Grades over creativity?
By Sanitary
@Sanitary (3968)
Singapore
August 17, 2010 8:16am CST
Which is more important? When we are in school, grades are given depending on how much we put to use upon the things we learnt in school, from teachers and textbooks.
But there will always be a minority group whom thinks slightly different, adding their own ways in presenting their answers. They are not wrong, they get to the point, just that the presentation is not something the teacher is familiar/used to. Thus the minority group got poor grades even though they provide a very strong and better point.
In school, grades are important, but not creativity? Creativity are lost when it's not being put to use over along period of time. Whatever good grades one get in school, might not be able to survive in the working world when eveything is so unpredictable.
So the final question, Grades or Creativity?
1 person likes this
9 responses
@jackymcraph (54)
• Philippines
17 Aug 10
I really do no think it is a question of one against the other. Definitely, grades are important but then, creativity is also important. From my experience, I have been able to put into use my creativity to get good grades. In fact, for those of us who are averagely intelligent, grades should not matter becos no matter what you do, you end up at a certain mark but if creativity is employed and adequately put into use in studies, then, grades will definitely sky-rocket
Thus, while grades seem prima facie important, creativity is much more important and could be put to use at all times.
@dream_ozn (1754)
• Singapore
18 Aug 10
I believe there are many examples like this out in school.
Since young, we have been told that we MUST listen to the teacher. As long as the teacher thinks its acceptable, you will be given a good grade. However, if a teacher thinks that it is unacceptable, then it becomes out of point.
Many a time, striving for good grades would kill creativity. And this would affect us in time to come. We are so used to following answers, making sure that our answer fits what the examiner are thinking.
@jackymcraph (54)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
@ Sanitary: i think in your example the teacher also does not see anything wrong. the answer by the boy is not wrong just that it is not the MOST appropriate; that is what teacher look for. More so, as a human being, it is only most appropriate for us to learn much more about our own species. If the student were to be in a zoology class, i bet no teacher would reject that. Creativity is great, but you must know how and when to apply it. failure to do so is preparedness to fail.
@Sanitary (3968)
• Singapore
18 Aug 10
Jackmcraph, if that idea is being put in a zoology class, then it won't be considered as creativity anymore for the lesson is supposed to be abt that species. Creativity is something special that pop out of the ordinary. But still, I appreciate your input here and agree with majority of your points.
Dream_ozn, u are right. Many a time, we are taught to follow example, so often til the extend of being led by the nose to do things. By the time for independence, we will realize we actually learned nothing at all.
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
17 Aug 10
I believe that creativity should rule over grades, at least in elementary school. Now, in middle school and high school, I think that grades and creativity should be on an equal level. I got an A+ from my English class one year because my book made third place in at the Writing Competition that my district has every year. She said that many of her students never placed that high, so she gave me an A+ for the rest of the year. Then when I did my research paper, I did a project that was so taboo, but so moving that it brought everyone to tears. I did a research paper on Stem Cells, and I did it because my brother was battling Type 1 Diabetes and I knew it would save his life. Your own life experiences can be your creativity.
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
18 Aug 10
You obviously just skimmed through it because, it was my BROTHER, NOT my MOTHER who had Type 1 Diabetes.
Anyway, creativity and grade should both be recognized.
@Gorillafootprints925 (3586)
• United States
17 Aug 10
I'm for grades because if you are weird, I mean think differently society will not like you.
@Gorillafootprints925 (3586)
• United States
17 Aug 10
I have managed to be the valedictorian at my high school. I'm both creative and good in class. I even won first place in the school art show. I guess if you combine both you will be more successful. I know what you meant when you said something about teachers expecting something from the students but the students does something not wrong but different. I do that but I explain myself to the teacher and they understood me. I was like that. It is okay to be both but picking one would be a bad choice.
@reckon21 (3479)
• Philippines
18 Aug 10
I think this two both come hand in hand. But I must say that creativity leads the edge to innovation. Because there are many drop out geniuses that never finish school and had low grades but in the end it's their creativity that we are using right now.
@ptower76 (1616)
• United States
18 Aug 10
Creativity is very important in the development of the growing mind. A controversy currently exists as to what degree teacher's should allow creativity. It is clear that developing one's creativity will help in the problem solving that challenges us every day in out lives. But we must also have basic knowledge and skills to allow us to utilize our creativity in more productive ways. Many of the new generation of teachers are giving more focus on creativity but until true change takes place, it is still very important to get those grades.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
17 Aug 10
good question. one of our daughters isnt that creative and doesnt do that well in school but our younger daughter is like me in the creative area, but does quite well in school (i didnt but am very creative). obviously it would be the best to have a good mix of both of them. grades will probably help you in applying to imprtant schools, but creativity will help you with the rest of your life.
@Sanitary (3968)
• Singapore
18 Aug 10
Good one!! I like your last sentence, "grades are important for school, but creativity will help u thru the rest of life"
it's very true because once one is out in the working world, grades count for nothing when one is lagging behind in terms of mindset and actios.
@echomonster (2226)
• Greenwood, Mississippi
17 Aug 10
I think the problem you are describing is really narrow-minded teachers. They shouldn't expect every student to do things exactly alike -- they should focus on concrete errors that can be corrected, not subjective judgments. I once had a history teacher who was obsessed with writing style, even to the point where she imposed her own grammar rules on the class which sometimes differed from the suggestions of leading grammarians. I can't remember her ever having much of insight to say about history, but can still recall her thoughts on the overuse of ellipses and other language matters. What a waste to have such a person teaching history! She would have stifled creativity even if she was teaching English, but she definitely had no business harassing history students.
@sjlskl (3382)
• Singapore
17 Aug 10
I would say 50% each. In my growing up days, grades was the foremost thing. Now that my generation had moved on to be in the working group, I can see that there is a distinct lack of creativity. There isn't anything out-of-the-box or brilliant creation. The workforce, while it contains some top-notch A+ students, had remain stagnant. The government is trying to add creativity into the syllabus, but the parents who had grown up knowing only grades are rejecting it.
