Stifling the Creativity of Education

In talking to a new professor today, I learned there is a HUGE problem in our academic system: enthusiastic teachers are being told that their creative ideas for the class are not recommended, or "best suited," for particular subjects. That's right. Teachers are actually being told not to partake in energizing activities and lessons in class because its risky. Let me backtrack.

Being an advocate for feedback, I wanted to give a few helpful suggestions on how a professor's class could be more engaging. More skill and activity, less lecture. Over time, I was actually surprised, given his flamboyant nature, that he did not have as much interaction in his classes before I approached him. Needless to say, it raised some suspicions. After further inquiry, it turns out that he did have plenty of creative ideas for the course! He went on and on about discussions, speeches, projects, skill building, workshops and so much more. I was shocked!

Then why aren't students partaking in those activities now? Why is there still a lecture style?

"Because I was told it was in my best interest to copy from another professor this semester."

Look, I get it. New teachers need guidance and a certain level of trial-and-error. Having ideas of grandeur may not always work out and certain material needs to be covered to fulfill the requirements of the class. Alright. But seriously, turning down their ideas for the sake of getting their feet wet? And by who - higher-ups that haven't seen their field of study in at least a decade. Which is why they are the higher-ups in education, right? Who knows, maybe they haven't stepped in a classroom in that long either. It's surely a possibility.

If you ask me, there is no winner with this situation. Stifling a professor's enthusiasm to teach students about their field with hands-on, engaging curriculum doesn't help their drive to educate, nor does it motivate the students to learn. To tell a professor that it isn't wise to "go big" isn't even a little bit fair to the students in the course. Instead, they will leave with the short end of the deal. And for what? Nothing.

Have we really lost what it means to get an education? It's about having knowledgeable members of our field of study teach students the information and skills they need for when they enter the workforce. If this is the case, lecture classes just aren't as effective as skill-building ones. Unmotivated teachers hardly have any impact on students. Where has education gone wrong?

As a student, I am appalled and downtrodden by this news. How many unmemorable classes have I gone through that I could have really enjoyed? How much more could I have learned? What did I have to sacrifice? If we all pay this much money to have a quality education, no one should be telling professors, or students for that matter, to suppress their creative in the sake of a traditional regiment.