As discussed from last weeks lecture, creativity is a complex and unique process that needs to be nurtured and developed within children today. According to Noddings (2003) one of the aims of education is to develop and enlighten children's minds to help them become creative and independent learners for the future however in Sir Ken Robinsons point of view, education is simply doing the opposite. He believes that every individual child is born with a unique way of thinking, but unfortunately within a school environment this individuality is not praised or valued by many teachers resulting to children thinking negative about being creative and making them believe that they are incorrect in doing so (Robinson, 2011).
To looking back at my own experience of education, I have noticed that throughout my time in primary and secondary school there were a set of rules and formats to follow for answering curtain questions and it was believed that there was one and only correct answer. For example within the subject of science, typically known to be about experimenting with different elements, had been simply stylized to following instructions to all create that same outcome, this eliminating that creative experimental part of the lesson and letting children learn about the different elements through their own pathways. The only lessons that were seen to be a way of expressing my creativity was in the area of art and drama where the teachers would encourage me to think outside of the box, but even within those lessons there was a set of guys lines of what was acceptable, thus limiting my thinking to become simple and not complex.
It was not till I came to university that I noticed this attribute towards my passed education, due to having the ability to critically evaluate education and understand the views of others, for example Sir Ken Robinson's theory on how education can kill creativity does have a strong debatable view point and does raise a query on the format of the educational system.
The educational system of today lies heavily in the hands of politicians, one such as Michael Gove who is the secretary of state education, many view Gove to be destroying the future of children's education by changing the format and deciding to go back to basic 'traditional' values where children are only taught 'rigorous subjects' (Richardson, 2010). However by doing so this may limit the freedom that children have of choosing what they desire to study and condemn them of that ability to think uniquely.
Below is a speech by Robinson (2010) who believes that the key element of education which needs to be evaluated before changing education is to discuss the purposes of specif subjects to help develop a childs understanding and way of thinking for the future.
References
Noddings, N. (2003) Happiness and Education. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Richardson, H. (2010) Retrieved on 22nd Feburary 2014 from Gove Puts Focus on Traditional Values http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11822208
Robinson, K. (2011) Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative. West Sussex: Capstone Publishing Ltd.
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