I recently view a TED talk by Ken Robinson on how education is killing creativity. It’s something that’s really got me thinking. Not so much about my own educational stand point at the moment or in the future, but about my children’s education. I don’t have any children yet but if I play my cards right, my girlfriend may allow it one day 
Back to the point. The point that Ken made was that education currently is pretty unfocused. It’s been very unchanged really since the industrial revolution. We are placing our kids into education for let’s sat 12 years of public education. You have your 1st class to 6th class and your 1st year to 6th year of public schooling in Ireland.
That’s 12 years. 12 years! In that time I’ve noticed a complete change in my industry. In fact IT is ever changing it’s goal posts within the space of 1-2 years. Even the larger picture, the way the world has changed in the last 10 years is colossal. I don’t think anyone can even predict accurately where the world is going to stand in 5 years.
Yet we have a set structure and we have planned out what we will teach these children over the next 12 years. Amazing. Worryingly amazing.
Ken also goes on to talk about a choreographer called Gillian Lynne. She did Cats the musical, Phantom of the Opera and I’m sure plenty of others. I had never heard of her before, but her story opened my eyes. She was in school in the 30′s. The school had thought she had a learning disorder due to her continued fidgeting in class and lack of attention in her studies. What we would now assume as ADHD.
Gillian is brought home and a doctor is called. Of course ADHD wasn’t invented then so this couldn’t have been the diagnosis. Instead the doctor asked for the mother and him to leave the room to view what Gillian would do. Low and behold, Gillian jumped down of the counter and danced away to the music on the radio.
Two out comes could have happened here. 1. Gillian could have been placed in a dancing school and went on to create some of the most amazing works of art there are today. To go down in history for her work. 2. She could have been stuck on medication and told her to calm down.
Pretty extreme case, but yea, it’s definitely got me thinking…. are we educating our kids properly ?
Hahahahaha! You gotta put a ring on it first
xx
[...] When I’m out having a few beers or a coffee, this is probably the number one story that I bring up and talk about. I find it extremely inspiring. The story about the lady that choreographed the cats musical especially. I recently spoke about this problem here. [...]