Sir Ken Robinson – Creativity, Crux of Education

A few weeks ago, as he often does, Ken slipped me a link to a www.ted.com talk on creativity in education. Ted, Ken and I have developed a long-standing mutual affection. So when I saw the link wasn’t a Saturday Night Live skit from Youtube (Ken likes to send those along too), I snuggled up with a cup of tea, ill-prepared for the pending parenting paradigm shift.

What Robinson revealed – that the critical, often overlooked cornerstone of educating our kids is creating classroom environments that allow children to flourish creatively on all levels – struck me golden.

We often hear about core curriculum in public education, how focusing on math, science, languages and testing is the basis of a solid classroom and that the ultimate goal is to produce students who can quantifiably succeed in those areas. Arts programs and alternative education options such as the fantastic public Montessori program locally are often the first cut when rollbacks are required and the last to find their way into the classroom.

Robinson begs the question “Why has our educational system misplaced its values?”. He asserts, quite eloquently, that revealing the genius in each child’s mind begins with valuing creativity first, a holistic learning approach and the base understanding that each child succeeds differently, creatively.

I found myself most intensely moved by a story he told about a renown choreographer who, as a child, was thought to have severe emotional problems because she simply could not sit still. Her mother took her to specialist after specialist. With the last one, as they stood outside watching the girl spontaneously dance to the radio in the office, the man said, “Your daughter isn’t sick. She’s a dancer.”

Helping our children discover their inner artist is a remarkable experience for everyone involved. To that end, Our Big Earth will launch Kids In The Arts this February, written by Pantuso Dance owner and community arts advocate Lindsay Sterk, along with some fantastic guest writers who drop by from time to time.

The Comox Valley offers children and families one of the richest arts communities in rural British Columbia. With that base, Lindsay will offer us a parent’s perspective (he’s got two gorgeous boys) on the profound impact of inspiring creativity in children as well as a peek into the local programs that drive our vibrant theatre, dance, vocal, visual arts and youth music scene.

Grab a cup of coffee and spend some time here with Robinson (about 20 minutes) as he offers a profound perspective on education and join Our Big Earth in February as we begin our regular look at how connecting your children to their creative genius through the arts can offer them the opportunity to discover in ways they never imagined.

I encourage you to discuss Robinson’s talk here and over in the FORUM as he definitely sparks a lively debate over the current state of public education and its future.

Enjoy!

Tags: alternative education, arts, children, classroom, creativity, education, families, Kids, Kids In The Arts, Our Big Earth Media Co., public education, schools, Sir Ken Robinson, Ted.com, video, youth

Category: Your Healthy Nature