For the post on the film of Sir ken Robinson's speech see below. Looking forward to reading what you think of it.
http://adesolaa.blogspot.com/2012/01/arts-and-education_7442.html
Adesola
http://adesolaa.blogspot.com/2012/01/arts-and-education_7442.html
Adesola
Wow. This was a great film. First of all I loved the video to go along with the speech. I think it's great to have visual aids as often when I just hear someone's voice I find that I get distracted.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is aiming to use this course to further my career in the arts and education, this video stimulated a lot of thoughts for me. The bit about how the education system anaesthetizes children especially got me. When I am working in schools doing drama workshops and after school clubs our company has to fit into certain needs and outcomes that the school wants. I would like to hope that I am not part of that anaesthetizing process. I want my lessons to be a place where the students can really be themselves and not be scared to make mistakes. - This course is already causing me to evaluate my professional practise and what improvements I make. I mustn't become too comfortable but challenge myself so I can challenge the students in turn. The part about 98% of kindergarten children testing as being a 'genius' of divergent thinking linked into that for me. The percentage dropped as the group got older. I wouldn't like to think that is the affect that education has on them, to me education should open up your mind and stimulate you. I think it is important to find the time to try different ways of learning that suit different people. Not everyone is the same. Some of the very young children surprise me on a daily basis. They think of things I wouldn't and I'm not ashamed to say have sometimes made me feel stupid for not thinking in their way.
I was just talking with someone the other day about how lucky we are to live in this time in which so much information and entertainment is at our fingertips. However, I didn't take into account the point made in the video about how sometimes there is so much it's no wonder children are easily distracted. I even feel that myself, you constantly feel like there is something else you should be doing. How do you get the right balance.
I am glad the film got you thinking. Great points you make about being a part of the system or not a part of the system!!! Ethics is in everything.
ReplyDeleteYes it's really making me think about getting the right balance - especially in disciplinary procedures. Do I just copy other's ideals (learned from my own education) or do I really think about what is appropriate behaviour. I want my students to be respectful but I also don't want to quash their creativity and personalities.
DeleteThankyou for posting this Adesola.
ReplyDeleteI also would hate to think of myself as part of the porcess of anaesthetizing children. I suppose that due the nature of teaching dance, we do allow children to use their creativity; their capacity for divergent thinking. However, like it or not we are part of the antiquated system of developing workers and academics...
I'd like to tie this idea into my Task 1D, the inquiry as I feel that the idea of divergent thinkers is not something that is explored much with the idea of learning strategies.
Wow this really is very eye opening! I often find in my classes that when it comes to improvisation tasks my younger students are the ones who come up with the most interesting and unusual ideas and in the quickest time! The older students seem to ponder over ideas and displace ideas which they may think are wrong or embarrassing. Now this could be due the physical and emotional changes that teenagers and young adults are going through whereby they may begin to feel embarrassment or self consciousness however I also think education systems have a huge part to play in this. With reference to 'anaesthetizing children' it's is almost as though children loose their creativity and capacity for divergent thinking through the suppressive education systems. As shown in the study with kindergarten children - there is a relationship between the decline in 'genius' thinking and increased education. Of course this is a difficult debate there is no denying that education is important however it is HOW we educate and HOW we allow children to grow which needs to be reconsidered. I think The Arts allows a certain freedom and expression which is often not found in other subjects and I hope that the Arts will become increasingly vital within the education system as we are made ever more aware of the need for improvement relevant to todays society. I do also support his views of certain systems being 'old fashioned' and as our knowledge and experience develops/changes we must re look at the old systems to see if they are still relevant.
ReplyDeleteHow the presentation was put together also has influence. It is interesting to watch, easy to listen and understandable. Terms are explained and examples given. This has made me think about my artefact. The impact it can have at relaying information and the significance of being clear, descriptive and engaging.