PORTFOLIO

Ken Robinson asserts that schools are killing creativity and we need to rethink our approach to education.  In the longer version of this TEDtalk Robinson provides one striking example that resonates strongly with me.

He tells the story of a young girl named Jillian who cannot seem to sit still in class. The teacher alerts her parents, who then take her to the doctor. The doctor speaks with the parents about their daughter, while she fidgets in her chair. After a while the doctor turns on the radio and asks the parents to leave the room with him. Watching from outside, they witness the girl get up and start dancing. So the doctor says, "Your daughter isn't sick, she is a dancer. Take her to a dance school." This girl grew up to have a wonderful career as a soloist at the royal ballet dance school, founded her own dance school called the Jillian Dance School, married Andrew Lloyd Webber, is responsible for some of the most famous musical productions, and is a multi-millionaire. 

This story reminds me of a quote by Albert Einstein: "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tress, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." As a future teacher, I need to recognize that every student has different strengths and passions, and I have the responsibility to cultivate those talents.