Synthesize and Create!

From where I stand in the world, Gardner is putting to words some interesting notions and churning out many difficult questions to ponder.
Gardner touched on the notion of integration of materials across the curriculum:
“…well-intentioned efforts to sustain or buoy the potential for making connections. ... In most cases educators fail to invoke explicit standards in judging which connections, which integrations, which syntheses are valid, and in which ways they are (or are not) meritorious (p.68).” Yikes! But really, I did enjoy his conviction that though integration is a promising practice, a common philosophy, mission statement or overarching goals are imperative for truly successful integration. Indeed a big order, one which requires a great deal of collaboration and Cooperation for a group of dedicated educators to come out with the common glossary of intentions to then successfully integrate material for our students. Not easily or quickly done, but success is possible none-the-less.
I laughed out loud at the very idea of standardized tests to measure one’s creative abilities that he discussed (p. 79). I have taken one of those standardized tests – the art component of the Massachusetts and Maine teacher tests – and each was absurd, at best. Have we yet found a good scale for accurately measuring creativity? If you think you have found one, please let me know. Until then, I do think measuring creativity and artistic ability are like the classic problem of how to nail jello to a wall.
Hooray for the notions Gardner discusses on pages 87 & 88: the importance of problem solving is part of the creative process, one which is an overarching goal of my work with our students. To foster thinking outside the box, if you will. And hip hip hooray! he goes on to underscore the importance of the arts for critical thinking, also an overarching goal in my work. That without the arts being present in our schools, our students are cheated of a chance to really learn to look critically (in a constructive manner) at their work.
He even mentions an issue that came up recently in my 8th grade class: “If the mind of the mind of the young child is charmingly uncritical, the mind of the adolescent is often overly critical – of self and other. Such hypercriticism can thwart creative efforts (87).” I noticed they were making a lot of negative comments about their own work, but there was still a resistance to take creative risks to change the work. The students were getting defensive when we would discuss constructive ideas to rework parts of their projects (we were working on self portraits), thus getting in their way of making solid creative leaps. I had to stop the class and discuss with them that their work and themselves are two different things. So when I encourage them to revisit a piece of their work, I am not attacking them or their character, nor their work! I am giving those art teacher-type nudges to reach the excellence I know they are capable of in their work. Also, that negative thought breeds negativity which dampens any openness for creative problem solving.