Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

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Permalink Reply by Connie Weber on March 12, 2009 at 7:39am

Hi Stephanie,

Absolutely, what you are writing about is relevant to teachers. What ever level we teach, creativity is part of what breathes life into the learning experience. Perhaps we need to share ideas about how to teach creativity, which I firmly believe can be done. (Some people would disagree with me there.)

And surely, to support and share creativity, we need all the tools that are available, brand new ones and old ones alike.

BTW, just as schools may be set up to kill creativity, they may also be set up to reduce our thinking power in general.

The research from neuroscience is very clear: exercise helps cognition. Here's a really good video on the importance of exercise by John Medina, author of Brain Rules. So although you're talking about creativity, it seems that exercise is another part of the equation in bringing life and vibrant learning to school.

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Permalink Reply by Ian Carmichael on March 12, 2009 at 11:46am

It's a mindset issue. Geegaws can be a hindrance as well as help, just as a geegaw-free zone can be a help as well as a hindrance. What's broadcast in my/your/their classroom (plus the broadcast noise from other classrooms, parents, school boards and governments) encourages or stifles creativity.

And, as you watch Robinson, it's worth reflecting that his talk is geegaw-free (and still(!) fascinating).

If my mindset is (within the constraints of my employment) "how can I allow or encourage students to pursue thinking interests" then my broadcast is creativity-friendly at least, and there is life available yet! If my mindset is - "the moderating panel may investigate any element of my class activity, I must store, annotate, categorise and document every step which is taken" then my broadcast is conform, comply, paint within the lines, and creativity may get to be an onlooker, but not much more. (Documentation does have its place - let's keep it there!)

Teacher mindset + accessible tools give the richest openings (I'm one of those not sure that creativity can be taught - but I'd reckon Connie is able to infect students with it!). Mindset is prior. The rest can follow.

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Permalink Reply by Patrick Maher on April 7, 2011 at 1:38pm

Stephanie,

             While I am not exactly starry eyed about Sir Ken or exactly a teacher yet, currently I am a tutor, there is a certain respect for his intelligent line of reasoning.  I also happen to think that he is a hilarious fellow, which is beside the point.  I've done of a lot of thinking and practicing to be able to act creatively and imbue that in the students I work with.  If a student either finds that tutoring is necessary or chooses it to strengthen a weak area a creative approach is the only thing that will help with misunderstanding.  You have to think of different ways of explaining the same thing because the standard, at least for the individual students curriculum, didn't help at all or to the desired level of efficacy

             Often the most effective way to get things rolling when tutoring is a pop quiz in creative thinking every time I ask the question, "What are your interests outside of what I'm tutoring?" (I usually college physics or mathematics).  I immediately set to finding an application for the physical law or the mathematical concept that is relevant in some fashion for the field they have more knowledge in.  This test of my creativity steers the student into an independent brain storming session and they are always able to think of more application than me and get a better understanding of what we're catching them up on.  I'm sure a lot of tutors have similar experiences, perhaps.  Have a great day.

 

Patrick

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Permalink Reply by Vicki Kowalchick on April 11, 2011 at 6:36pm

Stephanie,

I was so jazzed by Sir Robinson's thoughts that I bought the book The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything.  It was my son who sent me the link to the TED talk.  We talked for days, as we awaited the arrival of the book.  We discussed the concepts Ken was proposing.  My son graduates this May and has had a tough time feeling like a square peg being shoved into a round hole.  He zoomed through the book in two days!!  We are still talking about it!

 

The book cleared things up in his mind.  He may not have found his element yet, but he understands better why he doesn't fit into the traditional mold.  And now, he is more patient with himself.  He knows that he will find his passion.  And, I know, that when he does, it WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING!

 

Get the book on inter library loan if you have to.  Find some way to put your hands on it.  Be prepared both to not be able to put it down, and at the same time, having to put it down to stop and digest what he says.  It was for me both a "page turner" and "brain stopper."  It has been one year since your post.  Now would be a good time to revisit the ideas put forth by Ken Robinson.

 

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Permalink Reply by Lee Webster on April 24, 2011 at 12:33am

I think Ken is Brill!!!! love his ideas and he has changed the way I think about my students, myself and my own children. His book the element is also great and they now have it in itunes on audio.

I teach in a British school and I really think that creativity is a missing part in it. Years ago we used to let the children all the way through the primary years have lots of play and be able to construct things. Some of the constructions I saw were amazing the students explanations of how and what they were doing were really deep thinking. Where has all that gone? its all about trying to cover the currculium and who has what grade.

 

I think that the thing they were scared of, is how they grade these kind of activities so they took take it away and tried to tie the children to their desks. Which hasn't worked.

 

What people don't understand they fever.

 

Time to bring it back and the time is right with lots of creative Web 2.0 resources around today. 

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Permalink Reply by Adam Bostock on May 3, 2011 at 1:28am

Do schools kill creativity?

Yes and no.

 

No: More schools now seem to make a greater effort to encourage kids to use and develop their creative thinking skills.

 

Yes:  Traditional teaching drills into the student's head what *the* answer to a question is.  But creative people should know that there is often more than one (simple) answer to a question.  It depends on the perspectives and the context as to what the most appropriate answer is.

 

We should teach that there is often more than one answer to a question.  That helps develop creativity.

Get kids to provide examples of when different answers are valid.

 

In terms of innovation, society may be better placed if kids are asked to consider the potential disadvantages of an innovation.  By identifying these the innovation can be proactively modified to produce a better innovation with fewer disadvantages; along with its advantages of course! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Leonard C. Klein on May 19, 2011 at 6:41am

On Twitter follow #edbookclub where we are reading and discussing SKR's Out of Our Minds which discusses creativity and schools.  My personal opinion, and it is just that, SKR chooses examples that make his point but are not common.  No matter what schools do they will not be successful for all.  If, like SKR wants, there was a large amount of dance in schools I would not have been served well.  So schools can only do what the society allows and tries to force on them.

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Permalink Reply by sophica on June 7, 2011 at 1:11am

I would say students are more creative through home schooling, or tutoring sections in home. They are given freedom to learn in their own style which boost them in creativity. I have tutored many children via tutorz site, and i came to know students feel relaxed and stress free while learning from home.

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