Sir Ken Robinson brings up some rather interesting ideas pertaining to our education system. One of his ideas had me question if schools kill creativity? I tend to agree with this thought. The way a school is set up, does not support creativity, but more or less squanders it.
Students are taught to think that there is only one right answer, and most likely the right answer reflects the beliefs of the teacher. (I still witness this now in my education career). Even the way a classroom is set up does not give students the chance to use their creativity. Students are most likely seated in rows, where they are not suppose to talk amongst each other, and are forced to listen to the lecture given by the teacher. The teacher provides the students with the answer to the work that will soon be assigned for them to complete, in a typical written form. Particularly in math class, students are often not asked to fill out problem solvers where they have to think out of the box, or a problem where there are more than one way to get to the answer, or a problem where there is more than one answer. More often than not, what I can remember as a math student in primary and elementary grade, I was assigned bundles of numerical problems; not word problems. Creativity is not fostered in the education system.
Students are taught that mistakes are the worst thing you can possibly do, they are not taught to think critically, nor are they given the chance to express themselves creatively. As a student for 20 years, I have wisely been taught to regurgitate the teacher’s views about a certain subject area and by doing this I will receive a better mark than if I put my own thoughts down in an essay or test. It is because of how I was taught in the education system, I feel that schools kill creativity.
If you are any different from the normal then there is automatically something wrong with you, and then you are placed in a group with other people that may have something different about them. I dislike the fact that everyone is pigeon-holed into a group or a category. Everyone has a label and it isn’t their name. Why is it that someone who is energetic and does not like sitting down be labeled as ADHD. Why can’t they just have lots of energy and be seen as a good thing. The education system constantly puts people into groups, and I was shocked to hear that the public education was designed to meet the needs for industrialism and it hasn't changed. Our education system continues to put the most value on a person's academic achievement and that is what most people value has well. Children now come to school in some cities at 3 years of age and in school for 20+ years. Students after 20 years of schooling are teachers , social workers etc. Should it take 20 years to become a teacher ? Why shouldn't a person who is good physically or artistically be equally valued? Who is determining what gets the highest priority? People in the academic field???
I agree with Robinson in that our education system values correct answers and if you are not prepared to be wrong you will not be creative. It doesn't encourage risk taking and stifles individuality. In spite of our system we still have creative people which gets me thinking that the human mind can think outside and construct more than what is delivered by the teacher. It also causes me to think how creative people could be if it was fostered and nurtured.
Students are taught to think that there is only one right answer, and most likely the right answer reflects the beliefs of the teacher. (I still witness this now in my education career). Even the way a classroom is set up does not give students the chance to use their creativity. Students are most likely seated in rows, where they are not suppose to talk amongst each other, and are forced to listen to the lecture given by the teacher. The teacher provides the students with the answer to the work that will soon be assigned for them to complete, in a typical written form. Particularly in math class, students are often not asked to fill out problem solvers where they have to think out of the box, or a problem where there are more than one way to get to the answer, or a problem where there is more than one answer. More often than not, what I can remember as a math student in primary and elementary grade, I was assigned bundles of numerical problems; not word problems. Creativity is not fostered in the education system.
Students are taught that mistakes are the worst thing you can possibly do, they are not taught to think critically, nor are they given the chance to express themselves creatively. As a student for 20 years, I have wisely been taught to regurgitate the teacher’s views about a certain subject area and by doing this I will receive a better mark than if I put my own thoughts down in an essay or test. It is because of how I was taught in the education system, I feel that schools kill creativity.
If you are any different from the normal then there is automatically something wrong with you, and then you are placed in a group with other people that may have something different about them. I dislike the fact that everyone is pigeon-holed into a group or a category. Everyone has a label and it isn’t their name. Why is it that someone who is energetic and does not like sitting down be labeled as ADHD. Why can’t they just have lots of energy and be seen as a good thing. The education system constantly puts people into groups, and I was shocked to hear that the public education was designed to meet the needs for industrialism and it hasn't changed. Our education system continues to put the most value on a person's academic achievement and that is what most people value has well. Children now come to school in some cities at 3 years of age and in school for 20+ years. Students after 20 years of schooling are teachers , social workers etc. Should it take 20 years to become a teacher ? Why shouldn't a person who is good physically or artistically be equally valued? Who is determining what gets the highest priority? People in the academic field???
I agree with Robinson in that our education system values correct answers and if you are not prepared to be wrong you will not be creative. It doesn't encourage risk taking and stifles individuality. In spite of our system we still have creative people which gets me thinking that the human mind can think outside and construct more than what is delivered by the teacher. It also causes me to think how creative people could be if it was fostered and nurtured.
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