The celebrated child psychologist Piaget declared," the creative imagination is a magnificent subject which remains to be investigated."
I agree with the fact that not only do we investigate or use the creative imagination, most of the time we are busy stacking it in the back burner. Probably no one really understands the meaning of the creative imagination nor can we accept that it is the best part of us.
In fact, i am sure everyone will agree that we are scared of it. In our children it is a nuisance to be grudgingly tolerated by parents till maybe the age of ten. After that ,most well to do parents try to move on to career goals. Why do we see the processes of the imagination as separate? why do we feel that artistic development will hinder and not help?
Till date, i haven't found a rational answer to this. Many who actually agree with me may even think that the ideas which i am discussing here are dated. After all, everyone is talking about artistic development. They aren't. If they are they are hoping for the current trend to pass. In fact, it is seen merely as a fad, a fancy.
Most schools in India are coming up with posters depicting children with faces painted or, hands full of color. Yet, there are parents who are reluctant to buy a coloring set for their children. I remember cuddling a six month old recently and pointing out some pictures to him.His grandfather ,who was standing next to me seemed horrified. He didn't want his grandson to play with toys as he called the funny cartoons i was showing him.
Then there are toys and toys. The mechanical ones certainly don't do much for fostering creative thought.However, if the children are allowed to take them apart, they will find it more enriching.
To quote Pfleiderer, a noted psychologist," What is for the adult a serious and often very arduous task --- training head and eye to be to become absolutely obedient and trustworthy servants of the artist's will -- is for the child pure pleasure.The child repeats with ceaseless delight every new work, every new grasp, every new stroke."
This comment reminds us of the fallacies of judging human development in terms which are no longer relevant. I know for sure that i am that child who delights in painting strokes. Is that what the creative imagination does? Help to retain the child in us so that childhood is a longer story?
Mostly, do we really need to pay a price for the loss of innocence?
I agree with the fact that not only do we investigate or use the creative imagination, most of the time we are busy stacking it in the back burner. Probably no one really understands the meaning of the creative imagination nor can we accept that it is the best part of us.
In fact, i am sure everyone will agree that we are scared of it. In our children it is a nuisance to be grudgingly tolerated by parents till maybe the age of ten. After that ,most well to do parents try to move on to career goals. Why do we see the processes of the imagination as separate? why do we feel that artistic development will hinder and not help?
Till date, i haven't found a rational answer to this. Many who actually agree with me may even think that the ideas which i am discussing here are dated. After all, everyone is talking about artistic development. They aren't. If they are they are hoping for the current trend to pass. In fact, it is seen merely as a fad, a fancy.
Most schools in India are coming up with posters depicting children with faces painted or, hands full of color. Yet, there are parents who are reluctant to buy a coloring set for their children. I remember cuddling a six month old recently and pointing out some pictures to him.His grandfather ,who was standing next to me seemed horrified. He didn't want his grandson to play with toys as he called the funny cartoons i was showing him.
Then there are toys and toys. The mechanical ones certainly don't do much for fostering creative thought.However, if the children are allowed to take them apart, they will find it more enriching.
To quote Pfleiderer, a noted psychologist," What is for the adult a serious and often very arduous task --- training head and eye to be to become absolutely obedient and trustworthy servants of the artist's will -- is for the child pure pleasure.The child repeats with ceaseless delight every new work, every new grasp, every new stroke."
This comment reminds us of the fallacies of judging human development in terms which are no longer relevant. I know for sure that i am that child who delights in painting strokes. Is that what the creative imagination does? Help to retain the child in us so that childhood is a longer story?
Mostly, do we really need to pay a price for the loss of innocence?
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