The Creativity Crisis

Seargeant Richardson, Laura
"The Creativity Crisis: Why American Schools Need Design"
The Atlantic
Posted online March 25, 2011
URL:  http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/03/the-creativity-crisis-why-american-schools-need-design/73038/

We have all heard of the STEM approach to education, so maybe it is time to make it STEAM with the "A" being Art.  The author makes a great point and backs it up with research to show students who want to succeed in the new growing job opportunities will not only need to be smart in the STEM areas, but also in be able to be creative.  As she points out, jobs listed in the "New Work" classifications are grouped into 5 categories with STEM appearing to only account for one-fifth of the training needed to compete in the coming decades.  She also points out, "the European Union declared 2009 as the Year of Creativity, and Chinese faculty actually laughed when they found out the U.S. education trends were in "standardized curriculum, rote memorization, and nationalized testing."

This article was written in a national magazine and is not meant for just teachers, but for the general public as well.  Ms. Seargeant Richardson argues (as we have read and discussed in classes) that to just concentrate on the STEM programs and teaching to the test is NOT the way to go.  We are going to shortchange our future students, our industries and our nation if we eliminate the other aspects of eduction such as art, music, shop and design classes.  Part of education is stimulating all parts of the brain and not just certain areas.  Or to put it another way, it is like using one of your arms with just barely using your other arm.  How stupid would that be?!