Sir Ken Robinson is for me, the catalyst for my on-going love affair with TED Talks. His first TED Talk, “Why Schools Kill Creativity” has been the same catalyst for many of my friends, colleagues and friends of friends and colleagues of colleagues..well, you know what I mean. I vividly remember the day I was shown the talk, as happens with all memorable learning moments. I had never come across the TED site and here it was, in its full intellectual glory, and the opening act for me was this talk. Since then, I’ve seen Sir Ken Robinson speak on a number of occasions, so there will inevitably be a few of his talks included in this collection.
For me, this talk was a “YES!” moment. This was what I had been trying to argue for, rationalise and put into practice throughout my teaching career. I have since shared this talk as part of meetings, training or simply by recommending people make themselves a cup of tea, put their feet up for 18 minutes and enjoy. Many of my colleagues have reported that it has marked a “YES!” moment for them too. I hope it will for you if you haven’t seen it. If you have, I recommend using at as a reflection exercise:
How am I developing learners’ creative capacities in my practice?
What do I need to do to ensure learners feel safe to express themselves?
How does our curriculum create space for learner-involvement (as opposed to ‘participation’ or ‘engagement’) in their own learning?
Who’s curriculum is it?
What conditions for learning do I need to design that will nurture the capacities of all learners (adults and children alike)?
What have I done to develop my practice since I last watched this talk?
If nothing else, just enjoy.
Oh, and It’s very funny too.
