I am fascinated by the ideas put forth by Sir Ken Robinson, U.K. native and Los Angeles resident. If you pay attention to him, you'll be forced to reconsider all you've been taught from earliest memory, and how it has impacted your intelligence and creativity.
According to Sir Ken, we are going about education all wrong, and I think he's right. The teachers I most admire embrace methods way out of the box . . . with nothing but a wave at the box, indeed.
If you name your favorites from elementary school on, who were the ones who inspired and made you soar? I shared a fifth grade teacher with my mother, the very strict and demanding Mrs. Dothard. She noted that "Patricia talks" on her report card. Many years later my own echoed, "Beth talks too much".
At the time, I might have told you she was difficult. She pushed me and made me stand and read out loud to the entire class almost daily. She was relentless about my posture, for heaven's sake. She wore old-lady combat boot shoes.
The truth is, I worshiped her. I am happy she touched my life and made me feel smart early on. I am grateful she allowed not one moment of squirming or nonsense in her classroom.
And I really do sit up straight because of her concern for my precious diaphragm.
There are more, of course. We all have them. I would be much less verbose without Mr. Joseph Gilpin, who introduced me to the joys of classical Latin. (Some people might find that an improvement.) He taught World Religion, too, and I took every class I could with him. I would happily have signed up for Dog Grooming 101 if he had been involved.
Sir Ken says we're medicating our children into mediocrity (my words, not his). I have grave concerns over ADHD drugs, and he does as well. I grew suspicious of the label and the "epidemic" many years ago.
Sir Ken Robinson
Love from Delta.
According to Sir Ken, we are going about education all wrong, and I think he's right. The teachers I most admire embrace methods way out of the box . . . with nothing but a wave at the box, indeed.
If you name your favorites from elementary school on, who were the ones who inspired and made you soar? I shared a fifth grade teacher with my mother, the very strict and demanding Mrs. Dothard. She noted that "Patricia talks" on her report card. Many years later my own echoed, "Beth talks too much".
At the time, I might have told you she was difficult. She pushed me and made me stand and read out loud to the entire class almost daily. She was relentless about my posture, for heaven's sake. She wore old-lady combat boot shoes.
The truth is, I worshiped her. I am happy she touched my life and made me feel smart early on. I am grateful she allowed not one moment of squirming or nonsense in her classroom.
And I really do sit up straight because of her concern for my precious diaphragm.
There are more, of course. We all have them. I would be much less verbose without Mr. Joseph Gilpin, who introduced me to the joys of classical Latin. (Some people might find that an improvement.) He taught World Religion, too, and I took every class I could with him. I would happily have signed up for Dog Grooming 101 if he had been involved.
Sir Ken says we're medicating our children into mediocrity (my words, not his). I have grave concerns over ADHD drugs, and he does as well. I grew suspicious of the label and the "epidemic" many years ago.
Please listen to what he has to say. It's insightful and I would be delighted to hear your comments.
Sir Ken Robinson
Love from Delta.
