Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity (at TED conference):
About Sir Ken Robinson:
Why don’t we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies — far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity — are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. “We are educating people out of their creativity,” Robinson says. It’s a message with deep resonance. Robinson’s TEDTalk has been distributed widely around the Web since its release in June 2006. The most popular words framing blog posts on his talk? “Everyone should watch this.”
A visionary cultural leader, Sir Ken led the British government’s 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. His latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, a deep look at human creativity and education, was published in January 2009
(source: TED conference speakers’ website)
About TED conference:
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader. The annual conference now brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).
(source: TED conference website)
Now here’s a challenge for you… If there were no limitations (budget, politics, etc), list (and explain if needed) 3 things you would change about your education system, in order to nurture creativity…
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If I could change the traditional education system in order to nurture creativity in students, I would first split each public school into 3 parts. There would be math/science, medical and performing arts. If more schools offered these types of programs more students would be happier about what they are learning. Not too many students study what they want to study and with this instilled students can have the option of switching into another program of their desire to produce more creativity in their field.
In regards to public schools, I would eliminate segregation of public vs. magnet programs. Most students who fall in public school programs are not offered magnet type education (higher education w/ better teachers). I believe that all students should be offered the same chance regardless of their skill level. Students feel inferior to those in better classes and tend to do poorly because their is a lack of motivation. If you motivate all of them unbiasedly, you’ll have a greater outcome in the creation of their minds.
Lastly, I would balance the ratio of traditional academic teachers to those who teach in the arts department. Every school that I have attended always had one or two teachers who taught music, art or dance; compared to those who taught math, history and english. In addition to that, I would add more funding to the arts department so that there would not be any discrepancies about the hierarchy in the schools education system.
To create creativity, the option to do so should be offered. I believe if you allow the student to harness their creative endeavors rather than hindering them, we’ll have a nurtured a more well balanced student.
First and foremost, being a creative student I know first-hand that our education system is flawed. There are many types of people on this planet, all of which deserve to be nurtured correctly. I believe there are logically intelligent, actively intelligent, athletic intelligent, and artistically intelligent individuals. There should be a test arranged in the elementary years of a child testing a combination of where their skills lie as well as where their interests lie. Children are thrown into classes and activities they do not exceed in as well as enjoy thus the stimulus that education and attending school is a negative thing. With this test children can be set to go far on a career path they would enjoy.
Another thing that should be improved in the education system is the fear to fail. We do not learn from our mistakes unless at times we do fail. The marks and grades in our system are very strict, and usually only have one answer. What if you were given the opportunity to defend your answer? Instead of being told you were wrong, or receiving an “F” on a paper you felt deserved a “B” at worst you would be given a chance to speak with your teach er, and defend your point. If the argument has no substance the grade stands, but grades can be so objective that the students do not always understand what they have done wrong if they believe in the topic they have written about. This is an issue I have personally faced; being knocked down for my creativity. It does not push a student to be more creative; it keeps them from sending forth their opinions in the future.
Lastly, I do not believe tests should be weighted in such a huge manner. Some individuals succeed more in visual presentations, term papers, or any other means of being “tested”. Why should we only cater to those who are poor test takers? Each class should have options of which way to be tested.
Creative people are constantly overlooked in society today, and even looked down on and called “weird”. These have been some of the greatest minds in our nations history, and should be catered to and not shunned.
After watching this video and thinking about the way my education has been there are a few things that should be changed:
First, allow the children to do what they want. Teaching them basic education is important, but somethings that really interest them are not available to them. Throughout my elementary, junior and high school I was taught american history and world history every other year. Why repeat the same information for so many years if you are not interested in it? Once you teach the basics, allow students to choose what interests them the most and let them explore that more than pushing the basic facts that we learn repetitively learn for so many years.
Second, there should not be any grades given throughout school. Simply a pass/fail. Pass being able to explore your ideas and not be criticized because they are not good enough. Fail will only be for someone who does not try or care. This would not be possible if the student was able to choose his or her interests for school.
Finally, don’t consider “smartness” based on test. Taking sat or cat test to score the highest to get into the best universities only pushes the idea that someone is not good enough to get into the school because they are not smart enough. Just because a test forces you out of one school does not mean you don’t deserve a chance there. Your interests and expertise may be in other areas that were not included in the test, or possibly creative instead of testing.
Making students conform to what the state and education system thinks is smart is the pure reason why there is no creativity. Test and grades do not show how smart you are, just how smart they think you should be. Being creative has been taken away by the education system and is probably why some people are unable to express themselves fully, or why those who do are seen as strange. Creativity is something that each person should be able to express fully and freely.
Sir Ken Robinson states, “The unpredictability is extraordinary.” I believe that arts is not taught enough in school. Many kids who are brilliant with arts may not be the next generation’s scientists. Most of these kids are never given the chance to show their abilities as an artist/musician/dancer. I think that students should have mandatory classes for Math, English, and Science. As controversial as it sounds, I would place the Arts before any History/Global studies class. I’m not saying those aren’t as important but the ability to express yourself through a medium like drawing or painting is important for children. I’m an athlete and focused so much on sports and maintaining good grades in school that I basically skipped getting totally involved in arts. I took ceramics, painting and drawing but nothing more than that. I taught myself how to play guitar after I graduated high school I wish I would have picked it up earlier in my education but I was never introduced to anything like it. I would definitely move Arts higher up on the list of important subjects that are taught in schools.
Another thing I would change is the “way” things are taught in the schools. Most of the time it’s not “what” is being taught, it’s “how” it’s being taught.
http://www.creativeworldmontessori.com/default.htm
That link is an example of a Montessori school. Montessori school’s are creativity-enriched programs that focus on “summer camp” style curriculum’s. The kids are allowed to sign-up for the classes they want to take. They teach certain studies taught in pre-schools but through arts. Many things that are done are hands-on activities with the freedom to choose what exactly they want to learn. The Montessori method encourages self-discipline, develops the child’s responsibility and confidence, and encourages independent thinking. I would definitely implement these strategies into public-school’s.
This was my favorite quote by Robinson in the video, “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.” With the grading scale like it is today in schools, the pressure to succeed is greater than the pressure to learn. Most kids just cram before tests and learn the material for an hour and then forget it. A new grading scale that just offered pass or fail grades would work better I believe. I don’t think kids would be so pressured to get good grades and would focus more on the learning. “Kids are frightened of being wrong,” Robinson says. I believe that because when I was in elementary school, I was scared to raise my hand and answer out-loud incase I was wrong. The pressure of being “right” in front of my peers was enough to keep me quiet. It’s almost impossible to be “wrong” in Arts programs and classes. By implementing more arts classes and less structure on the grades, many kids will learn more and become more creative.
I struggled throughout my elementary education to pay attention and keep up with the other kids so people didn’t think i was very smart, however outside of school i was able to excel at arts like gymnastics, piano, and, singing and dancing. therefore the first thing i would change is the status of extracurricular such as these. i would incorporate dance and aerobics into the P.E. system and kids would receive a grade for participation rather than being graded on how fast they can run a mile. It would be important to introduce children to different forms of dance so that they could find a style they relate to and stick with throughout their k-12 education.
The second aspect i would change would be the views on arts as a last priority. i would have teachers go through extensive training so that they will learn to appreciate arts. because as Robinson says we are taught to become like university professors and we are taught that art is unimportant compared to math and english which isn’t true. this training will bring out the creative side of the instructors while it teaches them how to inspire creativity in their students.
the third thing i would change is the infiltration of crafts and art projects. it seems that these kinds of projects are considered childish so they leave our education system after 5th grade. I would rule that every grade k-12 have craft and art projects that can be used to teach several different subjects while supporting students creative side. Also to be even more successful with this it would be important to teach children to draw simple shapes at a young age so that from then on the would be able to doodle and draw in class instead of having to take notes (or they could be taught to take notes through drawing pictures)
First and foremost, this was an excellent and very informational clip. I have never taken the time to realize how the educational system can be so neglectful. After watching this, I came to wonder whether my own future is at risk and how difficult it will be to find a career with only a BA degree.
To start, children tend to either obey authority or let their minds wonder the first time they attend school. So judgments of their learning styles should not be determined until 1st grade or so. Once there, the students who continue to struggle, disobey, not be persistent with class/homework, etc. should have a one on one with their parents in regards to what the teacher can do in order to make the class experience more beneficial or what the child is more comfortable doing to help them concentrate. The parents can inform the teacher of their findings and the required precautions can be worked on.
The grading system is flawed in making students feel inferior to those who are succeeding in class. In all honesty, what is the purpose of a grade other than to make students feel special or horrible as well as be the most important five letters that have the ability to make or break ones future? Parents should refrain from punishing their children when they get bad test scores and grades until they fully understand why their child got the grade they did. The grading rubric should be changed in a way where the student does not fully become discouraged and become fearful of making a mistake. Now the mistake should be understandable and not as a result of laziness. Students should fail rarely and if so, it should be the last resort for those who do no work whatsoever. If students try, do the work, and attend class regularly, then they should pass.
Mistakes are to be encouraged throughout ones entire educational career. Fear should be taken out of the curriculum and be replaced with Freedom of Expression. There should be no restrictions in classroom environments. If a child has a better way of learning math, history, english, or science, then they should be encouraged to. Students should not be regulated by the control of the school system and of their teachers. Children are to be confident to speak in class and let their voices be heard regarding any unfairness given by their teachers. A child’s talents are to be accepted rather than denied. Every student has their own special gifts and if those gifts are important enough to result in a passionate career, then who is society to put a negative spin on their ambitions and refute those ambitions.
Students everywhere will rise up and overcome the destruction of imagination! Children will dream again and pursue the goals that they know they can achieve rather than goals that society thinks they should achieve.
Sir Ken Robinson did an amazing job at conveying the importance of creativity in our education systems. Through my experiences with public education, I agree with Robinson; that there is a lack of encouragement for creativity.
The first thing I would change about our education system is that there needs to be more requirements to take arts classes. In high school, I was only required to take one year of art, while I was required to take four years of english, history and math classes. I beleive that students should be required to take 3 years minimum of art . Counselors should encourage their students to take these courses. Robinson stated that art education is at the bottom of the heirarchy scale. Art education should be considered as equally as important as other classes.
A second thing I would change is that, more varieties of artistic classes should be available to students. Some schools only have drawing and painting classes and ceramics. Everyone has unique creative talents. Schools should have more music classes, cooking classes, dance classes, etc.
A third thing that I would change, is that art classes should not be graded on talent. In high school, I took an art design class and the teacher would judge every prooject that was completed by giving it a letter grade. Often times I did my very best work and did not receive the grades that I had hoped for. This was very discouraging to me. Even in elementary school, drawings would be graded. I always felt that since I was not a good drawer, that I was not a creative person. Children’s unique creative abilities should be encouraged.
Creativity should be encouraged to help build well-rounded students. This will also help children become more open minded and think for themselves.
First of all I really enjoyed the video and its overall message. Creativity is something that should definitely be nurtured, especially in our youth. Alternatively, it does seem that in today’s educational system creativity can be stifled more than encouraged at times.
One of the first things I would change in our education system would be offering more opportunities for children to get to explore their interests. Obviously math, science, English and history are very important, but I think it would be beneficial to give kids the chance to explore their interests. They should be encouraged to choose between alternative fields in art or other creative fields.
Another area I would look into altering would be the grading system of our youth. Again, certain subjects should stress their levels of accuracy. However, when dealing with creativity how can one be judged and their work be construed as being either as right or wrong? I think it is very important to give children the chance to explore themselves creatively and give them the chance to grow and further develop their interests in pursuing further advances in that subject matter.
Another aspect that would need change would be eliminating the fear of failure or not fitting in. Similar to grading, the perception that an idea can be judged negatively needs to be taken out. Also, the idea that all students need to fit a certain behavioral pattern needs to be looked into. I found it interesting in the video of how Sir Ken Robinson likened the way a lot of children today are being given medication to calm them down or deter certain actions. It is interesting to think what we may have missed out on if some of our most creative minds throughout history had been successfully stifled in their developing phases.
I loved the video! Sir Ken Robinson was very interesting and incredibly witty. He was right on point when he said that creativity is something that should be encouraged, nurtured and accepted. I think that creativity should not have rules. By setting too many rules and guidelines, you hold back children’s imagination and ability to formulate individual and unique ideas and thoughts. That is one thing that I would most definitely change about the way education, in regard to creativity, is taught. Teachers should stimulate children’s minds in order for them to be able to allow their minds to flow and develop their own thoughts. His is the most important thing in teaching education.
The second thing that I would change about education of creativity is to allow children to take courses such as music, dance, karate and art in school just as they do math, science or history. These courses can help build the character and discipline of children just as much as these other general school classes do. My brother for example, has a learning disability and finds it difficult to memorize information for tests and to concentrate in class while reading with the class. He is not by any means dumb or unintelligent. He is an amazing athlete and very knowledgeable when it comes to other skills such as fixing computers, doing handy work around the house and fixing cars. He is an all star athlete in baseball, basketball and football and that is how we measure his success. He should not be put down for his inability to memorize all the capitals of the 50 states and instead he should be applauded for his abilities as a 15 year old man who excels at a number of other areas of life. Those extra classes and activities build children’s confidence and allow them to express themselves and have an outlet to show who they really are on the inside!
the third thing i would try to avoid is giving out grades for the work children do in classes. When you start to grade creativity, you draw the line to what children can and will create because they are too worried about what grade they are going to receive. This discourages the growth of creativity and keeps minds structured, instead of allowing them to flow freely!
I was in kindergarten at the age 5 and my class and I were given instructions to color in a photo copy of a gummy bear. I started coloring in the bear red and colored the tummy of the bear purple. My teacher then came over to me and told me there was no such thing as a purple and red gummy bear and gave me a clean sheet to start over and color the bear “correctly”. From this my creativity was doomed I relied on examples from other people and copied what they did so my assignments would be done correctly.
The three things I would change about our educational system are travel, curriculum, and treating every student the same. Traveling to places gives students the ability to see something differently, to better understand a topic, and to gain ideas from their experiences while being among new things. Field trips have virtually disappeared within school systems thousands of things are taught to students but all in the same way, via book or lecture. All students learn in different ways some visual, some auditory etc. Creativity also flourishes when students are taught in creative ways by their teachers.
The curriculum within the educational system is cookie cutter nothing is done differently no teacher wants to step out of the box because they are afraid of not teaching in the conventional style. I think students see or rather feel this and because those who teach them don’t express creative ideas, students become fearful of expressing their own creative ideas.
Many classrooms are filled with as many as thirty students and one teaching style that will not fit all thirty students. I think assignments should have options students should have the ability to complete a project in a variety of different ways. By doing this students are getting the most out of a project and learning how many different ways the same task can be completed.
This video was so interesting. Something that Ken said towards the beginning of the speech really struck me. How are teachers supposed to equip students to be viable members of society in the future, when they themselves don’t know what the world will be like 5, 10, or 20 years down the road? How does one teach in an ever changing world?
I think that the first line of defense in changing the education system has to start with the source, namely the government. The government has set up a framework of standards that teachers must follow. The teachers are responsible for making sure that every student has met the standards set by the government by the end of the school year. When one thinks critically about this system, how could it possibly be effective in nurturing creativity? Every single child that passes through the public education system is expected to grasp exactly the same concepts! What if there were no standards? Without the stress of meeting standards put on the teachers, students would be free to explore their own specific interests.
Secondly, I would like to decrease the importance of tests within the school system. Not everyone is good at taking tests. Some people are. I for one, have known for quite some time that I am a lousy test taker. I am, however, good at writing reports and giving presentations. What if students were given different options about how to show the teacher that they have grasped a concept? I think this would be a much more effective learning tool. I had a philosophy teacher who implemented a similar concept for our final projects last semester. We had the option of: taking a test, writing a poem or short story, drawing, photography, painting, or writing an essay. Whatever we chose, our only direction was to communicate to the teacher that we understood the material of the class. I, being an artist, chose to paint something that demonstrated this. I enjoyed doing the project and really put a lot of thought into it. Much more time than I would have put into cramming for a test…
Lastly, don’t think that the A,B,C,D,F system is a system that will nurture creativity. (I have always read that system as best, good, ok, bad, just give up) I agree with Nicole that a pass/fail system is much more effective. Often times, I have been less creative with a project because all I really cared about was getting an A, rather that taking a chance that my creativity would be mistaken for stupidity or even worse, not following directions! A pass/fail system would also not make anyone feel more or less smart, which can also hinder creative thinking.
The first thing I would change about the current national education system is to rid it of meaningless standardized tests. I understand that there needs to be a way of making sure that there is some normality between the different institutions of an education system and that there needs to be a way of maintaining standards within those education institutes, but tests like the STAR, CAHSEE, SAT’s, the GRE test for memorization. Multiple choice exams cannot determine critical thinking, conceptual understanding, or originality of thought. Teachers who are subject to such ridiculous and unsubstantiated policies such as No Child Left Behind are forced to teach the tests for fear of losing their jobs. Students are so focused on doing well on these tests that any subjects ignored in the tests [such as most humanities and arts] become less of a priority and ultimately dissolve to nothing but occasionally indulged hobbies.
Another change I would make to the current national education system is offering more trade electives in public schools and incorporating art into the graduation requirement. Not every child is geared towards math and science. Not every child wants or needs to go to college. If each school were to offer more art and trade electives, children would be able to explore their artistic and creative talents while still fulfilling their academic requirements. Classes such as auto shop and wood shop would offer an introduction to trades that are typically frowned upon as acceptable occupations by most high school counselors but are in actuality vital professions that can lead to successful careers. All talents and interests should be encouraged.
Finally, I would make sure that all teachers were capable of teaching to a multicultural group. There are tendencies in learning styles among specific cultural groups that need to be recognized. Recognizing these tendencies and learning how to create lesson plans that will incorporate several different learning styles will not only allow children to learn through their own preferred learning style but also introduce them to new ways to look at the material and analyze it. Whether in groups, alone, through reading, writing or a myriad of other methods, children will learn to expand their horizons. I firmly believe that the more you know, the further your creativity can reach since creativity and innovation are founded in reinventing or revolutionizing existing ideas. The larger your body of knowledge, the larger your pool from which to create your new ideas.
First off, If I were to change education to broaden creativity I would create more electives. There are subjects that probably have never been taught in schools because it doesn’t fit a certain criteria. I would focus more on courses in technology. I felt like my typing class has forever helped my education in being able to type papers and use the keyboard. Being able to use the tools to inspire creativity is key in creating it.
Secondly, I would say there needs to be more funding for performing arts. I was a cheerleader for three years in high school. All of the funding for uniforms, competition, and fees were paid for by my parents. A lot of kids can not afford to be involved. This could cause the students dream of being able to be in something they enjoy ruined forever.
Third, I think elementary school should have students be able to pick their classes early on. I remember loving music and art in elementary school but the funding for the classes got canceled. I was crushed. I couldn’t been able to play an instrument or paint at a young age when children are more open to doing so. Creativity can be molded if there is a will to rearange education around.
The first thing I would do would emphasize the importance of having less structure both in and outside of the classroom. It is important to allow kids to think on their own, if they think on their own it truly harbors creativity and allows creativity to flourish. There is still would have to be structure as far as curriculum, standards and material taught, but the way to go about presenting the material should be different ever time to show the children there are different ways of doing things and that there is not only one way to teach. Kids learn by example, if there is a variation in teaching approaches then they will learn that there are different ways to do things, thus encouraging them to find different ways to do things both in and outside of school.
Another thing that is essential would be to have different means and environments to teach kids. Get out of the class room, open up their minds to different things by seeing. There is only so much creativity that came come out of a room with four walls. Out in open spaces can become a whole new frontier for these kids and open up their minds and be really refreshing for both them as well as the teachers to become more creative thinkers. One example would be to have journal writing time outdoors sitting on the grass instead of sitting at a desk in the classroom. This is still accomplishing what needs to be done in a school day, just in a slightly modified way to have the kids be more inspired.
The last thing I feel would be the most important. This was briefly mentioned by Sir Ken Robinson, and I totally agree. There needs to be way less emphasis made on mistakes. Mistakes are essential to learning, we learn from our mistakes. By being severely punished and afraid of making mistakes this harbors feelings of fear to try new things. Kids cannot be afraid to get in trouble or punished for mistakes, this I feel is essential to nurturing and expanding creativity in education.
I really enjoyed this video. I couldn’t agree more with his thoughts on our education system. He really seemed to put things in perspective. I especially enjoyed his story on ADD, having dealt with Attention Deficit Disorder first hand. It supposably runs in my family.
First thing I would do to encourage and nurture creativity in our education system is to reconstruct the boring design of the walls in most classrooms. It seems as you get older classroom walls are boring and dull. In elementary school the four classroom walls are bright and colorful filled with artistic ideas and art projects. The older you get the less these walls have. It is very uninspireing and boring to look at white dirty walls all day.
Also, have you ever had a professor or teacher that has been teaching since the beginning of time? They are old and tired and still use the term “Arithmetic” when referring to math. The sheer look at them makes your shoulder sag lower. I have had this experience and it is time for these teachers to retire. This is just an extreme stereotype, yet old teachers who are stuck in thier old ways are reluctant to embrace a new wave of learning, thus not as willing to nurture creativity. You need a teacher who isn’t fraid to let you decorate your work space and move your desks around.
Lastly, an upper division creativity course should be implented into the curriculum. I have learned more in the past two class sessions about creativity and what is considered creative then I ever thought possible and I believe everyone would benefit from learning this. Learning about creativity can help any kind of person with any type of personality in any aspect of thier lives. A course in creativity can help someone see the world differently and open thier eyes to many new ideas.
Overall I liked this video. Sir Ken Robinson reminded me of my elementry days and how slowly as I entered the 4th, 5th, 6th grade art was sifted out of the main curriculum. It only became worse as I entered middle and high school. However, I did have an amazaing 3rd grade teacher that based her curriculum around art. I did more art projects in my third grade year then I did any all my years of school all together. I made beaded neckles. used plaster of pares, painted on canvus’ and many more projects. I was very lucky to have that kind of opportunities
With that said, I would make art part of the standard curriculum, just as math and science is. Art supplies should be part of the state budget. This would encourage teachers to incorperate art into the classroom.
A second idea that could help contribute to the lack of art into every students curriculum is to add a second elective in high school. During high school I was lucky to have that option, as soon as I graduated the school took the second elective away. With my second elective I was able to have a second language and be apart of the school year book staff. This is where I began to think of advertising as a career.
Third, to enourage creativity I would allow time during english classes to give the opportunity to students to express themselves in a artistic way, whether it be through writing poetry, drawing, or using computer graphic programs etc. The students would then share their ideas, the main point would be to encourage no idea is a wrong idea.
Sir Ken Robinson is a really motivating speaker in terms of pumping ideas about our current educational systems. He informs us of important points and leaves us to wonder whether or not we should question our creative abilities from all ends of the spectrum. First, in order to nurture creativity, I believe the environment we are in is important. Instead of meeting inside a contained space with four white walls and a white board, students will meet outside of the standard classroom spot. We will use an outdoor area or a huge auditorium with a sky view so that we can feel free to express our thoughts. It is important to feel comfortable in order to express your creativity. Also, in terms of criteria and evaluation, I believe professors should inspire new thoughts and ideas on students work. They should give them credit for their efforts and thoughts, as long as they are valuable. Teacher should allow students to bring things to class that help them become better thinkers. Everyone has a different way of doing things. For example, I cannot study in quiet areas. I need music in order to focus. Being educated in such a constrained education system causes a fear in us as adults when it comes to being unique. School systems should implement “out of the box” ideas and have no limits on expressing different ways to learn.
Sir Ken Robinson is a fantastic rousing speaker. I really enjoyed his entire presentation. He was very eloquent, funny and succinct in his speech. I really thought he did a tremendous job in bringing awareness to a very significant concern. As I was watching the video, I started to thinking about the things that he said and how the applied to my childhood education growing up, I noticed that he was absolutely correct. The education system in America does a horrible job in nurturing creativity.
The first thing I would do to reverse the trend in our education system, is to give equal emphasis on all subjects. This especially means equal time to all of the arts. I feel this is a step towards creating a well-rounded education system. Along with this, the types of teachers who are hired to teach must have diverse backgrounds in multiple subjects. Many of my teachers growing up were specialized in only one subject, never in any arts.
Second, since money would not be an issue, I would encourage teachers to step out of the classroom and teach in different environments. As a student, I always felt bored and would lose focus in classrooms. Seven hours of my day were spent sitting in a chair, everyday felt like the last. It would be nice to experience new learning experiences, and actually seeing how the material we learn in class is actually applied in the world.
Lastly, I would eliminate tests, and the notion of right and wrong. Most of the teachers I have had in my education were very absolute in their teaching, you were either right or wrong, and tests determined this. I do not understand why the education is so competitive. Growing up, the good students were the ones who had the good grades, and those who did not were considered “dumb”, “slow”. I never liked this frameset of thinking. I would get rid of test, since I feel they are inaccurate in accessing true knowledge. I have received many “A” grades on test on material I simply regurgitated on to a paper and forgot it immediately as soon as I left the classroom. When we do not discourage students with bad grades or telling them they are wrong is when we will allow students to operate at their highest learning, creative potential.
I really enjoyed this video as well. After viewing this and the past couple days of this course in creativity is where I realized how almost deprived we’ve been for most of our education career when it comes to creativity. We were taught at a very young age in school that there is only a right or wrong answer. For the most part all the course in middle school and elementary were about structure and anything that involved creativity was left for extra curricular. Even in the first years of schooling all the doodling and art projects were left to the “babies” and some where along line there were no more projects that allowed us to show our creative talents. I believe that if we had the opportunity to take most courses that allowed us use our creative abilities we would be able to apply it to our other subjects by allowing us to have a more opened mind. I’ve I could change some of the things about our education system I would definitely eliminate standardize testing, one its a waste of money and two its further enforces the idea that there is only a wrong or right answer. And the obvious, ENCOURAGE more creativity in the class room and keeping it consistent through out our educational careers. I believe one of the main reasons we’ve made hard for students to think on there own and out of the box is because somewhere down the line anything that was reality to art, music, extra curricular was considered of very little importance. Therefore discouraging us to peruse our creativity in those areas because it wasn’t going to get us where we wanted because of the standards our educational system requires.
I attended elementary school in San Diego at a school called Alcott Elementary school. This school was unique in that it was a school with a purpose; meaning each grade had a specific focus on a certain cultural and artistic aspect in our world that we explored within the city of San Diego. After listening to Robinson’s speech, I was immediately taken back to these experiences that I had when I was yonger. The activities we did and the actions we took in learning about our specific purpose, were so unconventional and unlike any other learning experience I have had, up until college at least. That being said, I would first change that about the education system in elementary, middle, and high schools. If teachers and administrators were to be more open to unconventional methods of teaching such as this, I think it would produce more thoughtful and productive students.
Secondly, I would implement more of the arts in elementary, middle and high schools. There are so many requirements that students must accomplish that are geared toward mathmatics for example, but none for foreign language and music/ arts. Robinson talked briefly about the arts and their importance and I agree. I never took any sort of art or music class in high school (except maybe the one intro to art that was required at my high school; but it was structured in a typical classroom format leaving little room for interpretation or pure creativity). Basically, I think students should still learn the basics as in a traditional sense, but also that the public school systems should structurally mirror the college system of learning.
If there were no limits whatsoever on education (monetary, political, etc.) there would be many more than three things I would change about the educational system. First of all, after school activities and programs would be extremely expansive. It is a proven fact that the highest percentage of juvenile crime happens between the hours of 3 and 4 pm- after school. After school programs not only nurture a child’s education and creativity, but also increase their self worth and esteem. If teachers, librarians, coaches, and other mentors take time to be that guiding light for the youth, there would be less crime, less gang membership- but more importantly, kids would feel like life was worth fighting for, education was something that would be extremely desired, and even if their home life was not the best situation, these kids would feel loved- they would know that they mattered. And I believe that it is never too late to begin these programs. But for best results, the educational system has to start young. Kindergarten to the fifth grade are the most vital years for a child. because everything that shapes them in these years, they will take with them for the rest of their lives. And it can’t just be in the schools- parents also need to understand the importance of their children. Have them help fold the laundry or stir the batter in the kitchen. I wish parents wouldn’t let their children watch more than an hour of television or video games a day (no television and video games would be ideal) because it is not the responsibility of the TV networks nor video games to raise your children. If you want them to be good people you, the parent have to instill that in them. Education can’t just end when the school day does; it has to go home with them too. that’s why I believe that sitting down with your family for at least one meal a day can dramatically alter a child’s life. Having family game nights instead of sitting round the television- because let’s face it- even though you’re all in the same room doesn’t mean you’re together. And some may include the need for religious institution here, but I feel that you don’t have to go to church to be a good person. Religious education is actually one that I am against- I believe religion can limit creativity and self-expression. I would never force my children to go to church or Sunday school because children should be able to make their own decisions about life without worrying about eternal damnation. Thirdly, I don’t think education should be limited to an institution or building. I believe that creativity can’t come from white walled buildings. I think it would be great if classes could occur outdoors. I also believe that field trips are also important- getting influences from outside the classroom to help peak creativity.
to enhance creativity in our education systems, i would definitly give more value to visual and performing arts classes. the core requirements of math, sience, history and english are very important and fundamental in education but, not everyone takes interest in such subjects. when a child doesnt succeed in these areas, often they feel as though they have failed. by implimenting importance on visual and performing arts, children would be able to nurture their talents, abilities and creativity alongside what the regular school curriculum requires.
secondly, for any given visual art class given, i think there should be no grading scale based on the content of what is produced but instead it should solely be based on participation. whether a student gets an A of F, they are being graded on what the instructor considers to be art. this may limit creativity and therefore cause the student to feel as though there is a structured or way to “create”. something i don’t believe to be true.
and finally in order to incorporate more creativity, i would change the structure of a classroom setting. teachers shouldnt limit teaching classes in a white, four wall room with all the seats facing the same way. students would be able to expand their creativity more if they are given more hands on expirences indoor and outdoor as well!
The first, most obvious, thing I would change about the public education system is to balance the arts with everything else. I do not think that art should be offered as an option to kids, for those who cannot succeed in the other academic departments. I think that an integration of arts with everything else is very important. I remember when I was in elementary we would do art projects that go along with what we learning in history. I think projects like these were very good, but I also think that art was not taught separately enough. I think part of the problem with this is that teachers do not have creative confidence in themselves so they feel intimidated to teach it. I remember always having a guest teacher come teach art, or one teacher that only taught art to all the classes. This gives students the idea that only certain kind of people do art only.
I also think the way art is taught to kids should be changed. From what I remember being taught art in school, it was the only thing that it was okay to be bad at. We were always told its okay if you can’t draw good as long as you try. I’m not saying we should be totally critical on little kids and tell them they are wrong. But I think that basic skills should be taught to them, and each unique student’s skill should be noted and improvement should be encouraged. Teachers should use that technique “oh I really like how you did this it looks really nice, why don’t you try to do this” If kids are actually encouraged to work on their skills, they wouldn’t see it as a subject that is unimportant and more kids would realize the rewarding feeling of being challenged and creating something unique that they worked hard at.
Another problem with the public school system is more of a social problem. In regards to kids being afraid to answer questions in class. I think this is because of kids wanting to fit in and not wanting to be wrong because they would look stupid to their classmates. This is not only the teachers fault its just sadly the way lots of schools are. I think that teachers should just do their best to create the best nurturing environment for kids to put all these other things aside. This is not an easy task, but offering extra credit for participation or calling on the quieter students could help getting everyone to share their ideas. Most teachers preach about class participation in the first day of class, but few follow through for the rest of the class.
I enjoyed watching Sir Ken Robinson speech his use of examples during the video opened my eyes and made me laugh about the on going problem and it’s impacted on our limitation we face when dealing with our education system.
During high school, we were to read a newspaper for 15 minutes everyday. The newspapers we read in most cases had the sports and comic sections taken out of them. Like most high school teens many students would just act or briefly go through the newspaper and a waited the 15 min buzzer to go off. I felt this exercise contained no educational value and the time spent during silent reading. Students may have been able to use there time wisely and benefited from it. I always thought to myself why can’t we just draw, write, or read material we were interested in. Thus, my first suggestions in helping our education nurture creativity. Instead of having students read a newspaper students would be allowed to use the 15 minutes during school to do anything they desired as long it is creative, and productive. Students may read, do home work, draw, paint, and listen to music as long as it is education and creative. Student would keep a journal of what they had accomplished and learned during the 15 minutes of creative time. Student would then turn in the journal at the end of the year and then evaluate what they had year over the course of the school year. I feel if students that are allowed to do something creative and productive they will be able to open there minds more and think outside the box.
My second suggestion on how I would change our education system to enable us to nurture creativity would be to add a creative course in student’s standard education requirement such as English, Mathematics, Science, and History. A creativity course will engage in projects and assignments that allow students to use there creative thought process. A student’s grade will not be determined by the A-F standard grading system. As other students mentioned a use a pass or fail system would be more effective and will be solely based on the participation of a student not quality of there work.
For my third suggestion, I would like to see grade schools offering and encouraging there students to part take in creative events, which will be similar to college week only with providing potential students information on design, culinary, music, and art schools. By making a few changes to education system, and how they deal with nurturing creativity could go a very long way.
If there were no limitation in education I would foresee the world as a whole different place. First, I would make sure that arts would be on the same line of importance in school as math, history, English, and science. I have found that through my education I have flourished more in the classes I have chosen myself to take. While arts should be of the same importance the student would be able to choose from an array of classes to fulfill the art requirement no matter what age.
Second, I would make it mandatory that every teacher encourage their students to pursue their dreams. Like Sir Ken Robinson said today a degree does not mean the same as it used to. Students are not encouraged to pursue what they want in life so many choose, like me, to get a degree no matter what it is. If students are continually encouraged as we grow, it is more likely students will try harder to pursue the career they desire.
Third, I would implement that all schools grade K-12 would set aside one day every two weeks to allow all students to be creative. Whether it is draw all day long or write in a journal all day long, they do something they want to do and is creative. This will allow students to escape from the everyday routine of the normal school schedule and do something they want to do. Areas or classrooms can be designated for those who feel like cooking, drawing, acting, writing, debating, singing, etc. I feel this will allow students to explore their creative side more than they already can in the school setting.
I first watched a video on Sir Ken Robinson on youtube during the 5 Convention. I fully understood what he was saying and I also agreed. In this video, he makes great points as well. There are many things I think should change in the public school system.
One idea would be changing around the school schedule. When i was young they called it “block scheduling.” Every other day you would have a different set of classes. Monday, Wednesday, Friday your certain classes. Then tuesday and thursday, another set. Then it would switch each week to make it even. Creating something like this in schools but keeping certain days your math and sciences, and then another set your arts, music, sports, dance, etc. Doing this I feel would make the students look forward to going to school and learning. They are constantly stimulating their brain and learning and CREATING. Their passion is found in all of this. They get better grades. They behave better in school. It is about creating the proper learning environment and what is required by law in public schools, but it is also enlisting creativity. It is always so sad to me to hear of failing music and art departments in public schools, not having the funds to continue. By making a block schedule, or revision of the way classes are planned out each school year, this would be a great change.
If I had a choice, a change I would make is testing. I dont believe in tests. I dont believe tests determine how smart you are, what kind of school you can and cant get into. To me, it simply isn’t fair. Instead of submitting test for every subject, I think they should change it to creative projects. Let the student earn their grade through their knowledge and creativity. After students take tests, they immediately forget everything they know, nor do they really care about it afterwards. in doing something different like this, not only does the student really get to put time and effort and CREATIVITY, they are truly earning their grade and building confidence and pride. They grow. I am a strong believer in this. I have always been a horrible test taker, and because of the rules and laws of the school system, I never felt smart enough because my grades were based on a number. Changing the grade system and test taking in this way not only changes their perception of school, it also changes the way they view themselves.
Lastly, something else I would change would be the teachers themselves. Your children are learning from them. I would choose teachers with the same mindset on creativity. I would make it requirement for them to follow creative minds like Sir Ken Robinson. The teachers themselves would have to be creative beings and believe enough to teach their students the same way and allowing them to be creative spirits. More traditional teaching needs to be thrown out the door. Old ways need to be updated or taken out all together. We need more teachers with open minds, willing to teach through art, dance, crafts, cooking, playing, etc etc.
All in all, these three things are just a start to what needs to be done. Children need to be stimulated. They need the freedom to express themselves and have someone care and listen to them. The arts and music programs need to be more heavily emphasized. Though this, they grow, they gain confidence, they aren’t scared to express themselves, and they have no boundaries. This is how ideas are born.
If i could change three things about our education system to help promote creativity i would start with the elementary school education system.
The first thing is a course that would be a class to determine the fields of interest for the kids. See what sparks there minds. Some children would be interested in arts, while others would be interested in science. The purpose of this course would be to discover what the children find interesting and then i would put them on a path to explore that field. With out hindering the kids with specific rules and guidelines on on the subject, i would let there creativity lead them.
The second thing would be the removal of exams. Exams mainly cause stress to the students. Tests cause students to overwork themselves and focus on what they would need for the exam. This kills creativity. I believe that the professors should just grade them based on how well they are doing and this would promote creativity.
The last thing that i would change would be the funding. If schools can afford to help people educate themselves and provide the necessary materials, then more people can explore there creativity. They can become educated and this would in turn help bring about new changes in our lives. For example, lets say the next great scientist who would change the way we think about life could not afford to go to school. This would not only be a loss to himself but to mankind. We would lose out on the new perspective that he would have created if he did not have finantial difficulties that held him back.
If I could change 3 things in the school systems to promote the use of creativity without repercussions or limitations I would myself have no limitations to what can be done.
1) I remember when I was back in elementary school and all my teachers would always tell my parents that I had ADD and that I should be placed on Ritalin to calm me down and help me stay focused in school. I would be sitting in history class and out of a 45 minute class I would have 1 page of notes and about 3 pages full of doodles. When I was in music class or art then that was a different story, I wasn’t being held back from any thoughts or ideas I would have in my head. Classes like that don’t become mandatory, but history classes become mandatory every year of school all the way through college and you learn about the same shit. ITS CALLED HISTORY…MEANING IT NEVER CHANGED!!!! Learn it once and you know it. Now music and art, those two change yearly, daily, hourly and even every minute its changing. Topics like those die without creativity. Kat Williams say it then best in one of his stand up shows about his son.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze5UVLtgj4s
2) Starting in elementary school all the way through high school imagine before each certain class the teacher would do a 10 minute assignment with the students where they would have to either draw, write, sing, dance, read… anything about whatever topic the class is about. So if it was a science class the students would have 10 minutes to come up with some creative ideas about any field of science and then present it the class by any means they feel like. From personal experience I find myself to be more creative on my toes without much preparation and by doing this exercise starting from a young age it would accomplish 2 things. First it would spark a different fire in the child’s brain to make them think on their toes and be able to come up with creative and effective ideas on the fly. Second, how many time have you heard in school someone, or maybe yourself say, “oh I have stage fright, or that your scared to talk to a group of people.” Thats probably because back in elementary school you were never used to the idea of talking to a group of people. By allowing children to create and present daily or weekly in the class rooms would encourage and make the students more comfortable not just in the class room, but for the rest of their life by making them more comfortable to speak to a group people.
3) A small and simple way to help ignite creativity with students in elemetry school is on the first day of class have the room completely cleared of desks, cubbies and have everything off the walls. Have different colors of paint and other materials in the room and allow the students to each design a certain part of the class room, whether be painting a picture on the wall, painting the walls certain colors, maybe even instead of the traditional layout of the students facing the front of the room and the teacher standing in front, position the desks in a circle and have the teach stand in the middle… Let the students design their environment. Small things go a long way.
Three things I would change about our educational system are..
- standardized testing & their weight
- the lack of nurturing creative abilities
- more hands on events and projects in regards to the core subjects as well as the creative classes
Watching this speech was very entertaining. However, it brought up a lot of questions and thoughts regarding our education system. Looking back at my own experience in the public school system, classes that had to do with creativity such as art or dance were considered electives. If someone took a lot of these classes they were automatically criticized and looked at as if they weren’t going to college. This was so frustrating because i really enjoyed these types of classes. However, because of this idea that has been in bedded in our minds most of my electives were science and AP language classes.
In order to have success in the future of education we must look at the creativity of children. It is such a sad truth that a degree that takes time and effort to accomplish is becoming worthless. ANd that eventually one must have a PHD in order to get a job within an industry. In order to change this around we must begin by changing the current public education system.
To do this there must be a shift in emphasis in classes. There should be allotted time for arts, crafts or dance that goes along with math and science. This way you are teaching children the “important” subjects and allowing them to be creative as well. This can happen by allowing children to create their own solutions in an artistic song, poem, or by drawings. As long as creativity is being introduced in these classes then you are getting the best of both worlds.
Education must also nurture those who are solely interested in dance or creative arts. The stigma that I had growing up in high school about these classes must be eliminated. This can be done by requiring students to take 2 years of such type of classes. This way, because it is a requirement, people won’t look down upon it. Another way this can be done is by educating students in jobs that involve such creative thinking. This way, one won’t feel that they must get a degree in Mathematics or science in order to succeed in life.
Finally we must nurture creative ideas throughout all 12 years of school for a child. We tend to see hangings of art and creative designs only in elementary school. Once Jr. High begins the shift turns to correctly written papers and less color. The environment in classes has to be fun, full of color and of creativity that the students make. This should be required in every class every year, regardless the subject. That way creativity is being nurtured in every subject type, and students won’t feel that they are going to the same dull place to only be taught things. By allowing students to also show their own talents and be involved in the learning process, this will encourage creativity!
Sir Ken Robinson is a passionate speaker with an extraordinary view of creativity. He brings up some interesting aspects of the education system and I for one find myself fascinated by his views on leaving imagination free from control.
The first thing I would change is to develop a class system based on communication styles. Then when the students feel comfortable relating there thoughts, ideas and opinions with people similar to themselves, then branch the classes out to mix the different communication styles. As far as I know there are 4 types I learned about so 2 and 2 could interact at a time then switch it up.
The second thing would be to include the concept of an Idea Journal starting in classrooms as early as kindergarten. This way teachers are able to visually depict the creativity that is sparked within each child. Enhancing the mind at an early stage is vital in order to bring out talents that may lay hidden. We wouldn’t want to deprive a student of possibly stumbling upon something great, that potentially might change the world we live in today.
The third thing falls along the line of creativity at every corner. This means a tentative schedule every school day so that if something inspires a student at any time of the day while instruction, he or she are able to act upon it. This could be in the form of drawing, acting, singing, dancing, or even playing. No boundaries or limitations. Rules are in place but limited in ties to creativity. Let an idea be carried on and not forgotten because the mind is feeble and able to disregard information at any time.
Who knows what the capabilities of students are? Let’s not under-mind human imagination. For things in this world would not be possible today if someone hadn’t thought up the idea!
First of all, Mr. Robinson’s speach was extremely entertaining and very well spoken. He does a great job at grasping attention and interest in his words. This speech really hit home with me because I completely feel that my creativity has slowly deminished as I’ve travelled through the education system; my mind has been closed, not opened as it should be, and just rescently I’ve been finding that creative spark again. Why is this? As Mr. Robinson said- education predominantly focuses on math and literacy, which I find funny because I can’t begin to tell you how many college students I know who are horrible at math and hate writing essays.
So what to do about this problem? First of all, there should be required curicullum of the arts throughout all levels of education. I know there are some required fields; however, there should be just as much time spent in the day on the artistc subjects as there are on math/english/history, etc. Many academic professionals would think this to be crazy, but why? In today’s society there are just as many succesful artistic jobs as there are corporate. People only get sucked into the corporate world because it’s what they’re taught to believe is the right path; yet, most of those people are completely miserable.
Secondly, there should be multiple mandatory field trips throughout each year of each grade to artistic type places, such as, playhouses, musicals, museums, concerts, etc. Many children are never given the oportunity to experience these types of events until they are older, when theyre creativity has already been deminished. If exposed to these at an early age and shown the impiortance, many more children’s creative horizons would be broadened.
Lastly, I belive the teachers need to carry much more responsibility in heling the children discover their talents within. Teachers of young children spend more time with the kids than parents do; they observe the way they learn, their talents and downfalls, and what really holds their interest. Therefore, the teachers should not discourage artistic talents, rather they should work to fully bring out these talents in the children. On each report card there should be a section where the teacher writes what they believe is the child’s strongest point, whether it be math or drawing, and encouragement should be given to the parents to further nurture and light a fire under these talents.
Wow, this guy hit the nail on the head. I used to have a great inagination and creativity as a child and adolessence, but as I got older I watched it fade away. Dont get me wrong, I can still be creative, but I often have trouble comming up with truly unique and creative ideas anymore. Now I know why…Im afraid to be WRONG!! What an epiphiny! Where did I lean this fear? The public school system! Thanks.
With that being said, if money was no object, I would shut down the public school system all together and privatize education. Private schools are not always better, but with my model, they would either sink or swim, just as businesses do. The good ones would stay in business because they are doing a good job and the bad ones would have poor enrollment and be forced to restructure or close their doors. The parents of students would receive a voucher to attend ANY school of their choice, and because of this, the schools compete for your business and therefore would constantly be trying to one-up each other with the variety of subjects and programs offered.
The schools would all have an area of specialization that they would be known for. Some schools would be great for “ADD” kids and would focus and would focus on an intensly hands on interactive way of teaching.
Some schools would have great athletics, great arts programs, writing, and yes even history (some people find it quite interesting, and so it is they that can really learn from it, the rest of us just make it.). You name it there would be a school that offers it as their strength or specilty.
Trade schools would begin in the 7th grade, so that they enjoy their education and are able to use it once graduated from HIGH SCHOOL.
Why we go to school for 14 years (preschool through high school) and have no specialized skills to boot is beyond me. What is the point? Surly it does not take 14 years to master the “basics”. What more is that then if we want to learn a specialized skill, or trade, or area of study, we then have to go back to school on OUR OWN TIME to finally learn something useful. Again, I just dont get it. It’s no wonder some kids are totally put off by the idea of continuing their education after high school, they are so burnt out by that time (if they haven’t dropped out already) that the last thing they want to do is do another 4 to 8 years of it, 2 of which are spent on MORE GENERAL ED! The public school system is a disaster, and the unions who support them are largely to blame.
That is the reason that I am seriously considering HOME SCHOOLING my two children. My son who is 4 shows the “symptoms” of a child that may be labeled ADD or ADHD. I watch my brother who got that label early on on school, just barely passing one grade to the next, because he learned differently. I will not watch that happen to my kids.