“Color inside the lines.”

It’s one of the earliest rules we give children when they’re learning how to draw. And in many ways, it reflects a larger idea in how we’ve traditionally approached learning: follow directions, stay within the structure, do what’s expected.

There’s a place for that. Boundaries are important. They help students develop self-control, focus, and the ability to complete tasks with precision and care. In subjects like math, science, grammar, or even art, technical skill matters—and it can be cultivated through practice, repetition, and discipline. Just like shading a picture neatly between the lines.

But what happens when we never teach kids that it’s okay to step outside the lines?

Creativity Can’t Be Taught—But It Can Be Encouraged

Creativity is often misunderstood. It’s not about being messy or disorganized. It’s not about abandoning structure for chaos. True creativity comes from insight, risk-taking, and the willingness to imagine something different. And while creativity may be innate, it’s also deeply personal and can be nurtured—or shut down.

Too often, our schools reward only the students who master structure: who memorize well, follow instructions, and produce predictable results. But our world needs more than that. We need thinkers. Innovators. Problem-solvers. Students who are unafraid to try, fail, learn, and try again.

That’s hard to grade. But it’s easy to recognize.

Rote Learning, Projects, and Experimentation

There’s value in rote learning—in building a foundation of knowledge that can be recalled and applied. But if we stop there, we sell students short. Learning isn’t just about what you know; it’s about how you use it.

That’s where project-based learning and experimentation come in. These approaches allow students to connect content to real-world problems, explore different paths to solutions, and take ownership of their learning. They also leave room for mistakes—for false starts, revisions, and messy middle ground.

And that’s critical. Because…

Failure Is a Teacher, Too

If we treat failure as a dead end, students will do everything they can to avoid it. They’ll play it safe, aim low, and fear the unknown. But if we frame failure as part of the process, we free them to grow.

Some of the best learning happens when a project falls apart, a solution doesn’t work, or an idea turns out to be more complicated than it seemed. Failure invites reflection. It pushes students to reimagine, regroup, and respond. It builds grit.

The challenge is that failure is uncomfortable—for students and for adults. It doesn’t fit neatly on a rubric. But that doesn’t mean it’s not essential.

Language as a Bridge (or Barrier)

Another important factor—especially in diverse, multilingual classrooms—is language. Many of our students have the intelligence, ideas, and insight to do incredible work. What they often lack is the language to communicate it—especially in the ways schools traditionally value: academic English, standardized vocabulary, structured essays.

That doesn’t mean they don’t understand. It means they’re navigating a second or third language, while also learning to express increasingly complex thoughts. If we only measure what they can explain in a narrow way, we risk missing what they actually know.

We need to ask ourselves: Are we grading their thinking? Or are we grading their language proficiency?

Beyond the Grade

Some of the most important parts of learning—creativity, perseverance, curiosity, empathy—can’t really be graded. They can be observed, described, reflected upon, and encouraged, but trying to reduce them to a letter grade is both limiting and misleading.

That’s why evaluation must go beyond numbers. We need conversations. Portfolios. Presentations. Self-assessments. Peer feedback. Evidence of thinking, not just right answers.

Because education isn’t just about getting it “right.” It’s about becoming someone who can think critically, act responsibly, and contribute meaningfully.

So yes, let’s teach students to color inside the lines—neatly, skillfully, and with care.

But let’s also teach them why the lines exist, and when it might be time to draw new ones.