Technology Journal Blog #2

    Sir Ken Robinson talks about the No Child Left Behind policy in America and how it's negatively or not sufficiently giving children opportunities to learn. He remarks that "No Child Left Behind policy is based on not diversity but conformity." There's a focus on STEM classes, classes like science and math over the arts, physical education, and humanities. Not every kid is geared towards a science and math mind, personally I ain't either. I hate both science and math and prefer these arts, humanities and history classes, and during my time these classes are counted as "electives" or "extras." They're not the focal points of education and tend to get cut first for other classes when the school needs to fill out their status quo. 

    I think the main point of Sir Ken Robinson's TED Talk is that children are so diverse, so different that keeping these cookie cutter ideals and cultures to facilitate learning on all these children. He says that "..that human beings are naturally different and diverse." Reduces or negatively affects education for some. An idea to better the system is to instead of the children having to abide to the requirements of the education system, the education system should abide to the children. Give more opportunities and and ways for them to follow their own interests. Sir Ken Robinson remarks that kids drop out due to boredom or lack of support, education should be something that keeps kids entertained rather than feel like a prison at times. Personally, I only liked school due to the social interactions with other people. Without school, I wouldn't have these friends I have today and I think that should be a focal point, socialization is important to every human being. 

   With the right education system, most students should be able to choose their path even more than they can now. Not every students needs pre-college math or chemistry etc. High school should be like college and you elect to learn high tier classes instead of being required to take these higher credits. Have the students gear their learning even more and maybe only keep the required credits to 1 or 2 classes of each subject, much like GEN Ed classes in college. 


P.S - I thought his Radiohead comment was hilarious, they make soul-draining music much like all the other depressing British bands. 

Comments

  1. Kara McElwrathSeptember 15, 2025 at 6:01 PM

    As you've figured out by now, Sir Ken Robinson is a favorite of mine -and not just for his sense of humor, which I definitely appreciate! I also cracked up over the Radiohead comment. I love what he says about curiosity being the engine to achievement. If we fostered more curiosity than compliance in schools, our students would thrive. Another statement that resonates with me is that children 'prosper best with a broad curriculum that celebrates their various talents, not just some of them'. You've already heard me say that learning is not pizza and teaching is not a delivery system. Our schools cannot be greater than the teachers they employ. We need to invest in our teachers because our teachers invest in our students. Death Valley isn't dead; it's dormant. Under the right conditions, Death Valley flourishes. Under the right conditions, our students will thrive.

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