The TED Talk I watched was “Do schools kill creativity?” by Sir Ken Robinson. Robinson is a creativity expert challenging how schools educate children. He is a champion of radical rethinking of school systems and aims to cultivate creativity through acknowledgement of multiple kinds of intelligence. The TED talk was filmed in February 2006 and the link to watch is: https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity. The reason why I chose this TED talk in particular aside from its popularity, is the realization that traditional-centered schools can kill creativity in students. Students are supposed to learn, but in a way that is motivating and inspiring. When schools stick to a traditional ideology and adopt traditionalist strategies, they tend (to the detriment of students), create an environment where the focus is on high grades and not innovation and creativity. Creativity is the main means of achieving new ways of thinking and branching out in other intelligences. For schools to not cultivate creativity in students, it is doing an overall disservice to society. Society benefits from innovation and creativity.

Robinson begins his speech stating he has witnessed extraordinary evidence that supports human creativity in all areas. However, he has no idea how such creativity will play out. That is because of the education system. He uses the example of Sirena, who he states has an extraordinary...

However, Sirena has the extraordinary dedication to see that her skills and talent are put to good use.
He also explains that children are not naturally afraid of failure. Their willingness to take a chance shows that children should be given the freedom to explore their creativity. He uses Picasso as an example stating: “all children are born artists”. However, as children grow up, they are often stifled by a society and an education system that does not favor creativity, but rather, wants people to participate in mundane, routine tasks. In order for children like Sirena to flourish, they need that guidance, that push.

This relates to me in many ways. I myself am a creative person. I enjoy solving abstract problems. My intelligence is higher in terms of logic and abstract reasoning. However, many schools and jobs favor people who are detail-oriented and can perform repetitious tasks well. This is where it becomes hard to grow within me my creativity. If a system is not set up for me to flourish, how can I reach my potential?

This is true of a lot of children. Robinson discussed multiple intelligences and some children may be better at music or drawing than arithmetic and science. To not allow them to cultivate these gifts or to support an education system that looks down upon such skills truly creates a world and a society…