5 things I learned from Ken Robinson

Education expert Sir Ken Robinson is more than a New York Times bestselling author. He is a dynamic public speaker and a leader in the development of creativity and innovation. He is now Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Warwick in the UK, he has received honorary degrees from five different universities, as well as numerous awards. Throughout his prolific career, he has been a strong advocate for creativity and the arts in education systems around the world.

After watching Ken Robinson speak at the prestigious 2006 TED conference, I couldn’t help but marvel at his astute insights into the education system of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. What exactly did I take away from his speech? The next five points summarize how, as Robinson puts it, “our schools are killing our children’s creativity.”

1. We are all creative beings by nature:

The key to unlocking creativity, as Ken Robinson says, is accepting the fact that sometimes, as thinkers and innovators, we will go wrong. Unfortunately, most adults are suffocated by fear of being wrong. This fear is instilled in us at an early age and continues into adult life. Preschoolers do not share this concern and therefore have no problem harnessing their creativity. When asked a question, young children will enthusiastically offer a multitude of creative answers. It is not until they are repeatedly told they are wrong that they begin to be wary of volunteering. Creative people accept failure as part of the innovative process. Thomas Edison tested his version of the electric light bulb more than 3,000 times before getting it right, but he didn’t see it as a failure. When asked about it, he simply said it didn’t fail 3,000 times, but found 3,000 “ways it didn’t work.” This is the kind of mindset it takes to be successful in innovation – and in life, indeed.

2. Intelligence is diverse, dynamic and distinct:

We know that each individual demonstrates their intelligence in unique and different ways. A system that focuses on only one way, one way of doing, underestimates those who don’t fit the mold. In his talk, Ken Robinson brought up the story of the dancer and choreographer Gillian Lynne who, as a child, struggled in the typical school system. She just couldn’t stay still. After discovering dance, she flourished and had a fabulous career as a dancer and choreographer. Today’s teachers and doctors would have tested her for ADHD and given her medication to calm down! His talent would never have been recognized. How sad that we stigmatize other forms of intelligence that fall short of the current norm. Too many talented children are being left behind because their unique gifts do not fit the mold of the current educational system. We need to expand the scope of the way we teach our children so that everyone realizes their full potential!

3. We educate for a different era:

As public education developed to meet the needs of the industrial revolution, the topics most useful for shaping the needs of the workforce were prioritized. Most jobs during the industrial revolution did not require creative thinking. Even today, we have an educational system with a primary focus on math, science, and standardized testing. Left brain dominance is preferred. A system that tends to put creativity aside. Schools, in most cases, teach children that there is only one answer to one question. When we are taught to believe that there is only one answer, we see the world as binary: right and wrong. When we start to see the world in this way, if a teacher asks a question and the students don’t know the answer, they won’t open their mouths. As a result, children tend to lose the will to try new things and come up with their own independent ideas. We should encourage the opposite. We need to change our education system to meet the demands of today’s job market, where innovation is a precious commodity.

4. We need to adopt a new system for our children to thrive:

As Ken Robinson explained, our educational system has “mined our minds” for good. In the past we enacted this system for a purpose, but it has become obsolete and needs to be renewed. Tomorrow’s world, with its ever-growing population, increased global instability and a fragile environment, will need very creative people. We need people who can predict emerging trends, propose solutions to new problems, and stay calm in a challenging and ever-changing world. The system that exists today will only stifle the creativity and ingenuity of tomorrow’s leaders and innovators.

5. “Academic inflation” and global competition:

More people than ever are obtaining degrees around the world. 30 years from now, a bachelor’s degree will be almost worthless. To have a career, you will need a master’s degree or a doctorate. We already see college graduates coming home to live with mom and dad with no career prospects. So how do we make sure our kids stand out from the well-educated crowd? Inevitably, we have to rethink our definition of intelligence if our children are to succeed in this increasingly competitive world. Only if we fuel their creativity will they have a chance.

Transforming our education system is not only desirable, but fundamental. Adopting all forms of intelligence will prepare us for an unpredictable and changing future. Continuing down the same path, with an outdated system, will mean wasting talent and undiscovered potential. Cultivating undiscovered potential and talent is one of my favorite things about working with young people. What a transformative gift to give to another human being. I, for one, am not prepared to allow more and more children to fail in life because they do not fit the mold …