ARMEN POGOSYAN

PROFFESSOR ALTMAN
ENG.101
7 DECEMBER, 2015

creative EDUCATION.

It has been a tried and true method for generations: going to a college or university
equaled success in life. Now with the invention of modern technology and modern cultural
views, that tried and true fact is being questioned, and sometimes replaced by alternative ones. It
is not necessary for us to be in debt for years after university unless you want to be lawyer or a
doctor or careers that that dont offer any type of educational alternatives. Owing a debt to
society as you enter it, is a terrible way to start your life. And as far as a career in anything
artistic such as singing, dancing, acting, sculpting, etc. how much school is really necessary and
how much of it slows your artistic development down? Are there alternative educational plans
for artists? There are many private schools that offer early start programs for the creatively
inclined mind to flourish in such as the Montessori Method: It is a view of the child as one who
is naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully
prepared learning environment. It is an approach of the whole child-physical, social, emotional,
cognitive. (American Montessori Society web page. Second paragraph on their homepage.)
Programs such as these are a great start since the major emotional source for actors are drawn
from their childhood experiences. But as the child grows into adulthood the answer becomes a
complicated subject. Firstly, given the various natures of peoples learning processes, its almost
an intangible concern to talk about. In my opinion, there is one creative source in life. Not this
man made idea of god or anything like that, but more like the uuuuuh gruntle burp that is

produced from us as we try to express something beyond our understanding. Understanding

creativity completely is like trying to put boarders on eternity. Im not sure that creativity can be
taught. Creativity meaning for our sake of the argument: using mind body or external devices in
an originally imaginative ways, developed and intended to be shared with others or as the
google dictionary defines it: the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the
production of an artistic work.. Creative practitioners or artists in general dont need a lot of
formal schooling, or the need to have certificates, diplomas or given years at a technical school
to be successful in life.
Believing that everyone has the capacity to be just as creative as the next person is as
ludicrous as believing that everyone has the capacity to be just as intelligent as the next person,
yet it has become almost universally accepted as a truism. Its also relatively new, taking root in
only the last 30 or 40 years, coinciding much too precisely to be accidental with the
popularization of creativity as an essential ingredient of social and business success. (Gordon
Torr, Managing Creative People, 2008) I can imagine the worst scoundrel of a 13th century
dungeon, rotting away in the darkness of his monarchys punishment, and having a creative
process far beyond any of our most modern and renowned accomplished artist have in talent.
But, what makes a creative education a valid study in our time is this; the difference is one man
has developed his creativity in the darkness of his life to serve as a way to escape the conditions
he suffers from, and the latter has observed his talents and shined the light on it till it blossomed
into a public flower for others to enjoy the perfume of as well. In none-artistic terms; what is
naturally inherent in all is studied and developed by some. We all are creative. But directed
studies geared towards creativity gives you the opportunity to develop artistry for a means of

survival. The choices of education as I see it are as follows: Internet. movies, books, libraries,
mentorship, streets, or schools.
By going to school you surround yourself by others similar to you and this sometimes
creates pressure to rise above each other in order to be seen as successful. Competition can be
inspiring for some people. But for others there are other consequences. According to NPR in
collaboration with Robert Wood Johnston Foundation and the Harvard school of public health,
More than one third of parents with children in High School say their child is experiencing a
lot of stress from homework and academic pressures. One study in particular talked about a 16
year old student desperate for a 4.0 as her classmates where earning, and knowing that this was
her last year to make it or brake it for a good college, had a complete nervous breakdown
because of a few B+s that kept her from getting the 4.0. There are people that dont need
further aggravation to feel open or powerful, or in practical terms; confident, especially when
it comes to honing your artistic potential. Some people are affected by others and stimuli more
intensely and some artist just need to learn coping skills or ways to sort things out. The constant
pressure of aggression in some emotional states, which an artist is prone to, contradicts the
growth of finer notions of life. Like planting a seed and raising a sprout, then, knowing when to
swing from the tree or build a house out of it. There are certain elements of school that are not
healthy. Ofra D. Peters CHt (Interview).
What is dense sinks what is fine, rises. It is like this in everything. Arthur Gudiote. A
philosophy mentor once told me these key words. Having studied eastern mysticism for 50 years,
the way he spoke it was directly to my desires. To my fears and deepest needs. I had only known
him for a few weeks at this point. But I knew I had met someone I respect. Not by choice, but by
biology. He was faster, more cleaver, and tougher in will power than I was. I was drawn to the

skills he possessed and he being at the end of his life needed someone to carry his work; a pupil.
What made him different is he wasnt afraid to show he was just as fragile as anybody else and
with that trait he gained my trust. His power livid in what he constantly knew to be true not his
age or status of financial state. His education came from beyond the grave. Why was this 80
year old man so meaningful in my life that I cared what he said? Maybe because I chose the
alternative schooling but still wished to be led by someone who knew or, a teacher? He just
clicked, and I didnt need certificate to validate it.
Lucy Sherriff, editor of a recent article on August 4th in the Huffigton post reports,
Ernst& Young, one of the UKs biggest graduate recruiters, has announced it will be removing
the degree classification from its entry criteria, saying there is no evidence success at
University correlates with achievement in later life. It seems like there are really two
philosophies for students; to gain wisdom for self-improvement or for having access to higher
paying careers. And whatever you chose depends on what you want. But who teaches us that?
How do young adults know the deepest understandings of what they really want? There are
many people that drag themselves through school and graduate with beyond average grades,
have perfect attendance, but as soon as schooling is finished, they never open up a book or
investigate further into any type of intellectual education. The majority of public education is set
up in very dry have-to bases, teaching facts and information ordered to be memorized and
regurgitated back. There used to be classes on etiquette and social awareness, but not anymore.
And why not teach kids how to listen to each other, or any of those elemental life tools that really
determine your place in life according to your deepest human need. How come school didnt
teach us about ourselves first so we dont have cases of student suicides or shootings?

When I turned 18 I had been interested in alternative choice of education. A university

was not in my vocabulary. I was reading and writing poetry more than ever those days and one
book in particular, Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman, changed my perspective on life and
goals. Before then, I dreamt of being a successful artist and performer, after that book, the only
goal I had was world discovery through self-discovery. In 12th grade I was in honors English and
other honors classes but I soon grew tired of the conventional life style and wished to be in the
nearby forests and creeks reading poetry and singing songs with other artistic comrades. We
wished to make our own path and draw from other sources of knowledge not drained by the
masses. Rebels with passive aggressive ideas of the tyrannical-father-image-authority-empire
that we viewed society at large to be. But I chose not to be all talk, so I stopped going to class
and decided my school will continue on the road traveling through America. After almost two
years of adventures I came home overly tired and broke. Thats where I learned the biggest
lesson. Adventure without meditation leaves the body weak. Theres a capacity to feeling. This is
where the ambitiousness of youth meets the boarders of realities. From my experience, this time
is where most artists die. The ol 27 curse. That transition of youth feelings to adult feelings and
not overstimulating yourself to death. There is nothing more draining than being On all the
time, especially when your future is at stake. This is where education is golden. Education gives
an artist the humility to stop when he is beyond his strength. There is nothing more dangerous
than an isolated artist feeling in the vacuum of ignorance.

Can creativity be taught, or does creativity exist by will power and life experience? The
answer is both. Theres time for education and expanding or some type of schooling, then,
theres time for application and friction in the world. And without one or the other the artist is
out of balance and lacking in some matter, no matter how successful he or she is seen in the
world.