Fostering Educational Creativity in a Standardized World

Douglas Reeves

Fostering Educational Creativity in a Standardized World

The author of more than 80 articles in journals worldwide, Dr. Douglas Reeves leads The Center for Successful Leadership. He shares his research on the role that creativity plays in leadership on his website, www.changeleaders.com. Through the website Dr. Douglas Reeves offers a variety of in-depth resources on diverse topics, which can be used for organizational presentations.

Fostering Educational Creativity in a Standardized World

One topic explored poses the question “How Can You Be Creative in a Standards-Based Environment?” This interactive keynote focuses on the mixed messages sent by teachers and educational leaders regarding creativity. With a number of leading authorities coming out against standardization in school settings, a rallying cry has been “standards, not standardization.” The reality often falls short of aspirations, with checklist assessments and standardized testing working directly against a fostering of creativity in the classroom. Dr. Reeve’s presentation takes a close look at the specific challenges in encouraging individual creativity, both in terms of immediate instructional decisions and long-term policy frameworks. The goal is to create a practical system by which creativity can be encouraged, while meeting strict educational standards.