Post #10

What can we learn from Sir Ken Robinson?

Most people do not enjoy what they do for a living. In his speech, Sir Ken Robinson pointed out that there are two types of people: people who enjoy the way they make their living and those who simply work to make money to live. The majority of people fall into this second category and as Sir Ken puts it, "just waiting for the weekend." He suggests that a major reason for this is that the way education systems are set up today does not leave room for students to find out what they are passionate about and good at, not just what they are capable of doing. This is where the use of technology should come into the mix. Kids today are so much more adapt to this technological age than any generation before them. Sir Ken makes a clever comparison of this phenomenon by pointing out that no one under twenty five would typically be found wearing a wrist watch. He goes on to explain that this is because it is a "single function device." Even though it also tells the date. So, what does this say about kids and technology? Everything. The advanced technological devices that are available today are capable of accessing information and accomplishing tasks with that information like nothing that has been seen in the past. It would be a massive folly for schools and teachers not to utilize this technology and catch up to their students' knowledge of it to do what they are meant to do: mold students into productive and successful members in their societies.

Sir Ken describes the current form of education as a linear system that begins in kindergarten and is to be followed all the way to college. He illustrates the idea that schools are following an industrial design where every student is being modeled in the same way and are being left no room to find out their own individuality. He goes on to tell that each person is organic. People grow as their lives go on and how they grow is based on who they are and what they are being surrounded by at any given time. Sir Ken uses this point to suggest that the shaping of schools should be done through an agricultural approach. Given that society today has changed so much over the past few decades due to technology, schools should adjust to their surroundings and take that leap into the twenty-first century! It is not only that technology is around to be improve the quality of education, it is also that it has the ability to allow students to gain the freedom to find their passions while still having the guidance and support of their teachers.

Thank you Dr. Strange for assigning Sir Ken, I really enjoyed listening to his opinions and I believe he has a very deep, very understanding, and very inspirational grasp on the world and how it works.

"Every day, everywhere, our children spread their dreams beneath our feat, and we should tread lightly." - Sir Ken Robinson