Analysis Of The TED Talk: Do Schools Kill Creativity?

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For over a hundred years in the United States it has been mandatory for children to attend school — mainly ages six through sixteen. These years play critical roles in the development and socialization of adolescents. It would make sense then to hold the institution in charge of them for a large portion of their waking hours to be held to a higher standard. By challenging the status quo, we push for a brighter future filled with more content and successful people. One person who regularly challenges the schooling system is Sir Ken Robinson. The focus of this paper is on his 2006 TED Talk, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”
Sir Ken Robinson is a british author with numerous New York Times best selling books, a renowned speaker with four popular TED …show more content…

Take Gillian Lynn for example. At a young age her teacher suggested she might have a learning disability due to her inability to sit still and pay attention in class. When taken to a doctor though, he informed her mother that Gillian just had a no illness; she simply was a dancer. He advised her to put Gillian in a dance academy to cultivate her talents. Gillian went on to then become the prima ballerina at the Royal Ballet school, opened her own dance academy, choreographed some of the most successful broadway productions of all time, and became a multi-millionaire (TEDtalk). A different doctor or less supportive mother could have cost Gillian this future success. They could have instead put her on some form of medication to help her focus during class and pushed her to pursue a different career or even just to become a housewife. This seems wasteful, does it …show more content…

Due to the fact that the institutionalization of mandatory schooling has, in the grand scheme of things, happened recently mixed with the population explosion, this fact does not seem very unexpected. The real notable component of this is that it means degrees are slowly losing value. A job that once only required a bachelor’s degree now needs a master’s or even a PHD. As the foundations for education become weaker and it is harder to get a job out of school, it seems just as logical to chase previously unimaginable dreams. Now it becoming a doctor appears as challenging as it does to become an actor or actress, so why is the one child supported while the other discouraged. This absurdity is still circulated throughout society. One child gets called ambitious while the other gets told they need a reality check, but currently it is becoming harder to determine which adjective fits which future plan. If we suffocate his or her creativity though, we may never discover the

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