The Csikszentmihalyi lecture continues the theme I keep noticing of the balance between the individual and the group in the creative process. Since I have decided to use this aspect as the basis for my creative project, I believe I will continue to search for this thread in every lecture and reading. In the Csikszentmihalyi’s readings is where I found the theme. He spoke of the individual’s obligation to his/her mentors, or the gate-keepers of the creativity as he identifies them. In the afternoon meeting with Csikzentmihalyi, he spoke of specialized school in Finland that hones in on the child’s creativity. The model for this school does not follow such rigidness, but allows time for students to get out of the classroom. He spoke about the necessity for students to enjoy learning. In the pursuit of flow, this enjoyment is critical to a child’s growth. From his/her educational enjoyment, the child may feel more obligated to create or accomplish something significant because of the school. A more effective teacher contributes to a child’s desire to succeed because that child wishes to make the teacher proud.
At his lecture, Csikzentmihalyi spoke also about the need for challenges in life. In the example study of chess players, he demonstrated how the individual only enjoyed playing chess when s/he was losing the game. That challenge engages the participant. The individual feels invested in the game, and as result finds him/herself enjoying the time more. Of course, I believe this only works in one’s field of interest. An amateur chess player would not have the same enjoyment because s/he would become frustrated with his/her ignorance about the game. I speak from experience on this exact matter. When first learning to play chess, I played against an experienced friend. He took my inexperience of the game as an opportunity for an easy win. He freely admitted to me when he set me up for a trap. I found no enjoyment in the game, and I wonder if he enjoyed the easy victory.
Returning to the education setting, I have seen students fail classes out of boredom. For many students, completing worksheets and regurgitating superficial facts disinterests them. They withdraw from the subject material, and even though they may be capable of earning higher grades or enrolling in advance classes, they never complete any work because of the boredom. It spawns a cycle where these students remain in low-level classes, never proving their high-level capability. The problem then becomes how to challenge those students, so they can find their flow. Returning to the ideas I considered in the Nersessian response, we have to move past just the concrete knowledge and provide opportunities for these students to explore. Education needs to be a process of self-discovery for the individual. Creativity in itself is a self-discovery, an opportunity for the individual to learn more about him or herself through the creative process. When we are fortunate enough to reach our flow, than we not only produce something worth sharing but also something that better defines ourselves.