In the classroom, he did not participate or show any signs of learning. But one day, the teacher noticed him doodling on some scratch paper. She saw the words “Insane Clown Posse” and, by chance, recognized that it was the name of a band. “Oh, ICP!” exclaimed the teacher. “You know ICP?” the boy said shocked. From that day on, he was putty in her hands. Students respond to the arts. As this teenage boy illustrates, the most productive way to promote creativity in students is to have them participate in arts courses. …show more content…
Creativity has many forms and ways of being expressed. A widely accepted definition of creativity is that it is the action of creating something new or unique (Upitis 9). There are two basic types of creativity. “Big-C” creativity refers to a huge, life altering product developed by inventors such as Thomas Edison or Marie Curie. The product created often changes the way society functions or believes. This form of creativity was once thought of as the only kind of creativity. However, a new type of creativity has been discovered. “Little-c” creativity is everyday creativity that takes place. This form of creativity can be practiced by anyone (Iowa State University). In addition to creativity, the arts play a major role in student education. Fine arts are all forms of art that can typically be taught in a school setting. Some examples of fine arts include painting, singing, and playing an instrument (Upitis 1). Arts in general, however, provide a way for students to express themselves. Take an artist constructing a painting for example. The artist uses different physical aspects of the painting such as color, structure, and light to convey meanings and ideas (Corner …show more content…
Inside a high school art room you find students working independently on their assignments. The teacher may every now and then give instruction or advice, but, overall, the students are in control. Students decide what pace to work, what step to take next, and how far they want to take their projects. These actions can be described as self-regulation, or control exercised independently without outside influence (Upitis 20). The majority of fine arts courses are organized this way. Students learn to work independently and self-regulate. By doing so, the students are in complete control. They better learn how their actions and decisions will affect the final outcomes of their projects (Corner 336). Self-regulation is necessary in developing creativity because expressing creativity is often an independent action. Also, the fine arts are the only subjects that offers students the opportunity of creating something truly novel, or original. In other academic subjects, students can learn to be creative, but in those classes they are not developing something original. The fine arts are the only courses that provide students with the means of creating something that has never been created before. Lastly, students develop confidence when participating in fine arts classes (Upitis 19). Not all students excel in core academic subjects, but the arts offer students a place to