"School kills creativity": in the words of an older white male, an academic professor and a British "Sir" on top of that, Sir Ken Robinson - unmissable.;)
My wonderful sister Marianka has sent me a link to this video. I find it funny and inspiring, though it left me with a tinge of darkish reflections (which have been in me for a while, Ken Robinson's speech just gave them an occasion to sprout), for instance, how I myself have been affected by the educational system.
Some of my favourite quotes from the speech:
Education takes us into the future we cannot grasp. The kids being educated now will retire in 2067.
Creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.
Kids are not afraid to be wrong. If you are not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with something original. And by the time they are being adults, most kids have lost that capacity.
(University professors) look upon their body as a form of transport for their heads!
(Ningasuitok and Marianka - what do say to this one?:) :) )
THE LINK:
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
Please have a look and share some thoughts - do you think school has to be this way? Do you feel your creativity has sufferred? Your children's? Aren't there some small adjustments a teacher could make?
Btw, POLISH subtitles are available on this video, look closely at the options below the little video screen.
Enjoy!
Look at the history of public education: its aim is not to foster creativity, but to foster good (docile) citizens. In my experience, the best teachers appreciate creativity, but too many find it threatening. It exposes their own lack of intellectual resources.
ReplyDeleteWe currently have a child who is being threatened with failing Reception/Kindergarten/Junior Infants/(insert name for first year of school here) because the kid finds the intensive number/letter recognition work to be a bit of a bore. Admittedly, I have not done much at home because I sensed that it might backfire-- I wanted said child to be ready and eager. The teachers seem concerned only with standards (child has passed from aa to A in literacy but must be at C at the end of the year in order to advance) and so objected to our taking the kid out of school for a couple of days for an experience that was undeniably educational. The teacher cc'd the head of the school her objection to the trip, citing the kid being behind in literacy and mathematics. As a parent, I find that my child learns quickly: walking around the street seeing different colours of spray paint and discussing which lines they represented, my child later pointed to paint on the pavement and spouted off the utility company each represented. Quick with work play and learning anything to do with the natural world. At least twice I've suggested to the teacher that there could be a problem with visual recognition of letters/numbers, and she has not responded with any thoughts whatsoever.
As for creativity, it is there in droves but unappreciated: the reaction is hostile, even. Does education kill creativity? You bet. BUT it ought not be that way. Teachers need to be bright and enthusiastic and creative themselves. Too many are lovers of kids who just don't have the mental faculties to inspire. I'd argue for the hiring of more highly educated people as teachers for all ages: just because one teaches the youngest students doesn't mean one should have a bare minimum of education-- I'd argue the opposite. Get some highly educated individuals in at the start and hope that their zest for learning about the world, for entertaining all interests and ideas can gift students with a philosophia that will remain for life.