Introduction
As a concept towards education, performativity is one that seems to strongly divide opinion. There are many scholars who argue that an increasing emphasis on performativity within education has a detrimental effect on the levels of creativity that students and teachers can demonstrate, and in turn affects the results of education in a detrimental way. Fostering creativity in education is intended to address many concerns. As Parkhurst summarises, this includes “dealing with ambiguous problems, coping with the fast changing world and facing an uncertain future”. Other scholars such as Poole (1980) argue that creativity cannot be “ignored or suppressed through schooling” as the role of creativity in the economy is seen as crucial (Burnard, 2006).
What is performativity?
Performativity has been defined as the capacity of speech and communication not simply to communicate but rather to act or consummate an action, or to construct and perform an identity. In the context of education this means that lessons are taught in a particular way and school policies and documentation reflect the expected discourse, which has led to schools being judged in terms of outcome and performance (Perryman, 2006).
The idea of performativity In education was developed by Lyotard in 1984, when he suggested that postmodern society is obsessed with efficiency and effectiveness and that increasingly ‘measured according to an input/output ratio’ (Lyotard, 1984). Recent times have seen
being rejected by universities because the thing they were good at it in school did not matter. This ethos appeal persuades the audience to believe of the displeasing points Sir Ken Robinson makes and changes their judgment in regards to the public education system as a whole. Moreover, the ethos appeal discussed within this speech does no
It even got to the point where, in his words, “I wasn’t even functional”(354). To Malcom X, literacy was everything because without it he could communicate nothing. Mr.X’s frustration with his inability to communicate acted as an unshakable foundation for his intellectual development. In contrast, modern education passively defines literacy as a means to an end. The end being grades and the mean being quizzes, tests, and papers. School based literacy is something that we teach our children. However, as time passes, literacy becomes implied. Consequently, students start to become apathetic using the same formulas to answer the same types of questions for the same rewards. In an attempt to make education universal, we have made it robotic. Even Mr.X, a man of strong determination, said about himself, “I would have quit even these motions, unless I had received the motivation that I did”(354). Therefore, it is not the environment in which we learn that holds the most importance. It is the manner and style in which we learn that holds the most
Children are no longer encouraged to be creative in the test prep environment. Instead, they are being taught to perform well on standardized tests and are labeled as unintelligent if they don’t. Young children are born with creativity and we see that when they are playing and pretending. According to Sir Ken Robinson, in Slon’s (2013) article, “by the time they get to be adults, most kids have lost that capacity” to be creative. The fundamentals of creation and experimentation are not part of the standardized testing mechanism.
Education is the key to the success of student’s in school today there are philosophies that structure the way an educator direct the class. Essentialism is one of the key concept focuses in school system first following the standard curriculum is important to implement on the journey for higher learning if it is achieved than the success rate will be greater. Teachers are designed to obtain knowledge from attending college, workshops and other resources by learning from these
As postmodern educators feel their way through an ever changing multicultural classroom environment, it is imperative that each hold firmly to their philosophical positions and do not let society influence them in a negative way. At the same time all teachers should be continually reflecting inwardly to make oneself accountable to their profession.
Education has tarnished the idea of an original thought and has caused us to “grow out of creativity.” An idea that I am now convinced is a possible reality due to the intellectual, thought-provoking argument made by Sir Ken Robinson that schools do restrain creativity. In Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” Robinson argues that schools do kill creativity by addressing his audience in a sophisticated yet playful tone that keeps the audience entertained and invested in what is being discussed. Robinson connects with the audience by telling jokes, using simple reasoning, facts, and personal stories that allows the audience to be emotionally moved by the argument. Robinson is able to open up the audience to a reasonable idea with only one reasonable solution, and it just so happens to be his. Obviously, a bit biased, Robinson steers clear of self-promotion by recalling stories of other’s accounts and relating to people as a professor instead of a person.
Moreover, he seeks to keep his audience’s attentiveness high as he yearns for them to understand his viewpoint on the issue of education. As the purpose of his writing is to convince the reader of what education really has strived to achieve, it is presumed his audience is of those who have fallen prey to the merciless tactics of individuals who hold a higher social degree. In an attempt to simplify his cause, Schneider employs a tactic that is common in nature, that is: asking a question. His questions are not too overbearing as rather than induce complex thinking, they promote rational ideals that would have been otherwise overlooked by the convoluted sayings of others. For instance, when he solicits the question, “Do they sit in desks? Typically. Do teachers still stand at the front of the class? For the most part. But beyond that, there are more differences than similarities. Again, this doesn’t mean that present practices are ideal—but it does mean that Americans should think twice before dissolving into panic over what is being taught in modern classrooms” In short, this excerpt allows Schneider to create a bridge of understanding between him and the reader as he is thoughtful enough to include the fact that there are still problems. However, the centerpiece behind Schneider’s relationship with his audience is the implementation of the element
If you search almost anywhere on the internet about creativity and public schools you will run into a video by a man named Sir Ken Robinson. He emphasizes that schools kill creativity in every way. On the other hand, President Barack Obama disagrees whole heartedly. Both of these men agree that creativity is important to children and schools but they disagree on whether or not creativity is being implemented in schools. Robinson stated in his lectured at TED 2006, “I believe this passionately, that we don’t grow into creativity, we grow out of it. Or rather, we get educated out of it” (Ken Robinson. TED2006). He goes to say that
In this essay I will explore the correlation between intelligence (IQ) and creativity (DT), and whether one is influenced or can be predicted by the existence of the other. The relationship between IQ (intelligence quotient) and creativity has been an anchor point for psychological research. Numerous amounts of psychologists have carried out research in order to find evidence to support this idea of a correlation or evidence to disprove the hypothesis that IQ and creativity could be related.
Do schools kill creativity? This is the question speaker Ken Robinson asks during his speech. He explores how schools and education impact creativity in children and how if effects them later in life. He speaks of the extraordinary capability of human creativity, education, and the future. He does an excellent job of connecting with the audience, and capturing and holding the audiences attention throughout the speech. Ken Robinson is an excellent public speaker that grabs the audience in the introduction, carries them through the body, and keeps them until the conclusion.
School is an institution that serves as a means to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully function in society, such as literacy and punctuality. Not only do students acquire these skills, but also knowledge of “hidden curriculum,” which teaches certain societal norms and values. This concept was introduced in Lecture 4.2, with the examples being obedience, hierarchy/powerlessness, and acceptance of inequality. In regards to obedience, students learn that obeying authority is essential for success, that we must learn to be quiet and be interested, even if it means acting like it. With hierarchy/powerlessness, individuals come to accept their impotence in regards to having a voice towards how school is ran. The acceptance
Creativity is equally as important as literacy, and we need to start treating it that way in schools around the world. According to Ken Robinson’s claim in his, “How Schools Kill Creativity” speech, he believes this to be exceptionally true. All children are creative and talented, however, we have grown up in a world where we believe that it’s wrong to exemplify our creativity. Robinson uses both, pathos, and ethos to help make his claim. He arises emotion in you; he causes you to really think, to trust him, and to question ultimately, how things are being done in the educational system. We as a world have become so consumed with the idea of putting each child into a category of what they’re going to be successful in, regardless of their creativity or passions. You’re either good at math, science, or English; everything is based on your academic ability. What happens then to the people who aren’t academically smart, but are more creative? They are then made to feel that what they have to offer the world simply isn’t good enough, but the truth is, it is good enough. Over time however, we are taught out of our creativity. Schools around the world kill creativity by instilling a sense of fear in the child that what they are doing, and how they feel is wrong, this ultimately discourages them, and they fall victim to the industrialized educational system that we have present day. Robinson believes now more than
Education can be defined as a learning process in which a student and a teacher are involved. The work of the teacher is to pass on the message to the student while the student understands and applies what has been taught. It is also considered as a process of developing skills, knowledge and character of an individual. Education, whether formal or informal, has a function both to the individual and the society, these functions are either manifest or latent. There is a distinction between the manifest and latent functions in that the manifest functions are those that are intended whereas the latter are the unintended functions (Douglas, 2003).
Education is defined in our book as “the process through which academic, social and cultural ideas and tools, both general and specific, are developed” (Conley 497). In America children and young adults get an education through schools, either public or private. The focus of this paper will be on the public school system, but mainly the lower class public schools. Many problems with schools can be traced back to social concepts such as social values and norms. The hidden curriculum being taught in schools plays a part as well. In order to provide further insight into the issue I will discuss Robert Merton’s role theory. Schools in low income areas seem to be struggling this is because their social values and norms, the hidden curriculum being taught, which all can be explained by the role theory.
Conventional wisdom has it that concepts of creativity include art, dance, and literature; but, the core of creativity focuses on creating something new. The comprehension of creativity and its importance in education allows one to maintain better problem solving skills, remain innovative, and excel beyond the years of ordinary schooling (“Creativity and Education”). Cognitive psychologist Jean Piaget once said, “The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done”. Two recent articles discuss and challenge this issue. The first, Mr. Secomb’s article, “The Seeds of Growth: Why Creativity is Important in Education”, was originally published in his school newsletter and later appeared April of 2013 in the blog “Inquire Within” where “educators from around the world share their thoughts”(“About”). In this article, Secomb argues that creativity is a multi-step process part of a bigger goal: innovation throughout the world. The second article, Dr. Kitchen’s, “The Importance of Creativity in Education Technology”, was published April of 2015 in ETS Magazine, otherwise known as “Education Technology Solutions”. Kitchen argues that school systems are too similar to what they have been in the past, which is hindering students’ creative and critical skills in the education process. Although the author of “The Seeds of