“I am not what has happened to me. I am what I choose to become!” – Carl Jung.
In essence, that is the power and the promise of being creative. In a schooling system that does not value individualism, creativity is too often relegated to the not important aspect of the curriculum. Result? A’s, Distinctions are at the forefront of education today.
Creativity is a powerful tool. Porcelain was introduced into Britain in the eighteenth century.
Some of the most beautiful pieces of porcelain were made by Nicholas Sprimont at the Chelsea Porcelain Factory, founded in 1743. He was an excellent silversmith and made a good living designing and crafting silverware.
When he discovered porcelain, both the texture and the design possibilities captured his attention and he literally fell in love with porcelain.
His 20 year career in porcelain design and craft was driven by a deep relationship that he had with the material itself. He loved porcelain and porcelain was the source of his creative expression.
But, creativity can also be inhibited by the wrong medium. Sir Ken Robinson, in his final book before he passed away, reminds us all of the story of a brilliant editor he worked with while writing one of his many books. This woman had only become an editor in her late 40’s. Prior to this, she had been a concert pianist.
Ken asked her one day why she had changed her profession. Her story was typical of so many of us. She was the daughter of a musician and grew up in a musical family. She showed talent and went on to study music and complete her PhD and continued to play music.
One day after playing for a distinguished conductor, she had dinner with him. Over dinner he told her how good she was at playing the piano.
The problem he said, was that she didn’t enjoy it.
The message struck her like a ton of bricks. As she pondered what he had said, she acknowledged that she didn’t particularly enjoy it and that she never had. He inquired, “Then why do you do it?” She replied, “Because I am good at it!”
Gently he said these words, “Being good at something isn’t a good enough reason to spend your life doing it!”
She took a few weeks to wrestle with the powerful message she had received over dinner. She completed the season, closed the piano and never played a note again. She turned to books – her passion and an art form that she truly loved.
“The capacity for creativity is essentially human and it holds the constant promise of alternative ways of seeing, of thinking and of doing.” Sir Ken Robinson.
We need creative school leaders and teachers like never before. Now is your time!