21st Century Skills Pt. 4: Be Creative

I remember when I was younger, people often told me I was creative because I could draw well. In my mind, being “creative” became firmly tied to having good hands: neat coloring, crafting beautiful origami birds, or sketching something that looked impressive.

My younger brother, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with these “DIY” things. He hated drawing and avoided crafts like the plague. But as he got older, he built an entire online game from scratch. I’m talking about everything: the visuals, the characters, the storyline, the text… he brought a complex idea to life. And yet, when I asked him if he considered himself creative, he shook his head vigorously and said, “No, I can’t even draw!”

And there it is: our biggest misunderstanding about creativity. It’s time to dig deeper and find out what creativity really means.

What Is Creativity, and Why Is It Essential?

When we think of creativity, many of us immediately picture art: painting, music, or handcrafts. But creativity is far bigger than that. It’s the ability to think differently, to come up with fresh solutions, and to turn ideas into reality. You don’t need to be a Picasso or a Beethoven to be creative, because creativity isn’t limited to artistic skills.

Creativity happens when a student writes a compelling story, designs a new science experiment, or figures out a faster way to solve a math problem. It’s the spark that turns “What if?” into “Let’s try it.” It’s the skill that helps us adapt, innovate, and solve problems in new ways - and that’s something the 21st century desperately demands.

Why is it so important today? Because in a world where AI and automation are taking over repetitive tasks, creativity is what sets us apart. Machines can calculate, but they can’t dream up a better system. They can copy, but they can’t innovate. Humans, on the other hand, thrive on thinking outside the box, building connections between ideas, and imagining possibilities that don’t yet exist.

Practical Ways to Improve Creativity

So how can teachers help students develop their creativity? Here are some practical, hands-on ideas you can bring straight into the classroom:

#1 Brainstorming Sessions with No Wrong Answers

Start with a simple prompt: “How could we design the classroom of the future?” Encourage students to think freely and write down all ideas - no matter how wild or impractical. This helps them get comfortable with generating ideas without fear of judgment.

#2 Creative Writing

Assign essays that allow for imaginative freedom. For example:

“What would happen if the internet disappeared for a week?”

“Write a story where humans live underwater.”
These prompts challenge students to think beyond the ordinary and explore new ideas.

#3 Project-Based Learning

Give students a real-world problem to solve, like designing an eco-friendly school or creating a class business. Let them plan, research, and present their solutions, encouraging creativity at every stage: visuals, processes, or product designs.

#4 “What’s Another Way?” Challenges

After completing a task (e.g., solving a math problem, writing a speech), ask students, “What’s another way you could have done it?” This pushes them to think creatively about alternative approaches.

#5 Storytelling with Visual Elements

Combine verbal and visual creativity by asking students to write short stories and illustrate them. For older students, you can take this further with tools like Canva or storyboard software to design presentations, games, or digital comics.

#6 Idea Remixing

Encourage students to build on existing ideas. For example, show them an invention, like the bicycle, and ask, “How could you redesign this for a future city with no roads?” Remixing ideas teaches them that creativity is about improving and innovating, not always starting from scratch.

💡 Smart Tips from Us

On Redmenta, you can find different assistants that can help you to boost creativity in your classroom. Here are the 3 most popular ones:

• Project-Based Learning: This assistant is designed to help you create an exciting project-based learning experience for your students. 
• DIY (Do It Yourself) Project: This assistant provides a structured worksheet to facilitate a hands-on project.
• Design a Poster: This assistant addresses the challenge of summarising and presenting information in a visually engaging and organised way.

Creativity: It’s Everywhere

Creativity is about expressing ideas, and seeing the world in new ways. Whether a student is designing an experiment, writing a story, or imagining solutions for tomorrow’s challenges, creativity is what helps them bring ideas to life.

Next up in our journey through the 4Cs? We’ll explore collaboration: the skill that proves teamwork really does make the dream work.