Creativity or Basic Academic Skills?
　Ideally, what type of schools do we want, schools cultivating creativity or schools providing the basic academic skills and encouraging discipline?// Which do you think Japan should prioritize?// This lecture regards creativity as having original ideas that have value.//
　Although you may think most people prefer creativity, the results of research conducted by the Pew Research Center in the US show significant cultural differences toward education.// The survey asked people in 19 countries to answer their priority: creativity or basic academic skills and discipline.// In Spain, for example, 67 percent of people wanted schools to prioritize the teaching of creativity.// In the UK, on the other hand, 51 percent prioritize the basics and discipline at school.//
　You may see creativity as important in education as literacy.// However, some people point out that the education system in Japan does not treat them equally.// For example, dance or art is not taught every day like mathematics.// Why not?// Does the value of mathematics outweigh that of creative activities?// Creative activities bring out opportunities for showing and accepting other people’s originality.// Without such experiences, children cannot be prepared to make mistakes, and they become frightened of being wrong.//