CREATIVITY An Impeccable Virtue in Schools

Robert Kiyosaki, a well known author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad in his book titled Be
Rich and be happy, highly condemns the negative programming an education system
does to the young minds as such system focuses on bookish knowledge. He further
argues that such knowledge taught in school for children is futile where applications
in practical affairs of life become totally obsolete.
He further re-defines and urges all schools and educationalists to re-engineer their
education systems that will prepare their children for practical life success financially,
socially and emotionally.
The enigmatic truth about his new way of thinking of educating children are
experienced only in rare schools for instance, The Yenepoya School, (though it may
not be the only school), that pioneers and initiates such innovative methods of
learning from Montessori 1 until grade10.
A child whos educated at such a school does not view the world like a child at another
traditional school. He or she thinks differently i.e. thinks outside the box. This means
that that the childs thinking is original, creative, imaginative, artistic, innovative and
of resourceful nature.
Let me illustrate this point, and you as a TYS parent may openly discover when you
just compare to another friend or relative of yours whose child may be educated in a
traditional school:

If your child is at Montessori level or even a little higher class, give your
Montessori child the plastic Fun dough clay and, also give another child from
another traditional school the same clay too. Your child will surely astound you
with excellence in a unique and unbelievable creativity and variety of thinking
he has applied and, he could easily mould the clay into anything you ask or any
vegetable, fruit, animal or anything with a great combination of colours in a few
minutes. Unfortunately you may not see the same result with the other child

though the child may be equally capable and intelligent.

Similarly, a child from TYS will outcompete in creativity of drawing and
colouring in such a unique and original pattern that will enthrall you to a large

extent.
Another notable characteristic of TYS students is the ability to write creatively.
When asked to write a story from grade 2 onwards, students come up with
fascinating stories with their own original characters and settings with a great
beginning and ending. However, the less creative ones will come up with rewritten stories in their own words of a story they have already heard or read
somewhere.

Also at TYS, we dont teach about money to lower primary students just verbally
and in writing but also we create small shopping centre in our campus where
each child plays a role of either a shopkeeper or customer, and then FEELS the

practical transaction of money using dummy currency notes and coins.

Lets take another instance, of the theme Day and Night in teaching science (at
TYS) to lower primary students. When this topic is being taught, the learner
must first observe the day sky and night sky so as to know what is seen in the
night (for e.g. stars and moon) is different from the day sky (for e.g. the sun and
bluish sky).
Also when we teach about the revolution and rotation of the earth, the learners
have to come forward to do an activity such as role play or enactment of one
student(say A) as Sun, another student (say B) as earth and another student
(say C) as moon.
So, by enactment of the motion and movement i.e. the rotation of the earth
around its axis and the revolution of the earth, the subject matter about the
solar system especially sun, moon and earth becomes clearly imprinted on
childs mind to the extent that he could even define the scientific terms
correctly using his own language.

Such schools like TYS also facilitate the learners with regular Yoga, Swimming, Karate,
Dance, Drama, Music, Arts and Craft Classes along with regular field trips to bring
out the hidden potential and sharpen skills of each child in every area so as to shape
them into a great and a beautiful personality to bring in individual success in his walk
of life.
This kind of multitude of learning experiences in such schools integrates and caters to
all types of learners as put forward in the Theory of Multiple Intelligence by Howard
Gardner, an American developmental psychologist and a professor of Harvard
University.
When such pedagogy is implemented, learner is not only curious but also theres
maximum absorption and gaining of knowledge wherein the learner need not at all
depend on bookish knowledge through memorization.
I strongly believe every school through out India and across the globe need to
implement these teaching strategies like TYS as suggested by Robert Kiyosaki or
Gardner by building and nurturing the creativity within the child, and make learning
an enjoyable experience thus mould students into great creative individuals no matter
which path they choose to opt for later in their life so as to achieve life success in all
areas.

By :

Yasmin M. Elias