Where did the creativity go?

Let me start with asking to you use your imagination a little right now. Picture this scene:

You are a 3rd grade teacher and it’s time for your students to do their writing assignment. You give the following directions:

Ok class, we are going to do something a little different today. For today’s writing assignment, you are going to create a short story! It can be about anything you want, but here are your directions: You must use the vocabulary we have been studying from chapter 6 in our book and you need to make sure you are using them correctly. Ok, you have 30 minutes, so get started!

As soon as you finish speaking, the room is buzzing with excitement over the project. They are already thinking of their story and proudly telling their neighbor, “My story is going to be about pirates on a ship.” or “My story is about a girl who turns into a mermaid.” Very few, if any students will not be able to come up with the most incredible story (in their eyes) after a few minutes of thinking. They happily go to work creating their masterpiece, imaginations in full swing.

Now, imagine that instead of giving those directions to 3rd graders, you have just given them to a room full of high school Spanish students. What kind of reaction do you get from them?

If you said that it would be too easy for them, think again! What I normally receive is the “deer caught in the headlights look” or a look that is close to terror at the thought of coming up with a story.

First I thought it was because we were writing in another language which can be a little intimidating, but after some questioning, I found that wasn’t the case. They couldn’t come up with an idea in English! Even with idea prompts from me they still struggled to come up with one idea they could use to make a short story.

The first time this happened to me, I was a little upset. This project was supposed to be a fun way to practice our writing skills, grammar and vocabulary, but instead it was actually painful for my students and myself.

What happens between 3rd grade and high school that could cause something as simple as creating a short story to go from being an easy, fun project to a dreaded difficult one?

Somewhere along the way it seems we forget to keep their creativity abilities strong by requiring them to use it. There are too many other things to focus on, too much information to get through by the end of the year that we just don’t seem to have time to do the types of projects that really stretch their creative muscle. And the students seem to be preoccupied with activities that use very little creativity or imagination.

Have you ever had this problem in your classroom? What are some ways we can encourage our students to flex that creative muscle that is so seldom used?