I am so sick of teachers who can't think outside the box!

United States
May 10, 2011 11:29pm CST
I have a teacher who wants us to do a creative project as the final for a psychology course. He says we can do whatever we want, write a story, song, movie, research, anything. So I wrote a story based on tangible resources. However, once he read the draft, he said he couldn't understand how the story relates to my topic. I thought, okay, if you are going to assign a creative project, you better learn to use your own mind creatively. How is a teacher supposed to grade creativity if he isn't creative!
2 people like this
19 responses
@watergirl (567)
• Philippines
11 May 11
I had a teacher who used to say that a paper written with "just a stream of consciousness" deserves only a passing mark. like it or not, the teacher will have the final say. Anyway, I remember when my psychology teacher asked us to do a creative project in any medium, I made a small house (like a dollhouse) with different stories and designs in each room. It was sort of a projection of my mind and personality. I got an "A"
1 person likes this
@babyEj (1522)
• Philippines
11 May 11
WoW! what nice memory to keep if we had received such a good remark however to the person who started this discussion be watergirl's experience reminds you of the good remarks you had received unexpectedly from that teacher. Well done watergirl! You just showed her how a psychology student's mind runs...
1 person likes this
@biiyah13 (64)
• Philippines
11 May 11
haha thumbs up..Its not to hurt all the teachers feelings..but sometimes im sick of listening to them saying I CANT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WROTE, and saying BE CREATIVE, WROTE WHATEVER IDEAS YOU HAVE..blahh blahh..and then after that they will not be contented on what youve done. Why not instead of saying BE CREATIVE, eh DO SOMETHING WHICH WILL AMAZE ME..hmmf hehe..^^v
1 person likes this
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
11 May 11
This is so true with a lot of mainstream schools around the world. They have a certain criteria that they have to stick to in order to mark you and most teachers are not trained to think for themselves outside of these guidelines. If you did the same work in an alternative school, then you might be praised for your creativity.
1 person likes this
@babyEj (1522)
• Philippines
11 May 11
Hmm... I experienced it before,I wasn't credited for my creative project. There were two points that explained to me by my teacher. First was, although she said creative project it must still be related to the subject matter. Second, I should have asked her if I wasn't sure about what she said. Well.. I guess I've learned from my mistake. Although, it really made me upset but now it's okay. I understand her. I just didn't meet her expectations.
1 person likes this
@zaga_cleuth (1407)
• Philippines
11 May 11
Well, sorry to tell you, but we can't just judge your professor from saying that so, since we haven't read the whole draft you wrote.
1 person likes this
@tammy27 (1241)
• Philippines
11 May 11
i also had that kind of teacher before, but she's my Art teacher and im a Goth and believe me i try my best to adjust my kind of art to hers (or lets say to the normal ones) so that mine wont look so deep and dark. but oh well, she gave me a failing grade. she said she was asking for an art project not a trash. well anyway, perhaps your teacher is looking for a more specific point in your story that connects it to the topic. sometimes teachers are like that, they want to be more precise. but there are also teachers who lets you explain what you project was all about, and then they will appreciate you cause they thought of your project the wrong way but you were able to justify your work. :)
1 person likes this
@vinod4net (628)
• India
11 May 11
I do feel that creativity and imagination has just diminished from the education system now a days. It seems teachers are imparting more bookish knowledge than creative knowledge. This can also be due to the fact that the teachers are not well experienced and took up to teaching as they did not get into any other profession.
@laydee (12798)
• Philippines
11 May 11
Well, first and foremost, I think he is your teacher for a reason, because he understands and applies his subject better than you ever could. I myself am a teacher and there are just times when students don't get my comment and feel that they're better off. I think you should stop, think outside the box and understand why he doesn't think your project doesn't relate to the topic. It doesn't mean that he has given you freedom to do something but well, this is not America's Got Talent or some show on television, you still need to stick to the topic. So there you go, re-think your plans and stick to the topic!
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 May 11
It is really tough to figure out what a teacher is looking for from you when they phrase it creative. In every assignment, they are looking for something. Just because it is different than what they wanted..well..that is what makes it creative. A teacher shouldn't say creative if they are not prepared for it..lol.
• Philippines
12 May 11
:) haha..nice one..^^
@dream_ozn (1754)
• Singapore
11 May 11
Hi, I believe your teacher should have set things straight from the very beginning. Because, if his instructions were to do whatever you guys wanted, and then you wrote about anything, he say NO. I do have teachers who are like that too. They will say we can write on anything, research on anything, and in the end say it's out of the topic. Where's the topic in the first place.. We are students and they are teachers, guess we just have to deal with it.
@chuyins123 (2112)
• Philippines
11 May 11
Ah yeah, there may seem to be cases where you can't understand the teacher's discretion. They're just so unreasonable at times. But just remember that you're still under him, so just do your best. And explaining your story and your point in writing the story and its relation to the topic would also do good. Just be more patient with your teachers. And bear in mind that you'd have something to learn from him.
@asliah (11137)
• Philippines
28 May 11
hi, of course i dont like those kind of teachers because how can you use your own mind creatively or even to improve your techniques and creativity mind.so it should up to us what kind of creativity we use.
@tiina05 (2317)
• Philippines
11 May 11
hello, Yes, the teachers keep on saying that dont keep your mind in a box expand your thinking! ha ha wow! I hate it specially i cant even think because they obviously saying that your idea is not enough? right?. Well, I dont know how those teacher judging? It also makes me think because even how hard you effort it is still not enough for them, they say there is something lacking. right?
1 person likes this
• India
15 May 11
Teachers are supposed to teach students & thats why they have been employed for in colleges. If they don't have the ability to teach students or guide them in a proper way, they shouldn't take up this job at all. More importantly they should encourage student's ideas & motivate them which helps in enhancing their creativity. All the inventions, discoveries in the world are from creative thinkers. Before assigning something to students, teachers should do their home work & welcome any good ideas from the students.
• United States
12 May 11
I think that the teacher is trying to tell you that you can do whatever you want to an extent. You still have to stick to the topic at hand and tie it all in. If you did this then I think the teacher is wrong to judge or criticize your work. However, if it doesn't make sense to the teacher it might be that it only makes sense to you because it is your vision. You might want to re-vamp it so he/she will get it!
• United States
11 May 11
Have you stopped to think about why he can't see the story relating to the topic? Even creative people in creative professions need to fulfill certain expectations if they want to get paid. Not being on topic is a valid complaint with a creative assignment. I doubt he just told you to turn anything in, he probably gave you specific things he wanted to be included theme-wise. If your story is just a story that has nothing to do with that topic or theme assigned, then no amount of creative complaint is going to save you. You should be thankful that you were given room to be creative at all, not complaining he won't let you turn in anything.
@ebuscat (5935)
• Philippines
11 May 11
For me don't mind of it follow your way to be it is not your problem you get depressed to it.
• United States
12 May 11
Does not seem to be a creative teacher and unfortunately he will be grading so my suggestion would be to meet with the teacher and ask for his definition of creativity. If he does not understand that creativity comes from creative minds and does not use his own creative mind then you will not know what he wants. Perhaps a meeting might clear a few things. It will give the teacher a chance to see your creative side. Best of luck.
• Philippines
12 May 11
That's right! I hate those kind of teachers. When I was in college we have a Humanities class where as a project we have to make a short film tackling any topic and the movie can be in any genre or form. He encouraged us to be creative, just like your teacher said. I wrote the script and directed it. It was about school bullying and racial / physical deformity discrimination. The form I did was a bit on the macabre / horror / suspense side. Guess what? The effin professor gave us a low grade because of he thinks it's too dark and he didn't get what the topic is. I really curse him until now.