Students Bubbling With Creative Skills

Sky is the only limit when it comes to innovation and creativity - Student of Abhyudaya High School , Bakaram, Hyderabad, AP, India proved it on July 6, 2013. I had an opportunity to conduct creativity workshop for class IX students.  Simple materials such as old newspapers, pins, stapler, tape, glue, straws were provided to students and the they were asked to construct a creative tower/building.

The intent of this workshop was to tap the obscure creative talent in the school children and allow them to freely express themselves without any boundaries.  The students were very thrilled and participated enthusiastically.  At the end of the workshop several creative towers were constructed.  Each one was a marvelous tower.  I was really amazed at their ideas.  the students were so excited that they started requesting me to conduct such workshops every Saturday. (Please see the attached photos to get a glimpse of their creativity)

I gave them a puzzle ‘How will you cross a river without a boat or bridge or without swimming. Pat came the answer from a student ‘we will sit on a crocodile and cross the river’.  I was resisting my temptation to yell ‘yahoo’. I could not do so as I was in the midst of the class.  Many students came up with such spontaneous answers.  Another student came up with a beautiful artistic greeting card made out of pistachio nut shells.  I can write on and on about their creative ideas. The paper tower idea is an old concept, but the kids have really come up with fascinating models.  My heart was filled with joy and happiness at the end of the workshop.

I am really thankful to the school management and teachers for allowing me to conduct the workshop at the school.  Once I was interested in conducting a similar workshop for college students.  I approached the college management.  I was asked ‘Can you guarantee college placements will increase if we conduct creativity workshop’.  I was speechless.  Our outlook and mindset has to change.  Indian students have abundant creative ideas. As adults we have to carefully nurture and encourage their ideas. Unfortunately our education system, parents and the schools seldom give importance to creativity.  We are more worried about the academic accolades. It is high time we start focusing on creating platforms to encourage the creative talents in the children.  If they are encouraged from the childhood without any inhibition, I am very confident they will do wonders when they grow up.

Please encourage creativity.  As a billion plus population country, we are still dependent on other countries for several products. There is a crying need to give impetus to creativity in schools and colleges. If creativity is given importance right from the childhood, I am sure that not only will the dependency decrease, but we will also start exporting our products to other countries.  Please allow the child to freely express themselves.  Do not worry about the practical feasibility of the ideas in the initial stages.  The child will slowly develop the skill to convert ideas into actions.

I am keen on conducting similar workshop at a Zilla Parishad High School.  I have seen schools where there are no class rooms.  At the same time I have seen smart students in such schools.  We just need to identify and polish them.  Imagine the positive impact it will have if such schools are also exposed to such activities.  To conduct such workshops we do not need any expensive material.  We can conduct a workshop with used material also.  The only challenge is how to populate this concept to a larger audience.

I would welcome your ideas and perspective on the above subject matter.  Let us start recognizing and encouraging creativity in the children and students.  It will do wonders to our great nation in the long term.  Look forward to your feedback.