Introduction
For a majority of the contemporary working class, the only academic skill being utilized currently is reading since even writing has been replaced by technology. However, each and every of these individuals require using creative skills developed from their individual talents. The children in school will be active workers around year 2040 thus most of the information instilled may be obsolete but any creativity abilities developed within them will endure and remain relevant throughout their lives. However, contemporary education according to Ken Robinson seeks to enhance academic capability and also focus in the most professionally viable subjects (Županić Benić, 2016). Education should, therefore, focus more on enhancement of creative capabilities as these skills will be viable under any professional or life setting.
Ways to Incorporate Creativity into a Classroom
The creativity methods indicated below relate to the subject of mathematics taught to fifth graders. The first means of encouraging creativity in the classrooms is through the use of open-ended projects. These are mathematical projects that do not have any input either from the teacher or from the exercise books. Most arithmetic questions at this level involve a small storyline. One child at a time will come up with a storyline which the other children will try to solve with the eventual answer being arrived at through class discussion. The second way of incorporating creativity in this scenario is encouraging it. Mathematics is a routine subject based on established formula but most mathematical problems can be solved in various ways. After studying the correct way to solve mathematical problems, the teacher can then ask the students if they can think of an alternate way of solving the problem, possibly a practical one. Seeking to solve the problem outside the box would help incorporate creativity (Kim, Roh, & Cho, 2016).
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Volume, area and surface area provide another interesting area for incorporating creativity in the mathematics class. The world is full of regular shapes or objects made through combination of regular shapes. Students can be asked to look around their homes and other areas and bring objects that they would want to have their dimensions established. This activity would bring in an exponential amount of objects of different sizes. Finding the objects and deciding on what to bring to class is a creative process so is determining which project’s dimensions can be calculated at that level. Further, this activity would transform the whole world into a large mathematical lesson with students wondering which objects have calculable dimensions (Kim, Roh, & Cho, 2016).
Human Ecology Discussion
Human ecology is a collection of subject and disciplines that regard the relationship between man and the environment. The environment in this essence regards the natural features, man-made features, and social aspects of life. The natural environment involves both how man is biologically the nature of natural features around man and how these features affect man even as man affects these features (Warren, 2016). Subjects and disciplines in this arena include genetics, geography, zoology, and anatomy. The environment relating to manmade features relate to how man is affected and interacts with the developments in the world that have resulted from human activities. Information technology and urban life based disciplines relate to this area of study. Finally, social environment in human ecology regards how man relates to one another publicly and privately. Subjects such as economics, psychology, and anthropology fall within this group (Warren, 2016).
Conclusion
As Ken Robinson states, no one can accurately foretell what will happen in 5 years’ time. It is, therefore, impossible to accurately determine what information a child will require 40 years to come (Županić Benić, 2016). With the current development in healthcare, some individuals are still working over 60 years after completing basic education. By then almost all their school earned academic skills are obsolete. Talents and the creativity they establish are relevant in all areas of life. It would, therefore, make more sense to enhance creativity in children than instill information. This contention is supported by the concept of human ecology which entails inter alia the use of education in everyday life.
References
Kim, M. K., Roh, I. S., & Cho, M. K. (2016). Creativity of gifted students in an integrated math-science instruction. Thinking Skills and Creativity , 19 , 38–48. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2015.07.004
Warren, C. (2016). Introductory note on human ecology themed section. Human Ecology , 44 (3), 275–275. doi: 10.1007/s10745-016-9834-9
Županić Benić, M. (2016). Ken Robinson, Lou Aronica: Creative schools. The grassroots revolution that’s transforming education. Metodicki ogledi , 23 (1), 89–93. doi:10.21464/mo43.231.8993
