Creating a road-map to progress for Wisconsin…
A Task Force will reveal its recommendations to move Wisconsin forward by strengthening arts and creativity in our schools. Lt Governor Barbara Lawton says the new report aims to prepare our communities to be competitive in a global economy.
"What we assert is that arts education is not enrichment or a frill if you can afford it. It is central to the curriculum and that we need to re-center arts and creativity in the education of our children."
The Wisconsin Department of Tourism touts our state as consisting of original thinkers. Lawton agrees, saying creativity is the renewable energy for Wisconsin in this 21st Century global economy.
"Everyone has creative capacities and we need to develop them in every one of our children and the people in our workforce. All of us have the capacity to offer innovative ideas and to be risk-taking entrepreneurs."
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster says she consistently hears the same message from business leaders throughout the country and the world, essentially saying: "knowledge + creativity = competitive edge."
"If we are to remain and be economically competitive in this global economy, we have to have original thinkers." She continues, "We have to have an education system that really embraces creativity and innovation, and creates the entrepreneurs and those original thinkers for the future."
Wisconsin's top teacher says entrepreneurs are actually problem solvers.
"They're problem solvers but they are also problem identifiers. I think, really, the essence of creativity is that intrinsic understanding of what the next question should be."
Burmaster says arts and creativity play an essential role in reaching one's full potential. The two co-chairs of the statewide Task Force on Arts and Creativity on Education (created in March of 2008) say its members consist of 36 "thought leaders" from business, state and local government, education, and community arts organizations.
Wisconsin's legacy of original thinkers includes, among others: Les Paul, Frank Lloyd Wright , Harry Houdini, Gaylord Nelson, Seymour Cray and Dr. James Thomson .
NOTE: Sir Ken Robinson, an internationally renowned guru of creativity, will speak on Friday at 1:00 as the Task Force reveals its recommendations at the Monona Terrace in Madison during the Creative Wisconsin S ummit .
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AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report (2:26 MP3)
