I chose to watch the TED Talk “How to build your creative confidence” by David Kelley. I wanted to watch it because it goes hand in hand with my independent learning. To draw designs and patterns for flower tooling takes creativity and confidence, which I lacked severely in that area. This video gave me some support in reminding me that you won’t be perfect from the get go, it takes practice and time. It also reminded me not to listen to negative influences.
He makes some great points about how we as teachers need to push a student’s creative confidence and not destroy it. If a student loves art, encourage their drawing until they get good. If they like to play the piano, don’t tell them they would be better of doing something else instead encourage them, lift them up until they are at the level they want to be at. As a teacher I want to help my students pursue whatever goals they have, but also make them realize their goals are limitless and to pursue a true passion not what society wants them too.
One thing I did not enjoy about this TED talk though is that towards the middle and end of the video he seemed to talk less about how to boost confidence, and more bragged on stories of how his friends accomplished it. I want to learn more on how these people did this. How did they train their mind to change are pursue ideas. How did they just let go and open their mind to let the ideas flow? This is something I wish he would have went into more detail on.
But he does bring it back together at the end saying “People are naturally creative, and we need to let those colors fly.” Imagine what great ideas and new technologies or material creations we could have if we didn’t divide society into creative and non-creative. Everyone is creative and could have a world changing idea. They just need the confidence.