Not long ago, I talked to the creative director from our local high-school, as it seems that the school was attempting to set up an elective course on innovation for the students. As I began to discuss this with her and all her ideas, I began to consider the implications of the viability of the course, and what outcomes it might have. It seems as the creative director she was focused on music, art, creative writing and drama and other such things.
Still she didn’t know the first thing about engineering, math, CadCam design, robotics, material sciences, computers, architecture, business, physics, chemistry, biology, etc.
This is a real problem and thus, the kids that take this class will not get the true benefits they need. I was very polite to the young lady who had all sorts of teaching degrees, but still dismayed because she was going to try to shape young minds and creative geniuses into advanced art students, not true innovators who’d later be bringing ideas and new concepts to market.
Indeed, I did not ask her if she’d ever brought a new concept to market or an invention to fruition through prototyping, because I read her resume and she’d always been teaching. Thus when she asked our Think Tank; “How Would You Design an Elective Course on Innovation for High School Students?” It was difficult to explain to her the errors of her ways, but I mentioned the need for the other curriculums to be involved, every teacher in the entire school, and to invite industry leaders and mentors to join in too.
You see, a good many of these creative geniuses will go on to build great things, but only if we allow them to nurture their minds in the proper way. Please consider all this.