I saw Sir Ken Robinson, author of Out of our Minds: Learning to be Creative, speak at a recent National Governer’s Meeting (on C-Span) and was impressed by his insights on the need for an education system that nurtures creativity. He goes so far as to suggest that creativity is as important as literacy and that children are unfortunately forced into specialized subject matter and ways of thinking. He points out that there are outdated hierarchies in both education and the workforce, which were formed from the industrial revolution and no longer as relevant in today’s fast pace, constantly changing and uncertain world. I was a little surprised to see that most of the governors did not seem to get the link between creativity and innovation. It’s no wonder the arts are at the bottom of the list in the hierarchy of learning and why so many US companies are outsourcing “cool.” Where is the US going with standardized testing and arts programs being cut? Only time will tell, but countries like the UK, South Korea and China are moving education in a new direction and adopting some of Sir Ken’s thought leadership.
Here is a rather fun video archive of Sir Ken talking about creativity and education. Enjoy!
Jay
