I think teachers actually like some types of creativity, but within very restricted boundaries. So, for instance, my daughter is very artistically creative and does a beautiful job on school assignments that require that skill. This type of creativity is rewarded. However, other types of "thinking outside the box" creativity are typically not looked on as favorably.
. That doesn't mean curiosity. That means paying attention to the activities, being willing to produce whatever the group is producing-- like cutting, gluing, etc. And it means following along with whatever the group is doing and whatever the teacher is teaching. A lot of time is spent in preschool developing learning behaviors. If you are wandering off to do your own thing, that's a problem. You need to learn to transition. If you want to be at free play past your group's time, that's a problem.
Yes, a lot of preschool and early school does seem to be about becoming a cog in the system. On the one hand, impulse control does have its place. On the other hand, it can feel like a destruction of the spirit of learning and inquiry. This is where alternate schooling philosophies like Reggio-Emilia and Tools of the Mind start to really appeal.
