Ken Robinson: Do schools kills creativity?

I love this guy. While I was watching the TED talk, I really felt Robinson was reading my mind. I think exactly the same as him. However, it was shocking for me at first, because it was the first time that I saw a well-known with a good reputation man talking about this without any problem and so truthfully. 

Furthermore, people do have an amazing capability for innovation and humans have the gift of creativity, it's part of who we are; nevertheless, I do believe that the education system is destroying this human ability that not only makes us special, but helps us develop as individuals in life and as a race as well.

Moreover, when Robinson said that "creativity is as important in education as literacy and we should treated with the same status" it really opened my eyes and helped me analyze the system of education not only in my school but in other schools as well. It is true that schools give a much greater importance to subjects like science and math than subjects like theatre, art, or dance. "Why not?"Theatre, art and does topics in my opinion are in the same level of significant than math or science, even more. It not only develops our creativity, but they give us a chance to express ourselves and to be who we want to be; to act and be however we want to be, leaving out all the prejudices and rules of society.

I found it very funny but tue at the same time that now the education system in schools are there to "produce university professors". They focus on the whole body of students thriving for the same goals, without letting us move away from this and focus on what we love; in my case: theatre.

I have analyzed Roosevelt and this is something I had realized a long time ago. Our school gives us so much freedom to be who we want to be and to follow our dreams IN COMPARISON to other schools in Lima. Here, you can be who you want to be, an artist, a dancer, a singer; you can paint your hair pink if you want and dress however you want to dress and the school will let you. The way people will stereotype you and look at you won't change but that's another issue. But this school gives you the chance; in comparison to other schools. However in general, they do exclude the arts from the program. Well, they dont exclude them , but they don't give them the same importance than they give math. WHY? I really can't understand this and it really annoys me so much that nowadays it is not an option to go to your parents and tell them: "Mom, Dad, I want to be an artist, I want to be a dancer, I want to be a singer, etc". They will simply respond, "You are not going to study that; it's impossible, you will starve to death. THIS ISN'T TRUE. They don't even give you the chance. And it is because of school programs. School have taken out the significance of subjects like Art and Drama, and this influences greatly on the parents perspectives because if the school is not focusing on those subjects or they are not worth the same as Math or Science, then they are not really important for my kids when they do out of school. It is true what Robinson said; this creative subjects have been "stigmatized" and "undervalued".

In addition, children do have a bigger capability of creativity than adults because schools haven't affected them yet. Adults however, they have already been pulled into the education belief that leaves out all those subjects that are supposed to develop your creativity and help it grow and flourish. He talked about a girl that was in a drawing lesson and she never payed attention in class but the teacher was really interested in her drawing and when she asked the little girl what she was drawing she answered "God". And of course, the close-minded teacher responded "But nobody knows what God looks like". And the girl answered: "Well, they will know in a minute". This shows a very exceptional capability that children have and not adults because at their age it hasn't been disturbed yet. They are not afraid of being wrong; they will take a chance and this is extremely significant because as Robinson said: "If your not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with something original". Education is showing that making mistakes is the worst thing you can do; but they are not; they are actually the gateway to creativity and innovation. You learn from making mistakes and it keeps your mind and soul open. People always say: You learn from your mistakes, but this is kind of ironic because what education and society is implying all the time is to not make mistakes, so what are they really trying to say?

Finally he talked about Julian Linn, a famous choreographer and her story and I found it quite amazing, but I had actually heard it before; Adrian had told us her story a long time ago, but I still find it quite exceptional. In the 1930's, people's minds where much more closed than they are now. Because Julian couldn't sit still in her sear and remain concentrated, they told her parents that she had a concentration problem, maybe ADHD. And this didn't stop so she went to see a specialist and what he did in purpose to test Julian was leave her alone in his office, but he turned on the radio. And being already outside he told Julian's mother to look at her daughter through the window and as he had predicted, Julian had start dancing and moving to the rhythm of the music and he told her mother: "You daughter is not sick, she is a dancer; take her to a dancing school". Any other mother would have ignored this and send her back to school and told her to calm down, but her mother was able to break this boundaries that held Julian into a mold and let her fly and be who she wanted to be; letting her creativity grow.

We do have to re think the fundamentals of education and what is really important in life. It is going to be hard; but we have to try. The future depends on the present and the present is looking very uncreative lately  we have to change this NOW.

Ken Robinson:

Link to TED Talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY