This is my second year teaching Multimedia Technology, a course that I label as "digital art", as it uses Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign to create projects. I have noticed an interesting trend during this time, which is that I don't have to differentiate in this class as much as others.
What I find is that the students who might not be the best academically, but are creative, excel in this type of a course. On the other end of the spectrum, the gifted students struggle. I find that those higher achieving students constantly state that they are not creative. At first I found it hard to believe as my opinion was that most gifted students are talented in all areas.
However, it got me thinking as to why this is happening. My theory is that these types of students have grown up becoming very book smart. They know their facts, they understand concrete concepts and have great memories. However, they have been so rigid in their learning, that they struggle to some up with something when given a blank canvas. It is so foreign to them, that the easy get frustrated.
While they don't enjoy this feeling, personally, I find it refreshing. These students are so used to routine and how they learn, that a real challenge is good for them. It will help them grow and expand their problems solving abilities. After all, what good is it to be able to spout out facts and figures, but can't come up with new and interesting ideas. They need to understand that there is a balance that needs to be obtained and that being stuck is a positive thing.
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