Do you think educators push students to compete rather than cooperate?

Do you think educators push students to compete rather than cooperate?  In the article 6 Myths of Creativity, Bill Bleen (2004) argues that competition actually hindered creativity and productivity. This argument reminded me of what Dr. Thornburg was saying about the need for collaboration to solve complicated problems (Laureate Education, 2010). As an educator this means that I should not try to compare one student to the next. I should get them to bring their creative selves, present ideas, and the hopefully the “sum of the parts will be more than the whole” (Laureate Education, 2010). 

6 Myths of Creativity by Bill Bleen

Bleen, Bill. (2004, December). 6 Myths of Creativity. Fast Company magazine.. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/51559/6-myths-creativity.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2010). Program eleven. Skills for the 21^st Century [Webcast].Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society. Baltimore, MD: David Thornburg