How Schools kill creativity- Ken Robinson

ir Ken Robinson has been a beacon of inspiration for many of us, motivating a radical reconsideration of alternative education.

In his groundbreaking TED Talk on creativity in education, Sir Ken Robinson emphasizes the critical need to cultivate and recognize creative capacities in children.

Robinson argues that creativity is as important in education as literacy, challenging the conventional view that children don't grow into creativity but grow out of it as they progress through the school system.

Students are educated in batches, according to age, as if the most crucial thing they have in common is their date of manufacture. They are given standardized tests at set points and compared with each other before being sent out onto the market. I realize this isn’t an exact analogy and that it ignores many of the subtleties of the system, but it is close enough.”― Ken Robinson

He contends that the school system tends to stigmatize mistakes, creating a hierarchy of subjects that undermines every child's diverse types of intelligence.

Robinson illustrates this point with the story of Gillian Lynne, a renowned choreographer who, as a child, was considered to have a learning disorder because she couldn't sit still in class.

However, when her mother turned on the radio, Gillian became a dancer, highlighting the importance of recognizing and nurturing different types of intelligence.

Robinson passionately believes that the transformation of education is crucial to meeting the needs of individuals and fostering a more inclusive and personalized learning experience that allows creativity to flourish head-on rather than stifling it. 

Robinson's assertion that all children harbour inherent talents becomes a rallying cry against a system that often neglects to nurture these unique abilities.

By accentuating the pivotal role of creativity alongside literacy, he exposes the shortcomings of an educational framework that stigmatizes mistakes, instilling a fear that lingers into adulthood.

Robinson attributes the roots of our public education system to industrial needs, leading to a standardized approach that overlooks individual strengths. 

This, he argues, breeds a generation conditioned to believe success is only attainable by conforming to predefined standards, perpetuating a cycle that stifles creativity and hampers personal fulfilment.

Sir Ken Robinson's compelling perspective catalyzes educational paradigms, prompting a call to action for systems that recognize and actively cultivate the diverse talents inherent in every child. 

His teachings have empowered many to seize control of their education, fostering a movement towards a more inclusive and personalized learning experience.

Sir Ken Robinson eloquently challenged the conventional notion of education, asserting that schools often limit their focus to a singular dimension: academic intelligence.

Schools divide the curriculum into specialist segments: some teachers install math in the students, and others install history. They arrange the day into standard units of time, marked out by the ringing of bells, much like a factory announcing the beginning of the workday and the end of breaks.

He went beyond the concept of educational reform, declaring that what education requires is not just evolution but a revolutionary overhaul. 

Robinson questioned the societal obsession with college attendance, urging individuals to critically evaluate the necessity of higher education for their unique paths.

Emphasizing the importance of passion and personal fulfilment, he highlighted the unpredictability of outcomes and advocated for a revolutionary shift toward creating a movement tailored to individual needs. 

Robinson proposed an agricultural education model, envisioning an organic method where children learn within the nurturing embrace of their families and friends. He argued that

This holistic approach could foster a more personalized and fulfilling educational experience, breaking free from the constraints of a system that often overlooks each individual's diverse talents and aspirations.

We have to go from an industrial education model to a manufacturing model based on linearity and conformity and batching people. We have to move to a model based more on agricultural principles. We must recognize that human flourishing is not a mechanical process but an organic process. And you cannot predict the outcome of human development. All you can do, like a farmer, is create the conditions under which they will begin to flourish.― Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson astutely observes that the initial purpose of education was economic, aligning with an industrial model that, despite its historical relevance, may need to be more effective for the current generation of students.

Sir Ken Robinson wisely stated, "If you can change what's happening on the ground level, then you have changed."