This is all pretty wonderful & insightful to put it lightly… but I’ve heard this before.
No one seems to be able to figure out HOW to change the system though. Do you think it will ever happen?
On an institutional level? I have my doubts.
On a smaller scale (home schooling, co-ops, private schooling, etc.) it already is.
His idea of education seems irreconcilably opposed to institutional education.
From what I can tell, he’s simply saying 1) that school’s not as important as East-Coast-ers seem to think, and 2) that people should teach themselves interesting more.
This is fantastic, a real engaging peace of work. The speech and illustration really breaks up meaning and opens thought to the viewer and audience.
This speech begun to enlighten the deconstruction theory of Jacque Derrida that nothing has absolute certainty and every thing is open to discussion, in education and the way that someone should be taught. People are different and each one should have the strengths recognized.
I agree with Donna S. I am a working teacher who turns up to school day after day and I do my very best for my students. Another thing is the KR way: he turns up to conferences and probably charges as much for one presentation as I earn in a month. He makes a few jokes, mouths a few platitudes, some absolutly obvious comments that education needs to improve….er, sorry, if we work in schools we already know that…and then swans off home with his fat cheque in his pocket. I too have spoken at conferences, for no fee, and I am passionate about improving education, but I am doing something about it by improving my students’ experience one day at a time.
What are you doing, Ken R., apart from making loads of money?
Joshua, your design is beautiful. Thank you for reading.
Apparently ‘private’ schooling existed before ‘public schooling’. Rumour has it that ‘public education’ was created to keep the immigrant workers’ children off the streets, teach them one language and turn them into obedient citizens and good workers. Given the cirmcunstances of that era, ‘public school’ solved everybody’s problem. Parents were grateful. Industries were grateful and society as a whole benefited from the public education system. However, in our time public schools are expected to educate the middle class children as well. Of course ‘things’ are not working! The public school system as it is doesn’t answer everybody’s needs and expectations, mostly because the makeup of the ‘public’ is not the same anymore. Working class parents are not happy, middle class parents are not happy, artists are not happy, free thinkers are not happy. Thus, society as a whole is not happy. I don’t understand why one ‘system’ has to meet so many different needs and expectations. Why can’t we have different types of public schools, led by compatible educators, serving people with the same values. After all we do believe that students have different intelligences and learning styles. Why are we fooling ourselves into believing that we all have the same standards and aspirations? Equality does not always spell Equity!
The “comments” on ADD/ADHD are stereotypical, and totally inaccurate. I speak from experience.
About The Author
I'm a graphic designer and sometimes writer living in Anderson, South Carolina. I serve as the Design Director for NewSpring Church. I love Jesus, my wife, Levi's Jeans, good Tex-Mex, and 8oz glass bottle Coca-Cola Classic. On good days I love them roughly in that order. Email me.
Sir Ken Robinson on Changing Education Paradigms
Mon 11/15/10
Set aside 12 minutes to watch this amazing animation/illustration of Sir Ken Robinson discussing changing education paradigms at the RSA.