How Education Kills Creativity
I’ve always been interested in Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk on how education kills creativity, especially the parts about government taking over the education system. It’s a surprisingly timely topic, considering the recent rise of government-run schools. Whether the ideas in Sir Ken’s talk are true is another matter, but I’ve always thought that art and creativity aren’t useful unless you’re successful.
Sir Ken Robinson
“An education kills creativity,” says Sir Ken Robinson in a TED talk titled, “Schools kill creativity.” This eloquent TED Talk is the perfect example of why schools must change. Many educators and businesses believe that education has done more to suppress creativity than to nurture it. But the elitist thinkers of today are trying to change that. And Ken Robinson is one of them.
Teaching-to-the-test culture
The No Child Left Behind Act mandates annual tests in mathematics and reading/language arts for children in Grades three through eight. This standardized testing culture kills creativity by limiting students’ freedom of choice and reinforcing the destructive effects of a test-taking culture. Students who are constantly tested are more likely to adopt maladaptive motivational beliefs and engage in performance-avoidance behaviors. In addition, students see test errors as a direct reflection of their abilities, rather than as a creative or critical process.
Governments taking the reins of education
The government is currently considering tighter regulations on creative arts courses and degrees that yield lower salary returns. With outstanding student debt topping PS140bn, the government is keen to limit the amount of money lent to students for these courses. This is because students with low salaries are less likely to repay their loans. The Department of Education is reviewing its education policies and considering ways to limit the number of students who can study such courses. However, this is not the best way to increase creative thinking.
Artistic abilities useful if you are successful
Artistic abilities are not only beneficial if you are successful in your career; they are also necessary to survive in a competitive society. While not every skill is deemed as artistic, some of them are useful. They can improve your life by fostering a creative mindset. There are also many artistic activities that can help you improve your hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. These activities can help you develop a sense of accomplishment when you complete them.
Leunig’s invention of the steam engine
In his book The Invention of the Steam Engine, Leunig argues that schools kill creativity by feeding knowledge to students and failing to provide them with alternative ways of learning. Leunig argues that true creativity requires knowledge. For example, Thomas Newcomen’s invention of the steam engine was based on knowledge of how engines work. If schools were to kill creativity, there would be no way for the enlightened British to learn about other forms of energy or knowledge.
Salman Khan’s talk on low-performing inner-city schools
The founder of the Khan Academy, a free online educational website, has made a compelling case for the importance of creativity in low-performing inner-city schools. Khan, a former hedge fund manager, is not a traditional educator. However, his zeal to improve education in the United States led him to create Khan Academy. Founded in 2006, the nonprofit organization has grown threefold over the past three years.
John Green’s talk on teaching the world peace game
A recent Ted talk by novelist John Green on how teaching the world peace game kills creativity suggests that a lack of critical thinking kills creativity. In the talk, Green argues that the game “reinvents the world” by removing all forms of social support and rewarding individuals for achieving a high standard of achievement. The game consists of a four-foot-square board with hundreds of action figures on it. The lowest level features vast water, large landmasses, and islands. Meanwhile, spacecraft and killer satellites orbit the highest level, while storm clouds hang overhead the lowest.