5 Things I Learned From Ken Robinson

Education expert Sir Ken Robinson is more than a New York Times bestselling author. He is a dynamic public speaker and a leader in developing creativity and innovation. He is now emeritus professor of education at the University of Warwick in the UK, he has received honorary degrees from five different universities, as well as numerous awards. Throughout his prolific career, he has been a strong advocate of creativity and the arts in educational systems around the world.

After watching Ken Robinson’s talk at the prestigious TED conference in 2006, I couldn’t help but marvel at his astute insights into the education system of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. What exactly did I learn from his speech? The following five points summarize how, as Robinson says, “our schools are killing our children’s creativity.”

1. We are all innate creative beings:

The key to unlocking creativity, as Ken Robinson says, is accepting the fact that sometimes, as thinkers and innovators, we will be wrong. Unfortunately, most adults are stifled by the fear of being wrong. This fear is instilled in us at a young age and follows us into adult life. Preschool-age children do not share this concern and therefore have no problem tapping into their creativity. When asked a question, young children will enthusiastically offer a multitude of creative responses. It isn’t until they are repeatedly told that they are wrong that they start to be wary about volunteering. Creative people accept failure as part of the innovative process. Thomas Edison tested his version of the light bulb over 3,000 times before he got it right, but he didn’t see it as a failure. When asked about it, he simply said that it didn’t fail 3,000 times, but he found 3,000 “ways it didn’t work.” This is the kind of mindset it takes to succeed in innovation—and in life, for that matter.

2. Intelligence is diverse, dynamic and distinct:

We know that each individual demonstrates their intelligence in unique and different ways. A system that focuses on a single path, on a way of doing things, devalues ​​those who do not fit the mold. In his talk, Ken Robinson brought up the story of dancer and choreographer Gillian Lynne who, as a child, struggled in the typical school system. She just couldn’t sit still. After discovering dance, she blossomed into a fabulous career as a dancer and choreographer. Today’s teachers and doctors would have tested her for ADHD and given her medication to calm down! Her talent would never have been recognized. How sad that we stigmatize other forms of intelligence that don’t measure up to today’s norm. Too many gifted kids are being forgotten because their unique gifts don’t fit the mold of today’s educational system. We need to broaden the scope of how we teach our children so that they all reach their full potential!

3. We are educating for a different era:

As public education developed to meet the needs of the industrial revolution, the subjects that were most useful for the training of the workforce were prioritized. Most jobs during the industrial revolution did not require creative thinking. Even today, we have an educational system with a primary focus on math, science, and standardized testing. Left brain dominance is preferred. A system that tends to neglect creativity. Schools, more often than not, teach children that there is only one answer to one question. When we are taught to believe that there is only one answer, we see the world as binary: right and wrong. When we start to see the world this way, if a teacher asks a question and the students don’t know the answer, they won’t open their mouths. As a result, children tend to lose the will to try new things and come up with their own independent ideas. We should encourage the opposite. We need to change our educational system to meet the demands of today’s job market, where innovation is a precious commodity.

4. We need to adopt a new system if we want our children to thrive:

As Ken Robinson explained, our educational system has “mined our minds” for a commodity. We enacted this system for a purpose in the past, but it has become outdated and needs to be revamped. The world of tomorrow with its ever-growing population, increased global instability, and fragile environment will need highly creative people. We need people who can predict emerging trends, propose solutions to new problems, and stay calm in a challenging and ever-changing world. The system that exists today will only stifle the creativity and ingenuity of tomorrow’s leaders and innovators.

5. “Academic inflation” and global competition:

More people than ever are earning degrees around the world. In 30 years, a bachelor’s degree will be almost worthless. To have a career, you will need a master’s or doctorate. We already see college graduates coming home to live with mom and dad with no career prospects. So how do we make sure our children stand out from the well-mannered crowd? Inevitably, we need to rethink our definition of intelligence if our children are to succeed in this increasingly competitive world. Only if we encourage their creativity will they have a chance.

Transforming our educational system is not only desirable, but essential. Embracing all forms of intelligence will prepare us for an ever-changing and unpredictable future. Continuing down the same path, with an obsolete system, will mean throwing away undiscovered talent and potential. Nurturing potential and undiscovered talent is one of my favorite things about working with young people. What a life changing gift to give to another human being. For my part, I’m not prepared to let more and more children fail in life because they don’t fit the mold… how about you?