The death of Sir Ken Robinson on 21st August 2020 was a devasting loss to the global education community. He was an extraordinary educationalist whose commitment and passion for being responsive to each child, and for recognising what he called ‘their element’, was so in tune with our own Early Childhood Education curriculum, Te Whāriki. He encouraged all of us to be attuned to the child, their spirit, and their passion. Sir Ken Robinson, like those who developed Te Whāriki, had a vision of what education should look like. He challenged so much of the educational past that many of us have experienced. His work was and is transformational for both teachers, children and families alike.
He drove an educational revolution that challenged the industrial models of education that are still pervasive across our educational systems: the models that do not put children at the heart of education but rather systematize everything in the interests of accountability rather than education. It is the standardization of outcomes, testing, and goals that move teachers away from the heart of teaching, stifling the critical notions such as the importance of being in relationship with children.
His talk ‘Do schools kill creativity’, is he most watched TED talk of all time. It has had more than 66 million views….. what follows is a little excerpt from this talk…
“Our education system is predicated on the idea of academic ability. And there's a reason. Around the world, there were no public systems of education, really, before the 19th century. They all came into being to meet the needs of industrialism. So the hierarchy is rooted on two ideas.
Number one, that the most useful subjects for work are at the top. So you were probably steered benignly away from things at school when you were a kid, things you liked, on the grounds you would never get a job doing that. Is that right? "Don't do music, you're not going to be a musician; don't do art, you won't be an artist." Benign advice -- now, profoundly mistaken. The whole world is engulfed in a revolution.
And the second is academic ability, which has really come to dominate our view of intelligence, because the universities design the system in their image. If you think of it, the whole system of public education around the world is a protracted process of university entrance. And the consequence is that many highly talented, brilliant, creative people think they’re not, because the thing they were good at at school wasn’t valued, or was actually stigmatized. And I think we can’t afford to go on that way.”
For those who have not read the work of Sir Ken Robinson, now is the time to explore this work. Here is a list of this books… You will not regret picking up these books:The Element; Out of our Minds; Creative Schools and You, Your Child, and School.
There are also many opportunities to listen to Sir Ken Robinson … a google of his name will bring up over 16 million links…. Start with his TED talks...
Sir Ken Robinson died on the 21st August surrounding by his family after a short battle with cancer. For many of us, we were shocked to learn of his death. I know he has inspired me through his deep commitment to children across the globe, delivering his powerful messages with such an uplifting and witty delivery, always leaving me with a feeling of incredible hope and possibility. He will not be forgotten.
Aroha mai, Wendy Lee