Based on Psychology research, I would say that we can learn to become more creative. Robert Sternberg is a well-known developmental psychologist who suggests that success is more than the (analytical) intelligence we measure with IQ scores.  Rather it is a balancing of (analytical) intelligence, creativity, and implicit knowledge.  He has written extensively on teaching people to be more creative (e.g., books, journal articles).  Below I'll link to an online article of his that describes 2 dozen ways we can foster creativity in our students.  Best wishes with your teaching, Steven! ~ Kevin

http://www.cdl.org/articles/teaching-for-creativity-two-dozen-tips/

Thank you so much, Kevin. What great ideas and suggestions in the essay. 

Best to you,

Steve 

Thank you Ales for your thoughtful advice. Steve