Thinking creatively

At a recent meeting of the Middle East Network for Innovative Teaching and Learning, educators and scholars exchanged views and shared experience with a view to upgrading the educational system in Jordan.

Most participants agreed that what our education system needs is to promote critical thinking and creativity, starting in elementary schools.

They also spoke of the pressing need to improve the school environment — often as important as quality teaching to attracting and retaining pupils.

Teaching students how to exercise critical thinking as early as possible should be a priority for educationalists everywhere. Jordan, where often teachers ask for rote learning as the easiest way out, should be no exception.

But knowing this is not the same as doing it.

Missing in the recommendations of those attending the above-mentioned meeting was the method through which critical thinking and creativity can be introduced in the school curricula.

Critical and creative thinking are cultural issues that cannot be instilled at the push of a button.

The first to try to instil them in young minds should be the parents, but if they do not know how to do it, teachers need to fill the gap as soon as children start attending schools, and even in pre-schools.

To that end, curricula have to be thoroughly revisited and teachers have to be prepared and enjoy the qualifications required to prepare students.

This needs an educational system that has a deep conviction in innovative teaching methods and has the will and capacity to attain this objective.

Meetings like the ones above should be held regularly; there should be a mechanism which ensures that the ideas endorsed by such meetings are duly implemented.

A one-off such event will be inefficient, leaving not a dent on the educational environment of the country, which, many would agree, is in dire need of being overhauled.