Do Teachers Value Creativity?

Abstract

Do teachers value or dislike creativity in children’s behavior? Some research suggests that the characteristics associated with creativity may be disruptive and not appreciated in the classroom. In a study by Westby and Dawson (1995), teachers’ ratings of their favorite students were negatively correlated with the characteristics associated with creativity while ratings of their least favorite students were positively correlated with the characteristics associated with creativity. Teachers also tend to view creativity as a verbal process while not recognizing its figural component (Dawson, D’Andrea, Affinito, Westby, in press). It appears that creative children need to possess "desirable" characteristics for teachers to consider them creative. Possible reactions by the creative student to such teacher attitudes, as well as areas in need of further research, are discussed.

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Notes on contributors

Erik Westby

Erik Westby is a graduate research assistant pursuing his master’s degree in educational psychology at Purdue University. His areas of research interests include creativity, children’s perceptions of interpersonal situations, and teachers’ perceptions of creativity. He is the author of several journal articles published in The Creativity Research Journal, and has co-authored two book chapters on creativity. (Address: Erik Wesby, 1446 LAEB, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN., USA; Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; email: westby@purdue)