Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

[-Cp]

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[gabosaurus]

What remarkable stupidity. Another uneducated right-wing nutcase.

[-Cp]

What makes you think he's "Right wing"? He's hardly uneducated:

Sir Ken Robinson (born Liverpool, 4 March 1950) is the son of James and Ethel Robinson. He is an internationally recognized leader in the development of innovation and human resources. He has worked with national governments in Europe and Asia, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies, national and state education systems, non-profit corporations and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations. They include the Royal Shakespeare Company, Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, the Royal Ballet, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the European Commission, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the J Paul Getty Trust and the Education Commission of the States. From 1989 - 2001, he was Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick.

He gained his PhD in 1981 from the University of London for research into drama and theatre in education. His first book, Learning Through Drama, was the result of a three year national development project for the Schools Council, Heinemann 1977. He was principal author of The Arts in Schools: Principles, Practice and Provision, the report of a national inquiry 1982 Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. This is now established as a key text on arts and education in Britain and internationally. He was editor of The Arts and Higher Education, 1984 Gulbenkian and the Leverhulme Trust, and principal writer for the Department of Education and Science of The Arts in Further Education published in 1986.

From 1985-89, he was Director of The Arts in Schools Project, a national initiative to develop the arts in primary and secondary schools throughout England and Wales. The project was funded by the National Curriculum Council and local education authorities, and worked closely with the Arts Council, Crafts Council, and the British Film Institute, the Regional Arts Boards, and the National Foundation for Educational Research. The project worked with over 2000 teachers, artists, and cultural administrators in a network of over 300 practical initiatives throughout the country. The Arts 5-16, Heinemann 1990. It influenced the framing of the National Curriculum in England.

During this period he worked with the Independent Television network and British Telecom, he was founding chairman of Artswork, the UK’s national youth arts development agency. He was also principal consultant to the Hong Kong Government in developing the artistic and educational policies of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

He was education consultant to the Council of Europe for its report to the World Commission on Culture and Development for UNESCO and was Director of the Council’s European Project on Culture, Creativity and the Young. He was one of a small group of international advisors to the Getty Center and the Council for Basic Education in Washington on the development of national standards in education in the United States and one of four international advisors to the Singapore Government for its strategy to become the creative hub of South East Asia.

He was author of Arts Education in Europe, an international study for the Council of Europe of provision for creative and cultural education in 22 European countries. He completed consultancy reports for the European Commission on the socio-economic importance of the arts to the development of the European Union. Facing the Future: the Arts and Education in Hong Kong, a report on the training of professional artists and on arts education in schools for the Hong Kong Government.

In 1998, he was invited by the UK Government to establish and lead a national commission on creativity, education and the economy. The Commission brought together leading business people, scientists, artists and educators. His report, All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education (The Robinson Report) was published to huge acclaim. The Times said: ‘This report raises some of the most important issues facing business in the 21st century. It should have every CEO and human resources director thumping the table and demanding action’. He was a central figure in developing a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, working with the ministers for training, education enterprise and culture. The resulting blueprint for change, Unlocking Creativity, was adopted by politicians of all parties and by business, education and cultural leaders across the Province. He is currently mentoring the development of a statewide strategy for innovation in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Creativity Project.[1] He is also advising and working with school districts and with cultural and corporate organizations across the United States.

He has published widely on creativity, innovation and culture. His 2001 book, Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative (Wiley-Capstone), was described by Director magazine as ‘a truly mind opening analysis of why we don’t get the best out of people at a time of punishing change.’ John Cleese said: ‘Ken Robinson writes brilliantly about the different ways in which creativity is undervalued and ignored in Western culture and especially in our educational systems.’[citation needed] His new book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, will be published worldwide in January 2009 by Penguin. As well as publishing books, and national and international policy reports, he is experienced as a writer national press and in broadcasting on radio and television.
He is in high demand[citation needed] as a speaker represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau (USA and Asia) and Speakers for Business (Europe). He speaks to audiences throughout the world on the creative challenges facing business and education in the new global economies. He has chaired and given keynote lectures to Fortune 500, corporate, educational and cultural conferences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and Asia. In 2001, he was voted SfB Business Speaker of the Year by over 200 global and European companies. In 2005 he was named as one of Time/Fortune/CNN’s ‘Principal Voices’.

He has taken advisory roles for a wide range of national and international bodies. These include:
The Education Commission of the States
The Girl Scouts of America
UNESCO
The Arts Council of England
The national inquiry on The Arts and Disabled People, chaired by Sir Richard Attenborough, and the Carnegie Council
Chief Examiner, Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
Member of the UK Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET)
Board of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Chairman of the Education Committee
Governor, Central School of Speech and Drama
Oklahoma Creativity Project
Advisory Council of the Independent Television Commission
Council for National Academic Awards
Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation
IBM Foundation
New York International Arts Festival
Royal Shakespeare Company
Other advisory and consultancy roles have included:
VCU Brandcenter
The Blue Man Group
The National Foundation for Educational Research
The British American Arts Association
The British Council
The Royal Court Theatre
The Young Vic
The South Bank Centre
The Design Council
The Royal Academy
The National Theatre
The Royal Ballet

[SassyLady]

Watched the entire video - very information. Never heard this man speak before but he's very funny and has a great wit.

Obviously Gabby didn't watch it .... she saw the words "schools kill creativity" and decided to take issue.

Gabby - you really should watch it.

[SassyLady]

Loved it when he said it seems as if the education system around the world is to produce "university professors"........great riff on professors.

[LiberalNation]

schools kill the spirit.

[Monkeybone]

schools kill the spirit.

too much sit down and shut up while i label you and tell you how to think and act.

try to teach the "norm" too much.

[gabosaurus]

too much sit down and shut up while i label you and tell you how to think and act.
try to teach the "norm" too much.

Couldn't you say the same thing about the military? Or religious theology?

School cirriculums are set by state and national standards. Which means everyone is taught the same thing. With the onset of modern financial restraints, there is little room for deviation. Not to mention the importance of standardized testing, which is also mandated.
There are too many of you who criticize without thinking. Or just don't think at all.

[darin]

Couldn't you say the same thing about the military?

Absolutely not. It's clear you're ignorant of what it means to serve.



There are too many of you who criticize without thinking. Or just don't think at all.

Coming from the lady who said THIS to this thread:


What remarkable stupidity. Another uneducated right-wing nutcase.

Seriously - you shoot your credibility in the foot with every 10th post.

[gabosaurus]

Absolutely not. It's clear you're ignorant of what it means to serve.


Bullshit. It is exactly the same thing.

[SassyLady]

Bullshit. It is exactly the same thing.

Gabby - there is a difference between military and schools......by the time one reaches the age to join the military they've already been through the school system.

As for religion ..... I might agree with you on the similarities .... has a tendency to kill creativity because they teach their way is the only way, rather than allowing for creative thought.

[darin]

Bullshit. It is exactly the same thing.

Now you're just showing stupidity. Ignorance is understandable.

I've been associated w/ the Army for nearly 15 years. I know my shit, Gabs. Creativity is expected. Thinking 'outside the box' is a requirement for a successful career.

[Nukeman]

Couldn't you say the same thing about the military? Or religious theology?

School cirriculums are set by state and national standards. Which means everyone is taught the same thing. With the onset of modern financial restraints, there is little room for deviation. Not to mention the importance of standardized testing, which is also mandated.
There are too many of you who criticize without thinking. Or just don't think at all.
The part I highlighted is the part that is in my opinion the death nail in free thought of schools. WE spend too much time "teaching for a test" than we do in giving children the general knowledge they need to make "rational" "independent" and "creative" thoughts and answers to questions.

The school year is based on when a particular test is to be given and if improvement is not noted than funding is at risk.

Schools have most definitely "killed creativity" all in the name of "standardized testing". If you haven't noticed most children are NOT standardized!!!!!! They are individuals with individual needs that learn at differing paces and a GOOD educator knows this and adapts....

[Monkeybone]

Couldn't you say the same thing about the military? Or religious theology?

School cirriculums are set by state and national standards. Which means everyone is taught the same thing. With the onset of modern financial restraints, there is little room for deviation. Not to mention the importance of standardized testing, which is also mandated.
There are too many of you who criticize without thinking. Or just don't think at all.meh a little bit. but there is a difference from making a civilian into a soldier and teaching a little kid that they should follow certain guidelines instead of letting their minds expand and think of new things. Not for having uncontrolled kids... just that I have know many kids that were so completely different before they went to school and began to be 'instructed'. For for religion... only the crazy ones.

Not saying anythign against what they teach... but maybe how it is taught.


The part I highlighted is the part that is in my opinion the death nail in free thought of schools. WE spend too much time "teaching for a test" than we do in giving children the general knowledge they need to make "rational" "independent" and "creative" thoughts and answers to questions.

The school year is based on when a particular test is to be given and if improvement is not noted than funding is at risk.

Schools have most definitely "killed creativity" all in the name of "standardized testing". If you haven't noticed most children are NOT standardized!!!!!! They are individuals with individual needs that learn at differing paces and a GOOD educator knows this and adapts....Amen to this brother. Back when I was in school we had our normal lessons with this thrown in. Maybe two or three days of 'practice' test the week before, just so the we knew how to mark the test and everything.

I also see (at least around here) that the focus has shifted to making these test look good and making sure kids pass instead of if they are actually learning or not.

[darin]

meh a little bit. but there is a difference from making a civilian into a soldier and teaching a little kid that they should follow certain guidelines instead of letting their minds expand and think of new things.


The Army lives and dies on free-thinking... thinking outside the box


"...if we were to choose merely one advantage over our adversaries it would certainly be this: to be superior in the art of learning and adaptation. This is the imperative for a culture of innovation in the United States Army." - Adapt or Die, by BG David A. Fastabend and Mr. Robert H. Simpson

[LiberalNation]

The Army lives and dies on free-thinking...
Just not so much in basic. The only free thinking is how to get thru obstacals.

[darin]

you love missing points.

[HogTrash]

Mr Robinson is correct about schools destroying creativity for the reason that when the left became the predominate force in education, it began using the institution for purposes of marxist propaganda and indoctrination.

Nothing destroys human creativity as thoroughly as does the Marxist Ideology...Necessity may be the Mother Of Invention but love of art, respect for nature and capitalism are the driving forces behind creativity.

The socialist policies of marxism promotes government dependence and reliance on the system for providing all necessities and new technologies and takes away the incentives that spark creativity by negating it's rewards.

It is an indisputable historical fact that the Marxist Ideology is the driving force behind the progressive movement and the great majority of educators are liberals who are nothing more than it's ignorant pawns.

[darin]

Best quote regarding Gabby's brainless assertion the Military is full of zombies who do as they are told without question.

From the article/paper I mentioned above


The underpinnings of such a culture exist throughout the United
States Army today. In the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,
we have proven that we have Soldiers and leaders of courage and
imagination – innovative warriors who adapt on an hourly basis to
overcome a determined adversary.

And in spite of societal stereotypes, the United States Army has an extraordinary
record of anticipating and leading change. The development of the airmobile
concept in the 60s, the doctrine development and training revolution of the 70s
and 80s, and the application of digital technologies of the 90s – were all
remarkable innovations.

Emphasis mine.

[gabosaurus]

The military and the education system are more closely aligned than you think. Both are based around the basic principles of teaching and learning. Whether you are in school or in the service, there are things that you have to learn.
Basic training is a bit like teaching a group of middle school students. Some come because they want to learn. Others come because they want a free ride. You teach the ones who want to learn and discipline the ones who don't.


The school year is based on when a particular test is to be given and if improvement is not noted than funding is at risk.

Unfortunately, this is exactly how it is. The school systems did not come up with this. It is mandated by the federal government. No one in education likes standardized testing. Because everyone learns at their own pace.
Another thing that needs to change is schools being funded by the numbers of students that attend school each day. This is akin to the Pentagon telling recruiters that they need to take in a certain number of enlistments each month or quarter.
You want to know what schools gladly take in children of illegal aliens? Read the last paragraph. Govt. funding doesn't take into account the number of legal kids attending. They take the raw number.

I appreciate that many of you have been involved with the military for a great number of years. You know your stuff. Obviously, I do not.
At the same time, I work in education. My mom was a teacher for 25 years. We know our stuff. How many of you work in education? (No, sending kids to school does not mean you "work in education")

If you didn't like going to school, didn't complete your schooling, or feel the education system "failed" you, don't blame us. Look in the mirror. We are doing our jobs.

[darin]

Privatization of schools might-could help. :D Getting the govt out of the school business could be a nice step.

[gabosaurus]

Privatization of schools might-could help. Getting the govt out of the school business could be a nice step.

Why don't we privatize the military as well. Get the government out of the war business.

I think education should be left to educators. Get churches and parents out of the education business.

[darin]

Why don't we privatize the military as well. Get the government out of the war business.

I think education should be left to educators. Get churches and parents out of the education business.

Because Providing for the Defense is constitutionally sound. The government does nothing better (unless a weak president, such as our current, is in office) than fight and win wars.

:)

Education Business. Good words. Good concept. Not Education Government.

Strike down teacher unions and govt control and we'd win.

[LiberalNation]

education, falls under general welfare and providing for the common good. Could even say defense as we need educated troops to be competitive. Reason it requirs a diploma or ged.