TED:
Talks Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/66

About this Talk
Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. With ample anecdotes and witty asides, Robinson points out the many ways our schools fail to recognize -- much less cultivate -- the talents of many brilliant people. "We are educating people out of their creativity," Robinson says. The universality of his message is evidenced by its rampant popularity online. A typical review: "If you have not yet seen Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk, please stop whatever you're doing and watch it now."

 

Very Good. I have 3 kids. I can understand what his point is. One of the reasons I don't get to ride as much as I want. I'm always running someone to football, wrestling, basketball, gymnastics...ect. My kids are 11, 6 and 5 and it is amazing how much their little minds can take in academically, physically and some of the creative things they come up with can boggle the mind. Good post Woo.

 

thank you for these interesting posts Woo :-) ....

Jules

 

Schools are like the US govt.. they teach you what "they want you to learn" not always what you "need" to learn.

 

The guy is a windbag, not very funny and clueless about the world. It is great he has found his niche, but in effect he is a waste.

Education systems are in existence for war. To create arms ,to create the industry require to support war, and to create an economy to support war. If all we learned in school was dance and music, we would all be speaking either Canadian or Mexican in no time.

 

Interesting video. I always hated being told I was wrong....when it was really just my perspective on matters.

 

Interesting video.

I agree Fish. The subjects taught in educational systems are what they are, because its what's needed to make money. We can't make dance our most important subject, but he has some interesting ideas.

 

Well, I found his presentation entertaining, despite the use of some jokes that I've heard before. "Education systems are in existence for war" is profound statement. I'm not sure how to describe my gut reaction to this, other than disturbed. It almost as if you are implying that education serves no other purpose in society. Though, I don't think that is what you think.

Society needs it's entertainers to help keep the general population happy. We need inventors to further society, militaristic and otherwise. We need our farmers, millworkers, blue collar and white collar workers. Being a capitalistic country we need all of that and more. It is very symbiotic.

He wasn't suggesting that we make dance our most important subject, but instead to not kill the creativity in our children. Some people think and learn better under different circumstances. Even if fish's supposition is accurate, creativity still plays a role. It's the thinking outside of the box that is what allows us to solve problems not comformity. On the levels of war, creativity is what leads to the creation of a sidewinder missle in someone's garage. I do agree that there are certain progams within Universities have a military application, such as the internet, hence the reason for government funding in said programs. The result of said programs still have civilian benefits that should not be overlooked. As for taxes paying for war... well, a little hard to argue that point right now.

Sooner or later, I'll think of the term that best decribes this thinking...then again, I might not.



Anyway, here is another interesting TED vid on creative learning (though, it can be boring for those, less enlightened):

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/228

[blockquote]About this talk

With all the intensity and brilliance he is known for, Alan Kay gives TEDsters a lesson in lessons. Kay has spent years envisioning better techniques for teaching kids. In this talk, after reminding us that "the world is not what it seems," he shows us how good programming can sharpen our picture. His unique software lets children learn by doing, but also learn by computing and by creating lessons themselves.[/blockquote]

 

You mean speaking English, French, or Spanish? Honestly Canadians have it right.. They are not hated by every foreign nation. And they are very open minded people (which the US as a whole is not)

no offense but if we grew up leaning dance and music, it could be you who is a "waste"

try and take a peak at it from more than one set of eyes..

 

until you wanted an organized society where running water and electricity are required. Maybe you'd want some kind of pesticide or medicine.

Are you really telling me that asociety populated by people with the same skill set as the Spice Girls would have a chance to thrive, let alone exist. Really, name one great empire that used song instead of swords to defeat their enemy and to improve their populations way of life.

The problem is that some people view creativity as 'Dance, music, and art'. The level of creativity that an engineer/scientist uses to solve problems ismany times more difficult as well as many times more important. When there are only so many hours in week or dollars available for education, would you want your kid learning the hokey pokey or how to spell their name? When you have AIDs, global warming, energy shortages do you want to hear a song by Eric Clapton or do you want some smart person on the job fixing your problems.

Thepoint is that dance, musicand artare things that we should do for fun (every society needs relief from stress), but the real drivers of education is the industrial/economic machine. And the most important thing that machine can do is deal with aggressive outside entities swiftly, severely, and efficiently. What is most disturbing to me is the huge numbers of Chinese and Arab students in our engineering schools. Whay aren't they studying renasaince literature or abstract colonial art or dance? They are gearing up for a war, it may be economic, but my guess it will be the noisy kind with blood and pain and I hope to God when our Military is fighting in it they have a huge technological advantage so the kill ratios are so huge it breaks the spirit of the enemy.

Maybe you are right, maybe creativity in the form of dance is what we need. Screw technology we should just let our hair grow and hold our hands together and sing.


Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
O Lord, kumbaya