Where has all the Creativity Gone?

According to Newsweek Magazine, creativity in America is declining.  It is a huge problem.  And the reason:  Rote memorization and standardized curriculum.  Children no longer know how to think for themselves.  They are taught that thinking out of the box means you get the answer wrong.

We are finding that to be true with our new student, Huntz.  While he is clearly a very bright boy, he gets bored very easily.  He wants to be told what to do.  And it bothers him to not be "doing school".  It will take a while until he feels comfortable and safe enough for him to figure what he wants to do.  His imagination has been effectively drummed out of him.

Jor Man, on the other hand, asked me this morning to help him with some research.  He has a theory about the Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses actually being the descendants of Noah and the flood.  This is the heart of creative intelligence - taking two things that had previously not been connected, and finding some way that they go together.  Jor Man theorizes that Cronos, and his three sons, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades were in actuality Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japeth.

We have been reading Genesis:  Finding Our Roots as a family each morning.  What a wonderful book!  From this we have learned much more about Noah and his family.  In addition, Jor Man has been reading D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths on his own.

Jor Man wanted to know if I would help him with finding maps of Ancient Greece and of the world.  No problem.  This is the sort of thesis that doctoral theses are written about.  And he is (according the world) in fifth grade.

Do you suppose I ought to tell him that he should stop "doing school" because it is Christmas?

Wish you were here!