Stimulating Imagination Through Constraints
19 10 2009
Stimulating Imagination Through Constraints is an interesting article from Psychology Today. As a specialist teacher who often visited classrooms in the past, I have seen several teachers simply ask their students to “be creative” or “use your imagination” for project tasks. Too bad it’s not that simple. Students will not usually know where to start. Nor would I.
In the classroom we need to be ‘clear and explicit about definitions, concepts and processes.’ Being creative does not simply mean to create something with no limits in mind. Usually such an open task will lead to more frustration and poorer quality of work. How will you then evaluate when all was simply asked was to be creative and imaginative? Providing some constraints can help define the problem and assist in solving the problem in creative ways.
(Read the full article through the link provided above).
I refer to this in my class as the “George Lucas Principle” (my students know how much of a geek that I am). When they complain about a project that has limitations they don’t like I explain that when George had limitations (budgetary, technological) for Star Wars, he had to create new solutions to get around these obstacles, and thus was forced into creative solutions that resulted in one of the best films ever made (this is not an argument, its a fact, anyone who challenges me on this receives an automatic F for the quarter and a call home to the parent. Who raises these kids?) Later, as a multimillionaire, and special effects empire overlord, George makes three just barely watchable films that are all style and no substance.
Limitations are your friends.
Exactly! Forced creativity (in a good way). I tell the same George Lucas story actually.