Stephanie Fournet--Responding to Ken Robinson's "Schools Kill Creativity" and "Bring on the Learning Revolution"

Watching Ken Robinson’s TED talk on how schools kill creativity made me laugh and want to weep. Robinson’s point is that conventional education kills creativity because it focuses on such a small segment of an individual’s intelligence, narrowing the scope of the human experience down to the head, and then usually only one side of it. Schooling that only develops skills in math, language, and to a lesser degree, science and the humanities, essentially disembodies us. The ultimate product of the educational system, according to Robinson, is the university professor (wonderful people, yes, but a freakishly small segment of the population). By following the current model and, thus, de-emphasizing the arts, we stunt the growth of much of the population, and we lose the capacity for creativity and innovation that come from fostering and harnessing our multiple intelligences.

I agree with Robinson’s assessment, as he has articulated an opinion that I have long held, and I feel a great sense of loss for myself, my students, and my culture. His talk struck such a chord, but it left me with a feeling of powerlessness and defeat because how do we change this? In hopes of hearing some clear answers, I watched his next talk, “Bring on the learning revolution!”

Robinson there talked about the lucky segment of the population made up of people who truly know what their gifts are and work passionately in their fields. Their counterparts are those who are skilled but not passionate, who “endure” their jobs and live for the weekend. He, largely, blames school and the emphasis in school culture on “getting into college” for this status quo. Robinson says that it is time for a revolution in education. The need is to move from a linear, “manufacturing” model to an organic “agricultural” model. Education should not aim from kindergarten through graduation to produce a college student. It should provide a “soil” in which talents and potentials of all varieties can be nurtured.

I also see a need for us as a culture to value the kind of diversity Robinson describes. My AP class just finished reading Death of a Salesman, and my students talked about how Willie Loman would have been a very successful contractor, but how he was too proud to see that as a possibility. Many parents and students (and even teachers, administrators, and board members) have the same misguided prejudices about education and future careers. I’ve seen parents belittle careers in the arts, wildlife and fisheries, parks and recreation, etc., because they were “not good enough”. The problem is not strictly rooted in education.

While I firmly believe that his “agricultural” revolution is necessary, I don’t know where we as educators should begin. I hope that smarter and more powerful people will be able to show me the way.