Picasso once said, “All children are born artists. The problem is to remain an artist as we grow up.” Today this is more relevant than ever as the educational system that kids are in, teaches them out of creativity.

In today’s age, people are being increasingly replaced by robots and computers in their jobs. The things that are being taught in school today may not lead to employment. In math and science especially technology is exponentially being used over humans. However, there is still hope. The main difference between technology and humans is that humans have the capacity to be creative. Because of this, people can create new ideas, explore new ways to change their field and develop things that computers wouldn’t be able to think of unless they are programmed to do so. The only danger is that what if humans are losing their capacity to be creative?

The main reason for this loss of creativity is the way that kids are being educated. All around the world, the arts are seen as less important than math, history and science by schools. Kids are required to take years of the “core classes” while the more creative curriculum is almost discouraged. When a fifth grade girl explains to her teacher that she wants to be a dancer when she grows up, she is likely to get the response that she won’t be a dancer. But what if students’ creativity is encouraged? The world would have more out-of-the-box thinker, and less “proper” professionals who are scared to be wrong.

This is another problem. The way school works, kids are taught that being wrong is the worst thing that can happen. The grading system here in the United States is almost entirely based off how much did you get wrong. 95% and you didn’t make many mistakes and 70% and you got lots of mistakes. This process discourages kids to make mistakes. If teachers taught in a way that encourages creativity, then no answer is a wrong answer. Mistakes are necessary because out of mistakes comes experience and original ideas.

The current educational system grows kids out of their natural creativity and pushes them towards being adults who are scared to have an original idea with the fear it’ll be wrong. This is something that needs to be resolved if we hope to stay as the most advanced species. Creativity should be held to a higher importance in today’s world.

The inspiration for this editorial comes from the TED Talk given by Ken Robinson in 2006.