thanks lee for posting this speech given by sir ken robinson about why stem disciplines (science, technology, engineering and math) are necessary but not enough in education. i don't think i've ever listened to a talk that this man has given that i didn't find extremely intelligent and articulate.
one of my favorite points in this speech was when he talked about getting a group of about 20 "creative" people together for a round-table type summit on creativity. he spoke about how a nobel prize-winning scientist was apprehensive to be in the same panel as a comedian, whose "razorblade mind" he feared would shred everything he said; the same comedian feared that anything he said would be immediately reduced to pieces by the "mind like a planet" of the scientist. sir robinson pointed out that we spend so much time being anxious about other people, and then when we actually meet, we find it remarkably easy to come together in common cause. i've been thinking a lot about this lately, mostly because my thesis is about creating conversation between strangers in museums. what he said is so true, but the difficult question is, how, when you're not organizing a fancy-pants panel, do you help people find that "common cause"?
another point of the speech that i really liked was when he talked about chuck close saying "inspiration is for amateurs," and noting that artists don't talk about being creative, they talk about making things. i love this because i think it highlights such a good solution to people's, and notably, kids, anxieties -- oftentimes, a simple shift from adjective to verb is enough to take off the pressure. If we talk about "creating" -- a simple verb, meaning "making," that anyone can do -- instead of "being creative" -- something that seems to require genius, or at least supreme originality -- isn't it easier to get started and end up with really cool stuff?
excellent points, kelsey. especially how just one little shift in language can make all the difference for people. when you work in the arts, making things accessible is hugely important, and how you talk about something can immediately turn off your audience, or completely engage them. choose your words carefully! :)
ReplyDeleteThose were some of the points that I liked about Ken's talk too, especially between the two panel members. Getting various viewpoints from different backgrounds can spur new ideas and bring common themes together, even among unlikely job professions. And he definitely hit the nail about Chuck Close's quote; similarly that doing is more important than talking.
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