Is Traditional Education Destroying Creativity? A Call to Reimagine Learning

As the founder of Open Learning School and an advocate for a pedagogy rooted in genuine learning, I am continually inspired by the profound insights of leading researchers and thinkers who argue that our current education systems stifle, rather than foster, creativity, intelligence, and genius.

One striking example comes from George Land and Beth Jarman , whose creativity test, initially designed for NASA, revealed a startling reality: 98% of children aged 4-5 were classified as creative geniuses. However, as these children grew older and became more immersed in traditional schooling, their creative potential dramatically diminished. By age 10, only 30% were still considered creative, and by adulthood, this number dropped to a mere 2%. This decline points to a system that, instead of nurturing creativity, actively diminishes it. Why? Because the school environment places a premium on convergent thinking—where there is one correct answer to a problem—over divergent thinking, which encourages exploration, experimentation, and multiple possibilities.

Ken Robinson’s Revolutionary Insights

Sir Ken Robinson echoed these sentiments in his famed TED Talk, "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" He described how schools prioritize uniformity, obedience, and standardized testing over creative exploration. Robinson pointed out that students are often conditioned to avoid making mistakes, as mistakes are equated with failure. This fear of being wrong, Robinson argued, is the exact antithesis of creativity. Creativity, by its very nature, requires risk, experimentation, and the willingness to be wrong as a way to innovate and find new solutions. He passionately stated that schools are educating people "out of" their creative capacities.

At Open Learning School , we are acutely aware of this tragic flaw in the modern education system. If we stifle curiosity, we stifle genius. I believe we are all born with the innate capacity to be creative, but our schooling system is structured in a way that kills that genius early on. Children are not allowed to explore freely; they are instructed to follow rules, memorize information, and deliver standardized results on exams. But learning is not memorization. True learning involves understanding, questioning, and internalizing knowledge in ways that can be applied to new contexts.

Kyung Hee Kim and the “Creativity Crisis”

Supporting these findings is Dr. Kyung Hee Kim, a researcher at William & Mary who coined the term “creativity crisis.” Kim’s longitudinal research highlights that children’s creativity scores have been steadily declining since the 1990s. Her studies suggest that the structure of our education system—rigid curricula, excessive focus on test scores, and an overemphasis on rote memorization—has directly contributed to this decline. Like Land and Robinson, Kim posits that creativity is often treated as an afterthought, something that is sacrificed in favor of standardized academic achievements.

Kim suggests we should rethink how we assess students and focus more on fostering environments that allow for creative risk-taking and personal expression. She also highlights the importance of personalized learning environments, a principle we hold dear at Open Learning School . Children learn best when they are driven by curiosity and necessity, when they can pursue topics of genuine interest, and when they are given the freedom to explore those topics deeply.

Jonathan Plucker and Divergent Thinking

Another powerful voice in this field is Jonathan P. , a creativity researcher and psychologist. Plucker has shown through his research that creativity in childhood is a better predictor of future success than IQ. His findings argue that divergent thinking—thinking that goes beyond memorized facts to ask new questions and explore multiple avenues—correlates more strongly with innovation and accomplishment later in life than standardized intelligence tests.

Plucker’s work, along with that of Paul Torrance, the founder of the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, has demonstrated time and again that creativity is not a static trait. Instead, it is a skill that can be nurtured and developed, provided we create the right environments. Torrance’s creativity tests have been used worldwide to identify individuals with high creative potential, and his work has repeatedly shown that creativity can flourish when given the freedom and the tools to do so.

The Creativity Workshop, another platform that offers space for this creative expansion, argues that schools must prioritize exploration and play over instruction and compliance. Children, and even adults, need time to engage with their senses, experiment with ideas, and take risks without the fear of failure. This is exactly what we are trying to create at Open Learning School —a space where students are not afraid to be wrong but are encouraged to ask new questions and think critically.

A Call for Collaboration

As we look ahead, the question becomes: How do we scale this movement? At Open Learning School , we are making strides toward transforming the traditional model of instruction into one rooted in true learning. We have seen firsthand that when students are encouraged to follow their interests, engage in hands-on projects, and collaborate with their peers, they do not merely memorize—they internalize, apply, and innovate.

But our reach is limited. We need a broader movement to transform education on a global scale. This is why we are calling on pedagogues, innovators, researchers, and policymakers who share our vision to join forces. How do we ensure that curiosity and creativity are at the heart of education? How do we shift from a system of instruction to one of learning?

It’s Time to Rethink Education

The evidence is overwhelming: instruction schools are destroying creativity, intelligence, and the inherent genius in children. From the findings of Land, Robinson, Kim, and Plucker to the success stories of the Hole in the Wall Project, it’s clear that we need to rethink education.

I invite educators, policymakers, and innovators to reflect on the real purpose of education. Let us move beyond instruction, beyond standardization, and towards a world where creativity, curiosity, and true learning can flourish. Together, we can reimagine a system where every child’s genius is nurtured, not suppressed. Let's start the conversation on how to transform instruction into learning—and let's take action to build that future.