The Importance of Creativity for Children and Other Living Things

Sir Ken Robinson, "an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources," speaks about the importance of creativity: why we need to be encouraging it and how modern schools "are educating people out of their creative capacities."  The video (taken at the 2006 TED conferences) is about 20 minutes long but so inspirational and very funny too - try to take the time to watch it.  Every time you put a blank piece of paper or a lump of clay in front of your child or just go on a nature walk to see the change of the seasons you'll know that you're doing the right thing, the right thing for your child and the right thing for our future.

What TED celebrates is the gift of the human imagination. We have to be careful now that we use this gift wisely, and that we avert some of the scenarios that we've talked about. And the only way we'll do it is by seeing our creative capacities for the richness they are, and seeing our children for the hope that they are. And our task is to educate their whole being, so they can face this future -- by the way, we may not see this future, but they will. And our job is to help them make something of it.
~ Sir Ken Robinson

Comments

[patry francis]

This was wonderful. So glad to have discovered it--and your blog, too!

[Linda]

I am so glad to see this video getting around!

[Kari]

Wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[Bettsi]

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful video. "We have mined our minds." So true. I will be linking to this post and checking out the rest of the TEDtalks series. To hear what I'v long felt to be true articulated by such a great communicator was really powerful to me. Thank you, thank you!

[make and takes]

Thank you for this! I loved it. He is fabulous and right on. Not to mention super funny, which makes it all the better to listen and learn from.

[elaine]

I appreciate you bringing this video to our attention, and sharing it with us. It feels so good to hear someone as articulate and well educated as "Ted" to be talking the way our hearts felt as a child. It's so sad and very true how we're forced to doubt our creative self. Thanks again. xox ~Elaine

[alison]

Creativity has to be the most important thing we could nurture. It's how amazing discoveries are made, if we teach children to wonder, to think and to imagine the possibilities, then who knows what they'll be able to do.

[Gayle]

Wow! He hit it right on. We live in the Seattle area, the heartland of cutting edge tech companies. My son, who really never fit into traditional school, left high school at 16 and went to a tech program and completed his high school through them. Everyone said we were making a terrible mistake by letting him do that. He works for a fast growing tech company now, bought a condo in Seattle before he was 21, and has stock in the company worth more than our home. This is the future, it is in thinking outside the box. It's just a shame the education system hasn't figured it out yet.

[Zia Meadows]

thank you so much- I often feel when teaching my children that doing all the fun things is cheating-that I'm being a little irresponsible, so you've made me feel like a good mum-bless you!

[Zia Meadows]

thank you so much- I often feel when teaching my children that doing all the fun things is cheating-that I'm being a little irresponsible, so you've made me feel like a good mum-bless you!

[Zia Meadows]

thank you so much- I often feel when teaching my children that doing all the fun things is cheating-that I'm being a little irresponsible, so you've made me feel like a good mum-bless you!

[Rhonda the Stitchingnut]

Very inspiring! Everyone should hear this; parents, teachers in our schools now and the ones in training. I plan to refer to your post on my blog. Thanks!

[Ravenhill]

This is so wonderful! I hate how modern schools are stifling creativity and want to do all I can to counterbalance it.Children deserve so much more!

[Adla]

Am so for creativity and introducing it young!

[sal]

I watched this a while ago.It is absolutely superb.Ken R is so funny and is able to put it over in such an entertaining way...and what a lot of sense he talks.
I could watch it again and again!
Sal;-)

[amy]

Wow! Thankyou so much for sharing this video. It really opens my mind to new thinking. I really appreciate it.

Amy

[Michelle at Scribbit]

I found this interesting--in fact I've even posted about it myself:

http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2007/11/creativity-and-motherhood.html

[PJ]

ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!! I will share with everyone. The school environment is basically a cookie cutter approach...a game to play to get through...the special teachers I have run into try to infuse creativity into their curriculum. We MUST value education in this country more than we do (USA) because we are getting pinholed into a 'system' way of thinking and teaching and it is a shame that in this country a primary/middle/HS teacher really is looked as a lower-type job with a 'just' a BA/BS degree. It's becoming OUTRAGOUS. The video shared is WHY we must stop the general way we educate....

[Just Pure Lovely]

Thank you for posting that video. I hadn't seen it. I agree so much with "educating the whole person."

Charlotte Mason, a 19th century educator agreed with that, too. She says, "Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life."

Thank you for yet another excuse to let the children go out to play...er, I mean, learn. :)

[Lili M.]

Just passing by...saying 'hello' and:

Michele of Cowboys and Custard also showed this video on her blog on Februari 7th. You might like to read that posts and comments. You can find her link in my sidebar.
I think this video can make a difference. Thanks for showing!

[Lacer]

I love TED talks, I've seen that one before, very inspiring. Another great TED talk is one by JJ Abrams http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/205
where he also talks about creativity (and in a broader context than just film)
J.

[Lacer]

I love TED talks, I've seen that one before, very inspiring. Another great TED talk is one by JJ Abrams http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/205
where he also talks about creativity (and in a broader context than just film)
J.

[bethany]

oh... thanks for this... I laughed I cried.. We struggle so with public school and it is such a great idea to me that it means NOTHING.

[clarice]

Isn't this the most brilliant speech. Every person should hear it !!!! Clarice

[whisty@btinternet.com]

What a fantastic video. I was supposed to do my packing but got completely distracted by this wonderful speaker! I had tears in my eyes when I was listening. What he was describing is just like one of my little girls. I have three children, two are really good and practical but one (who is wonderful) is so different. She doesnt even notice when a friend comes to pick up my other daughter and suddenly wonders where her sister is but does notice things like a poster has been put up with four 'dark' blue, not just blue, drawing pins and that one is missing. She is such a creative being and gets competely focused on art and drawing etc when all the other children have got down from the table. I recognise this in her as I was not allowed to go to Art college but this video is brilliant as it will help me describe to others her fantastic talents that they just can't see. They just view her as disinterested - well may be they just aren't interesting themselves other wise she would bother to talk to them! Thank you so much. Visit my blog if you get chance to see my little girl at work on Pinky, a lovely little stuffed toy she made, at only age 5. My blog is lavenderhouse.typepad.com. Thanks so much!