author Savindi Jinasena
"Kids prosper best with a broad curriculum that celebrates their various talents" (Robinson, 2013). Sir Ken Robinson has been one of my favourite educators since the discovery of his famous TED Talk "Do Schools Kill Creativity?". His TED Talk "How to Escape Education's Death Valley" is another favourite because it makes me think about my educational experience. Thinking about the discussions we've had in this class about curriculum, accessibility and pedagogy, I gravitate towards thinking about my own experience in two educational systems in two countries. In my own experience, I feel schools do kill creativity, but it happens in different ways. I've mentioned before that I've studied in Sri Lanka and Canada. Both countries have colonization by Britain in common, yet it feels like Canada has moved away from the British school system (i.e. the absence of O/Level and A/Level examinations). In contrast, Sri Lanka still has these examinations, which is a factor in determining a child's future. Robinson (2013) says, "Standardized tests have a place, but they should not be the dominant culture of education"; however, it is very much part of the dominant education culture in Sri Lanka. In Grade 5, children write an exam called the "scholarship" exam. It is an exam comprised of all subjects, and the higher the score you achieve, the better your chances are of getting into a better school. I can still remember the anxiety I felt about this exam at nine years old. When I look back, I'm astonished that society determines the intelligence and education options available to a child nine years of age. Furthermore, standardized testing-depending on how it's applied-O/Level exam results can determine if a student can pursue A/Level classes, which could decide their university acceptance. I do not know if EQAO testing can be categorized the same way grade 5 scholarship exams are in Sri Lanka, but the latter certainly does leave a portion of children behind. "Arts aren't important because they improve math scores. They're important because they speak to parts of children's' being which are otherwise untouched" (Robinson, 2013). In my school experience in Canada, I did feel I had teachers who cared about instilling a love of music and humanities. I would go far as to say that their passion and enthusiasm for their respective teaching areas inspired me to study History at University. However, I didn't feel that my creativity was specifically nurtured. Perhaps within doing summative assignments, it was, but not outside of that. So I think within the confines of curriculum, it was encouraged, but there wasn't room for it to grow outside of it. I feel my intellectual curiosity has been encouraged in university and Grad School, but how can we expand that further? How can we create a place within all areas of education to foster creativity? References TEDtalksDirector. (2013, May 10). How to escape education's death valley | Sir Ken Robinson. Retrieved December 01, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX78iKhInsc
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