets in students can lead to better participation in classrooms. Creative practices tend to be attractive to most children. Thus, the ‘hard-to-reach’ students can be reached through a more creative approach to education. Overall, a creative mindset in classrooms can make education more inclusive and accessible to each student.
Creativity is an essential skill for the future
The human race is ever-evolving. The value of new ideas and innovations is increasing by the day. Almost all jobs right now require a creative mindset to a certain degree. A creative mindset allows people to learn and implement their learnings in their lives rather than just learning for the sake of it. Creativity also helps them bring in new and innovative ideas. Thus, it is safe to assume that creativity is going to be one of the most essential skills in the future.
Cultivating a creative mindset in students can be beneficial to them in the long run. It can help students develop better cognitive skills and see every problem from a different perspective. With increased creativity, students become individuals who can think of simpler solutions to complex problems.
At Great Principals, we hope to bring about a necessary change in the ways of Indian Education. Each new generation is far more capable than the last, and we owe it to evolution. But as humans evolve, we are required to transcend from our old ways and look at things from a different perspective, one that shapes the untapped minds of the children for the ever-growing world.
We are here to capture the journeys of marvelous School Leaders and Principals through an interactive talk show. We hope to inspire the parents who are the true changemakers in a child’s growing life. Our goal is to bring about a much-needed change in the way we educate our kids. Feel free to check out our episodes on YouTube www.youtube.com/c/GreatPrincipals.
