Education needs to Change!
I have been thinking of what to write for my first blog post to make an impact for its readers. I wanted to choose a topic which would capture your hearts and minds. Then I realised I should start at the place where I started.
I was first introduced to the late Sir Ken Robinson back in 2011 when I was training to be a teacher. His TED Talk* made a big impression on me. I immediately went out and bought his book ‘Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That's Transforming Education,’ and a year or so later I bought his second book ‘Finding Your Element: How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life.’
His views of education made me realise that I needed to be more critical of what I was being asked to teach. Why was I handing out this exam paper at the end of the term? Why are we learning these spelling root words? Why is it that there are three boys in the class who can’t sit still and just listen?
Watching this video made me more critical but in a softer way. I became more patient and empathetic with the students, AND a seed of an idea grew inside me: Is there another way of education and what does it look like?
Your task:
To answer three questions succinctly. (If you can answer a question without rambling on it means that you have a deeper understand of the topic.)
Watch the video of Sir Ken Robinson, ‘Changing Education Paradigms.’ Does his answers match yours?
Read through my thoughts and takeaways to see if you agree or disagree with them.
Send me a message to tell me what you think.
Task 1: Questions
What is the purpose of going to school?
What is intelligence and how is it measured?
What is the difference between aesthetic and anaesthetic experience?
Task 2: Video
Task 3: My thoughts and takeaways:
The education system is based on a model of industrialisation and children are put into groups based on their age. This is so true. I never even considered how else you might organise a school if not by age. Age has many advantages. Most children mature at the same rate physically, but what about emotionally? The montessori system also bases their children by age but also on interest. So is there another way of organising a school or the school day?
Is there a link between overstimulation and ADHD? Sir Ken makes an interesting point on this. In my teaching career I have seen more children in the last 5 Years on some kind of register that requires additional help. And in the last 5 years the access to screens has become even easier. I am certain that there are other variables like nutrition and I do not think there is one answer but a collective.
Divergent thinking: Normally when I ask a question to the class I am looking for a specific answer and it is so true the answer is usually in the back of the books. But life is not like this. Yet, we as teachers do not express this in the school report, it might be a small footnote, but it is not the thing we are looking for.
Learning happens in groups. Yet we prepare for exams by cramming in as much information as possible. When you’ve become a doctor you learn more doing the job, speaking to people and collaborating with them, than you would in your room, reading. The amount of classes that I go into and the desks are all facing the front. This is 101 classroom management. This means the teacher has a hard class and they are all very chatty and this is the only way she/he can get them to do some ‘work.’ I am guilty of that!
Task 4: Send me a message
So, what did you think?
Do you agree with my thoughts and takeaways?
What has been your experience?
dompaynetutoring@gmail.com
The late Sir Ken Robinson
A space for critical thinking and topics that schools don’t teach.
Links to his books!
Finding Your Element: https://amzn.to/4dMSP8E
Creative Schools: https://amzn.to/44POgX6
*TED talks are conferences which is an American-Canadian non-profit media organization that posts international talks online for free distribution under the slogan "ideas worth spreading".
