Education Killing Creativity?

Ken Robinson

Well known as an education leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation. 

Here in this video, Sir Ken Robinson, an creativity expert, argues that education today is draining children of creativity.  He challenges the way in which Creativity is being approached through the education system .  ‘Creativity', in which he defines as "the process of having original ideas that have value", he believes is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.

Does education and schools kill creativity?

We’re sent into education and the classroom so us individuals can learn and gain the essential knowledge and skills for our development and to prepare us for later life. What kind of education is needed for this to be possible? Is this possible?

Robinson argues that our education are limiting us, we all born with creativity but our education suppress it, but it’s important culturally, economically and personally that we fight this. 

People and organizations everywhere can see that current systems of education are failing to meet the challenges we now all face and they're working furiously to create alternatives.- Sir Ken Robinson

Education is evolving and changing constantly but the curriculum and schools are not. He believes the education system has a standard curriculum which is set for all to abide by. He points out that they are missing the fact that every individual is unique and ‘diverse’ so this standard curriculum could be ‘narrowing their intelligence.’ They expect students to abide follow the guidelines which deprives them from using imagination and creativity. So by  adapting the system Robison believes is essential for the pupils ‘personal fulfillment and the world we are creating’ 

Personally, I found this argument quite interesting and can definitely relate to his views on the argument. Throughout primary school art and crafts was usually taught in a afternoon, looking back you could say it was often used as a treat if other subjects work was fully completed for that week. E.g. English, Maths or History.  For a long time and still today education and schools focus on the core subjects such English, maths and science which is classed as important for the child's future, and discard other topics as they not seen as such as high priority. Is this right? Are these the most important subjects?

Today schools seem to be concentrating on adapting the curriculum so arts and craft subjects, which is classed and based around creativity, are given more time. However, schools should focus on how they can include creativity into their classrooms and teaching no matter what subject is being taught.

References
http://sirkenrobinson.com/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sir-ken-robinson/do-schools-kill-creativity_b_2252942.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity?embed=true