‘Science is now discovering what artists have long understood: that nurturing our feelings is vital to the quality of our lives and that intellect and feeling are intimately connected.’ – Sir Ken Robinson
At the start of a new year I, like many others, reflect on the environmental, social and economic changes our world appears to so rapidly have been going through over the recent years and while good government leaders recognise that education is a top priority, I need to question if our education systems have prepared our children adequately to deal with our constantly changing world.
‘The social and economic costs are incalculable. At one end of the spectrum there are the huge numbers of people who are chronically disengaged at work or in school because they find it all pointless and unfulfilling. At the other are the jaw-dropping numbers who are critically addicted to alcohol, tobacco or drugs as a way of stimulating or suppressing their feelings.’ – Sir Ken Robinson in his most recent blog for The Huffington Post, As Science Turns Its Attention To Feeling.
I believe we desperately need the next generations to get smarter and more adaptable to successfully deal with these changes. The education plans of the past that relied on students all achieving the same answers doesn’t seem to be helpful anymore. Students must learn to think laterally, find many answers or solutions, create original ideas and new approaches to solving problems… and the only way I can see this being achieved is to change the focus and format of our current education systems.
We are the people we’ve been waiting for… we can find the solutions if we can change how we think.
We need to get creative… and think like artists!