Sir Ken Robinson was a beacon of hope for all who believe in the power of playful education

 

 

The death of Sir Ken Robinson on 21^st 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 21^st 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

 

‘They should have personal masseuses’

Three days in the classroom gave comedian Rhod Gilbert a new-found respect for teachers.

Rhod Gilbert (comedian) spends time with children! It is clear, he is listening!

 Spending three days in a primary school for my television programme Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience was among the most inspiring things I have ever done.

What’s key to teaching is the element that I loved the most: imparting knowledge and information to the children, watching them learn and, you hope, becoming a force for good in their lives.  It was incredibly inspiring, moving and the most wonderful privilege.

I got a taste of it for just a few days – after a very short period, kids were coming up to me and saying the most moving things, the most inspiration things, about the impact I’d had on them.  And that was me just dicking about and having fun with them, giving them time, listening.  I can only imagine what it’s like to teach them for years.  It must be mind-blowing.

In my time at the school, I learned that it is impossible to over-estimate the value teachers have in our society.  It’s priceless.  But, amazingly, teachers are fairly poorly respected.  These people are shaping the next generation, they are having a massive influence on what society will be like in five, 10, 15 years’ time.  It’s as much down to them as it is to parents.

Yet many teachers I know are tire, stressed, downtrodden, poorly rewarded, overworked, over-examined and league-tabled to within an inch of their lives, and we as a society, as parents, as politicians, have a duty to do something about it.

So I have come up with a radical solution.  All teachers should have government-funded personal masseuses, drivers and personal assistants to massage their shoulders on the way to school, rub their feet and grant them sexual favours.  All so that, when they do into the classroom, they are excited, motivated and fresh as a daisy.  The rest of us should be doing this…or, at least, the rest of us in society who are paid pointlessly large sums of money for doing sod all.

The teachers at the school where I was placed were committed down to their very last drop of energy and passion.  They were phenomenal and the school was awesome.  Despite the piles of paperwork, bureaucracy and nonsense that seem to do little more than destroy teachers, they were still incredibly enthusiastic and undaunted – a testament to how passionate they are about their jobs.

But my time in school wasn’t as simple as me walking in to the staffroom and falling in love with the profession.  The first day I spent just taking the mick because of all the happy-clappy, modern, funky teaching methods.

The main reason for my reaction was that it was so different form when I was at school in the 1970s.  Then, a jam sandwich was considered two of your five a day and schools were made up of teachers in classrooms, blackboards and rows of kids slumped over desks, learning by rote.

In Monnow Primary, near Newport, South Wales, where I was based for the programme, it’s all independent “zones”, including the “multimedia zone” and the “thinking zone”.  For example, they didn’t do maths in the classroom, they did it in a forest.  It was like something from The Mighty Boosh.

But then, over the three days, I saw how the school’s methods engaged the kids and how they loved it, and how much fun they had while they were learning.  I became convinced that teaching has really improved in terms of learning through play.

I dicked around a lot when I was in school.  I wasn’t bad, but I just wasn’t interested.  It wasn’t my teachers, it was just me.  If we’d had the teaching methods I saw in this school, I would certainly have been more engaged.

I was only at Monnow for three days, but I’m going to go back there and help out, because I felt like I had an impact.  It was sensational.  The best thing I’ve ever done.

Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience: Teacher is on BBC iPlayer.

Times Educational Supplement Friday 11 May 2012

Our love reaches out to all our friends and family in Christchurch

Ka ngāueue, ka whakaruerue te rohe o Otautahi.  I tae ngā tangata o Aotearoa me ngā tangata o te Ao ki ō mātou mutunga.  Ka matakitaki, ka whakarongo mātou ki ngā kōrero o ngā mōrehu, o ngā Whanau Mamae me  o ngā Whanau Pani.  Aue taukiri e! Kua pā ēnei kōrero ki o matou ngakau.

Ki  nga mate o tēnei wā haere ra kei tua o te arai ki te noho i waenga i ngā ringa o o koutou tupuna.  Moe mai ra, moe mai ra, moe mai ra.

Ki  nga mōrehu, kei te whakarongo matou ki to koutou kōrero o to koutou puta mai o te wharenui pākaru.  Ka titiro matou  i to koutou maia, to koutou kaha.  Ko koutou i ngā tangata ranga wairua ki a matou katoa.  Kā mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa.

Ki  ngā tangata mamae, ngā tangata pouri, ratou ko ngā Whanau pani o Otautahi, kā mihi arohanui ki a koutou katoa. 

Ko o matou hoa o ELP me to koutou whanau, ka whakaaro matou i a koutou i tēnei  wā uaua.  Ka mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa.

Christchurch shook and trembled.  The people of New Zealand and the world stood still.  We watched and listened to the stories of the survivors and the stories of the bereaved.  It was heart-breaking.

To those who have passed away, you are leaving now to be with your loved ones who have already passed. 

To the survivors, we have listened to your stories of escape from the damaged buildings. We have seen your strength and your bravery.  You are an inspiration to us all.  We send our love to you all.

To the injured, the sad and the bereaved families of Christchurch, we send our deepest sympathy to you all.

To the friends of ELP in Christchurch and your families we are thinking of you in this difficult time.  We send our love to you all.

Many of us have bonds with Christchurch through family, family, education and business. We all have memories of the cathedral and other focal points which are now damaged beyond recognition.  Our thoughts are with the people of Christchurch as they struggle to recover from this devastating earthquake.

There have been many offers of help from within New Zealand  and overseas.  We all want to do something to help but for most of us it is not possible or practical to physically go there.  The biggest need in the next weeks and months will be for money.  We at ELP support the Christchurch Mayoral Earthquake Appeal which is administered by the Red Cross. You can make a contribution to this fund by clicking on this link click here

We wish all the people caught up in this disaster and for all of you with the friends and family in the affected area all the best for the coming months.

Arohanui

Marie, Annika, Wendy, Lorraine, Jo, Robyn, Alison and Kathryn

Goodbye Jean

Today just after 1pm today Jean slipped away peacefully from us all. Her family was with her. Jean has been an inspiration to all those who knew her, not just in the courageous way she dealt with her cancer over more than a decade, but through her lifelong actions in the interests of children and families. A passionate advocate for all who surrounded her and beyond.

Jean lived life to the full on so many levels; those of you who were kindergarten teachers in the 80’s will remember her as the NZFKTA President. At the end of her term as President a group of teachers wrote this song as a tribute, titled  - “I wanna be like Jean”

 Chorus: I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be like Jean!

I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be like Jean.

I want to have her style, I want her million dollar style, I want to be the president

I wanna be like Jean.

I remember the first time I saw her at Orongamai marae. The spot light it was on her, there was not an eye that was dry. I remember the adulation, the songs and the food and the wine.

I remember the frock she was wearing. It was dinky and pink with a tie.

There are so many ways to describe Jean, a remarkable woman in our time: A few words that I would use to describe her are:

Courageous

Spirited

Persistent

Joyful

Forthright

Dedicated

Humorous

Committed

Tenacious

Determined

Loving

Kind

Unique

We will all miss her so much. I feel very privileged to have known her. My thoughts and love are with Kerry, Katherine, Emma, Tom and baby William at this time of great sadness.

I just feel the tears sliding down my face, but at the same time, a life so well lived, so courageously - she was an inspiration. Much love Wendy

Haere atu rā e whaea Bobi

From the ELP team our deepest sympathy to all those touched by the sudden passing of Whaea Bobi Dempsey of Aunty’s childcare centre.  Ki a Cherie, ngā kaiako, ngā tamariki me o koutou whānau, a te whānau pani, ngā mihi arohanui ki a koutou katoa.

Physically we are unable to be with you today at Whaea Bobi’s funeral as our team is working in Sweden and Germany for this month, however our thoughts will most certainly be focused on you all today and beyond.

Haere atu rā e whaea Bobi, haere atu rā ki tua o te arai, ka mihia koe e Hine nui te Pō, ka mihia koe e to whānau. Moe mai rā, moe mai rā, moe mai rā.