This article is based on a Ted Talk by Ken Robinson that proposes that schools kill creativity.
Robinson tells the story of Gillian Lynne, who was having a terrible time in school. She could not get her homework done and she was a disruption to her class. Lynne’s mother was asked to bring her to an equivalent of a guidance counselor. As her mother and the guidance counselor talk about all of the challenges that she was having in school, Lynne literally sat on her hands.
After the session the guidance counselor and Lynne’s mother left the room. However, the counselor had the idea to turn on the radio. As soon as they walked out of the room, Lynne began to get up a dance.
The counselor suggested that Lynne be put in a dance school.
Kids who start school today will be leaving the work force at least 60 years from now. However, the vast majority are being educated from a paradigm that does not even work today.
It used to be that any kids who would get a college degree could get a job. Now, only the best of the best are getting jobs.
Further, the cost of education used to be so much less expensive. However, with rising costs of education and less money available to those who graduate, the education system is not supporting killing of creativity, but it is also not successful in achieving its purpose for the masses.
The great news is that the connections that are being brought about by the Internet allow any passion and interest to become a potentially lucrative business because the Internet allows us to connect to virtually the whole World, whereas in the past we could only connect with a fraction of the number of people.
Now, would I go as far as saying that Math and Literacy should not be the core components of an education system and the arts and student’s passions should replace those subjects?
The short answer is that I really do not know. This is partly due to my being trained in the current education system, which as Robinson points out, celebrates correct answers and shun answers that are not correct.
If we want to create children that are walking around being afraid to be wrong or feeling out of place in their own minds and their own bodies, then we can continue to head down the path that we are heading.
However, if we are willing to take a little bit of a risk, we can create a future of creative children and extraordinary results.
Gillian Lynne thrived in dance school and went up to become one of the most successful choreographers in the country.
What future will you create for our kids?