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Ken Robinson

For discussions related to education and educational institutions.
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Dave B
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Joined: May 17th, 2010, 9:15 pm

Ken Robinson

#1 Post by Dave B » August 13th, 2014, 5:12 pm

Seems that Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk on creativity in schools has the record for the most number of downloads of a TED talk so far - something like 20 million.

Wonder how many schools are going to try to make use of his ideas?

Creativity is one of the things that makes humans unique. As someone said the other day that the majority of our communications with others is done with body language and dance can help with that. SKR himself, and I can only agree with him, said that maths was very important but how many people use algebra or calculus every day?

Expression other than in writing can be many forms, I am sure that the world possesses many illiterate artists whose work is important. SKR's idea that there should be as many arts lessons per week as maths may have merit.

Later: Oops, to mention the R4 prog of the interview with SKR.

Later still: seems like the view count is currently over 27 million
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
Me, 2015

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Dave B
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Re: Ken Robinson

#2 Post by Dave B » August 13th, 2014, 7:24 pm

On the creativity (and real life) theme for kids I also liked the idea of the Tinker School.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
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Altfish
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Re: Ken Robinson

#3 Post by Altfish » August 13th, 2014, 7:31 pm

I heard the second half of his interview on Radio 4, very interesting.
I don't agree with all he said though, e.g. "There should be the same time spent on dance as on maths" and I'm not sure how his 'free and easy' lessons would have worked with the likes of me.
But much I did agree with, more exercise/sports for the kids, less uniformity, more practical lessons

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Dave B
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Re: Ken Robinson

#4 Post by Dave B » August 13th, 2014, 7:45 pm

Altfish wrote:I heard the second half of his interview on Radio 4, very interesting.
I don't agree with all he said though, e.g. "There should be the same time spent on dance as on maths" and I'm not sure how his 'free and easy' lessons would have worked with the likes of me.
But much I did agree with, more exercise/sports for the kids, less uniformity, more practical lessons
My memory was faulty, it was dance and not arts lessons to equal maths.

Agree with you there, perhaps my slip reveals my true idea. Not sure how much art is actually taught these days, if one includes all forms I seem to remember there was quite a lot at primary school and considerably less at secondary. I went to a very vocationally oriented sec. mod. in S.E. London - no thought of sending half the school to uni there and then! Local factories and shops needed us too much.
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
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Dave B
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Re: Ken Robinson

#5 Post by Dave B » August 13th, 2014, 7:46 pm

Is TED addictive?
"Look forward; yesterday was a lesson, if you did not learn from it you wasted it."
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Alan H
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Re: Ken Robinson

#6 Post by Alan H » August 13th, 2014, 9:59 pm

Dave B wrote:Is TED addictive?
Ssshhh! I'm trying to watch just one more TED...
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Alan H
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Re: Ken Robinson

#7 Post by Alan H » August 13th, 2014, 10:06 pm

Altfish wrote:But much I did agree with, more exercise/sports for the kids, less uniformity, more practical lessons
As someone who was no good at - and therefore hated - sports at school, I hate the idea of making kids do more sports. Yes, we probably need to get kids to be more active, but sports will be a complete turn-off for make kids.

The dance thing was also mentioned on Radio 2 this morning and it did get me wondering if that might be a better way to improve fitness levels. I'm not sure of the benefit of making it on a par with maths, but it may have health benefits in decades to come. Having said that, I was no good at dancing either, but I can see that many kids might like that far more than sports. As long as they are not made to do Scottish country dancing, or ballroom or ballet, but are given lessons in whatever dance the kids do these days... It might just work, but I'd certainly like to see some good evidence first. The last thing the kids need are more changes done for the wrong reasons...
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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