"We are standardizing our kids to fit the test" -Sir Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson elaborates on many of his earlier points in this conversation at Penn State with Patty Satalia. Many things resonate with me here, but one thing that stands out is he uses the term "teacher-proofing" and says that the teachers are being told basically how to teach and it's "stripping them of their professional skills and integrity." He also comments on how teaching to the test is not only stifling to students but to teachers as well. A fact that comes up in every course we teach. Some interesting things to think about here- give it a shot.

From the Penn State Conversations website:

Education innovation expert Sir Ken Robinson is changing the way people think about creativity and talent. Hear him detail what the world needs to change about its educational systems and find out what it means to find your “element.”

Sir Ken Robinson is a “creativity expert.” He has dedicated his life’s work to examining how children are educated. He champions a radical restructuring of school systems by acknowledging that there are multiple kinds of intelligence and they each require a different educational method.

Robinson led the British government’s 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education—a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy—and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements.