Sir Kenneth Robinson

What an interesting TED lecture by Sir Kenneth Robinson. If only everyone could make there point in such an exciting and humorous way! Yes, yes and YES I thought! So much of what he said made me think about my own teaching and my family.
The fact that my grandchildren wouldn't be retiring until 2065. Yikes!
My son, at the age of five, telling his teacher that she would be very compressed with him. He meant impressed but didn't worry that he had said the word wrong. He just went for it.
Most all what I took from the lecture, was the idea of children being so inovative. As teachers, we have always known this of course, but Robinson really brought the idea to life.
I have worked on the U dance project in Carlisle for many years. We help teachers to produce a dance piece, usually based on an area of the curriculumn. There have been some amazing pieces, building on subjects such as maths and science. One, I remember based on the patterns and colours of a Rubix cube. What a fantastic way to help pupils to learn rather than dusty old books, and so much easier for those children who struggle with reading, number sequencing or even the English language itself.
Isn't it better to bring the Roman soldiers, the Greek legends or the stories of WW1 and 2 to life rather than sit at a desk and write notes?
I am passionate about the arts in schools and the inclusion of everyone. I teach a child with severe spina bifida. There is very few in the class who is more creative and innovative then she is. I am always delighted and amazed to see how she explores and feels the emotion of the subjects we work on. Myself and the school feel, that not only do the dance classes help her physically, but also mentally. It is something she really enjoys. she bursts into the class every week with obvious excitement and always asks if its a 'dance' day when she comes into school.
Sadly, although Primary schools in Carlisle seem to embrace the idea that dance and the Arts is essential to a child's education, this seems to loose something when the children enter Secondary school.
Anyway, I'm going to hop off the soap box and leave that one for another day!