COMMENTARY: Creativity Is Where You Find It

ROGERS — Here’s a question for you: “Just suppose - we could transport ourselves anywhere we want with just a twitch of the nose or blink of the eye. What would be some problems, benefits, etc., of this situation? You have three minutes to answer.”

Newsweek published that question from Scholastic Testing Service Inc. in the July 19 issue as part of a story about what some see as a decline in creativity in this country.

Some of you may not see this as a question of creativity. You may think, like a lot of other people, that creativity relates only to art, music and writing - and it does.

It also involves the ability to think creatively about problems and issues, thus this question.

So what’s your answer? I watched “Bewitched” and “I Dream of Jeannie” and I know what a pickle a twitch or a blink can get you into.

Think about Darrin and Tony - they were always in trouble because Samantha or Jeannie twitched or blinked wrong.

I would love to twitch myself to China, for example. What this question wantsyou to think about is what kind of impact could that have. If I landed on the Great Wall might I be the one that would cause it to collapse because there were so many people visiting that day?

What about the impact on airlines? If we were all twitching and blinking, who would need them? Actually, I think, if the airlines don’t straighten up, they will make themselves extinct, but you see where I am going with this. One little thing could cause a chain reaction.

According to a study by Kyung Hee Kim at the College of William & Mary, creativity scores have declined since 1990, particularly among America’s kindergarteners through sixth-graders. Why? You’re probably not surprised to learn that one theory involves the time kids spend playing video games andwatching TV.

Another reason is what Newsweek calls “the lack of creativity development” in schools. Experts blame standardized curriculum, rote memorization and nationalized testing.

My teacher friends agree.

They are too busy “teaching to the test” to spend much time teaching kids to think creatively about problems or to appreciate music or art.

I see this in some of my nieces and nephews. The younger ones - the one who have never known anything but No Child Left Behind - have next to no interest in art. BRae enjoys music, but I see little interest in it from Chase.

I just don’t understand that. I can’t draw but I STILL have two boxes of Crayola Crayons - one is a 96-count box and the other a 100-count box - and I am darn proud of both.

Something has to give.

Surely, with all the great thinkers in this country, we can figure a way to make teachers accountable, improve what and how our kids learn AND allow them the freedom to think creatively.

Creativity isn’t all about kids. Adults have to do our part. After all, we can’tdepend on 8-year-olds to solve all our problems.

Too often, I get mired down in life and creativity goes out the window. It helps me to spend time with my posse, like on our recent road trip to Lawton, Okla.

I know, I know. Some of you are questioning what kind of creativity you can have on a road trip to Lawton. Even time spent in the car, muttering about why the Oklahoma toll roads aren’t in better shape if you have to pay to drive on them, can result in time discussing a challenge.

Answers can be found in odd places. For example, what to do with the great fabric Karen and I bought in Oklahoma City. This might not seem like a big deal to some of you, but if we don’t want the economy to totally crash, we have to keep buying fabric.

We were returning to our hotel room when I pointed to a geometric design on the carpet and said to Karen, “That’s the kind of design I see using that fabric for.”

I think it is pretty darned creative if you find an answer in the carpet.

LEEANNA WALKER IS LOCAL EDITOR OF THE ROGERS MORNING NEWS.