Teachers should praise rather than discipline pupils who stare out of the window during lessons, according to Gareth Morris, a science education consultant. Daydreaming, he said, is a valuable skill which is linked to creativity. Formal education tends to emphasise logic and knowledge, skills associated with the left side of the brain, rather than imagination and creativity, associated with the right. Mr Morris, who as a researcher in the chemical industry patented the first environmentally friendly hydrogen peroxide toilet cleaner, also warned teachers against being hard on negative pupils. “They can often give an insight and challenge your thinking by being creative,” he said