"Changing Education Paradigms"

Ken Robinson’s video on “Changing Education Paradigms,”   proves to me that we have to raise education standards. Robinson thinks that we aren’t allowing children to grow, we are stifling them by telling them there is only one way to do things. The way it has always been done. Robinson implies that the school is like a factory with a production line mentality. We run everything based on timing and schedule and we are causing students to conform to society’s way of operating. Schools are presenting students with different material every semester and expect them to grasp everything within that time to excel at standardized testing, forgetting that all children learn differently and at slower paces than others. Education is modeled on the interests of industrialization and the image of it.

I agree with Robinson’s view on technology. He blames the over stimulating nature of electronic devices for making classroom lessons seem boring to a child. We are giving children unlimited access to technology and get mad at them for “living” off of their devices. Instead of enriching the minds of our children, we are numbing them with anesthetics. He attributes ADHD to technology as well. Robinson doesn't believe that it is an epidemic and instead of labeling children we need to look at classroom structure. While doing my observations I also noticed that when classroom time is split up wisely and children are given “fun” activities throughout the day, they are happier and show more interest in learning.  

I also like how the message is presented; he provides graphics for his listeners to connect more with the message. The visual effects provided clarity and captivated my attention throughout the video. I now view the educational system differently and understand that change is necessary for something to grow and be successful.