Let me share these interesting thoughts on school paradigms by Sir Ken Robinson. His thought on schools killing creativity have spread on the web - partly because he’s humorous and partly because he’s right.

But this is a more in depth look at the way we educate children and why it doesn’t work for most kids. Maybe some of you will feel very undestood - “this is why I never seemed to fit in”. And maybe some of you will have your ideas about education as we know it shaken a bit.

One of his basic questions is a fundamental “is this really the best way to get the results we crave from public education?” And the answer is a big reasounding “No”. We educate our children the way we have been doing it for centuries, though the demands for our childrens competences in order to be succesful are changing by the decade. The system works for some, yes, but it installs a sense of failiure in way to many kids. We need to change the way this is done.

He has me convinced!

A different point of interest is the presentation of the message in itself - the RSA Animate. I find it mavelous for many reasons:

• Illustrating the message as it progresses gives the eye something to hold on to while listening. Helps you focus, prevents distraction.
• The drawings illustrates his points in a humorous and intelligent fashion, making them easier to understand and the listening more pleasant.
• It breaks his line of thought into smaller points and steps making the elephant eatable one bite at a time.
• It gives you visual cues to help you store key points in your memory afterwards. I think most of us remember the prescription medicated children, the factory school or other key points.

I, personally, need something visual to focus on when I recieve information. I’d much rather see a video presentation than hear an audio cast. My mind wanders if the visual is missing. If only audio is availiable I take notes while listening to have something visual to hold on to.

My husband is different from me - he likes audio books and pod casts. If we share a book I can read aloud to him. The other way round doesn’t work for long - unless I can peak over his shoulder.

When I showed my auditory husband this animate I (naiively) thought I could convert him. I loved the animate - it was helpful, imaginative and supported my listening beautifully. Surely he would experience the same. But he wasn’t quite as amazed. He actually thought the animate was quite distracting - too much visual stimuli disrupting his listening. He he - made me laugh at my own wish to convert him.

I guess that’s what they mean when they talk about learning styles. Luckily we can have it each our way.