Abstract

Interactions with parents and teachers have a profound effect on a child’s view of creativity, process of exploration, and evaluation of self. In a time of shifting priorities and budget cuts that could remove programs that foster creativity from today’s educational system, this research attempts to locate epiphanies, turning points, and disruptions in the lifelong development of creativity by collecting childhood narratives involving parents and teachers from seven adults. The researchers utilized a combination of narrative and art-based inquiry to compare subsequent reactions of these interactions with present-day views of creativity, and to explore the long-lasting effects of positive and adverse interactions with parents and teachers. Results support the theory that parents and teachers are primarily responsible for creativity development, with an influence that extends well into adulthood. An individual’s understanding of creativity, level of self-confidence and resilience, style of creative thinking, and ability to relate to others are reflective of their earliest interactions with parents and teachers. This study contributes to a growing field of research on the importance of creativity development at home and in schools.

Keywords: creativity, parents, teachers, education, narrative inquiry, art-based research, art therapy

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