(check out above link to another SKR talk)
I feel as if my education has brought me to a great place. I like who I am, what I have become, and what I have accomplished. Not only did I learn math and science, but I was exposed to art through weekly art classes, choir in middle school and then on to an internationally awarded women's chamber choir, and some drama here and there. If not for my exposure to these creative outlets, I wouldn't be who I am right now. I have the ability to think freely, come up with original ideas, and let my mind wander in a constructive way. If not for the ability to do this, how would any one decide what they truly want to do in life? In another talk by Sir Ken Robinson, he states how most adults are not doing what they really want to be doing (for work, mainly). Adults think that they have no choice in the matter, and that they are stuck doing something unfulfilling. Why is this so? It's because adults have lost the power to dig deep within themselves to find out what makes them feel comfortable, happy, and passionate. Typically, someone will flourish at a career that they feel comfortable in. Nevertheless, adults day in and day out go to their desk and sit angrily tapping at their computer and feeling out of place. The connection to children, is that children have the ability to explore with no fear of failure. Somewhere along the line, we all lose this ability because the education system shuffles us along in pre-determined ways.
Our system needs to allow children to continue to explore, create, and imagine. Designated times to do this in class will help children develop ideas, and an identity! This will help them later in life. It seems like most adults are uhappy these days, what with the economy, unknown future, and the overall fast pace of life. None of this will change, but what has to change, is our outlook on things. Perhaps going back to our childhood creativity will help us reach the happiness that we have lost.
I really appreciate how you get these links for us, like with Samuel and know Sir Rob. Thank you! Yes I would agree he does have a good description and is knowledge and able to see the big picture but doesn’t leave you, as Jesse had commented, with the question “well now what”. there is not one answer. I think that at times teachers are making a difference all on their own. As a student in the ATLP program I am wrapped up in the Teacher Inquiry Experience and I can see a great deal of how some would like to take education in a new direction with teachers being their own advocates. What do you feel about this? In Rio Rancho public schools that is designated time, the Professional Learning Community. I benefit greatly from this and hope your job some day sets a side time, like the half hour RR sends their kids home early.
ReplyDeletei second the thanks lisbet! it's great to have the links and i will definitely check out more of sir ken robinson...he is my new hero! :) i feel like public schools need a major overhaul and that there should be a revolution for creativity in schools.
ReplyDeleteand, that doesn't mean a half an hour per week of "music" with a music teacher. in my school, that pretty much means the kids are listening to a teacher talking for about 20 minutes and some sort of music for 10 minutes!
i liked your post this week because you pointed out how you were exposed to the arts in a cool way that has positively effected your life today. i feel like we really need to get back to being brave ebough to let go of archaic ideas and be more open to new ideas in public schools.
You offer some really interesting insights. I have always thought children are so brave. They are not afraid to be brave. They are not afraid to try new things and hope for the best. As time goes on, we gradually lose these wonderful abilities. I think we will be a whole lot happier with this kind of perspective.
ReplyDeleteAdults do have a choice. I also think we can choose to make our lives a little better by adopting these simple but profound values. We can also choose to be miserable and do nothing about it. It depends on the individual and what he or she chooses to do or not to do.
Thanks for the links...I plan on learning more about Ken Robinson! I totally agree with you about the fact that children do not get the same creative learning experiences as we did when we were in school. One of my most memorable classes was art in middle school, I was not very good at it but I loved it! Working with clay was one of my favorite activities, we got to bake our sculpture and paint it! And my mom has all of my masterpieces saved!!If children now days get to do art in school it is a set up and laid out step by step process that the children are made to do. In art activities like this there is very little room for creativity to occur.I do believe this has an impact on into adulthood, learning to be creative teaches us to go past the boundries of what we would regularly do in an average everyday classroom. There is more if we let our minds imagine and take us there...
ReplyDelete