Tuesday, February 10, 2009

My favorite TED

The yearly TED conference* is over in Long Beach California, and I can't wait to download the new videocasts. The TED conference is a yearly conference in California (TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design), starting out at 1984 that gathers the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers (according to themselves at least) to give 18 minutes long speeches. Most of them are available on the TED website.

One speech I keep in my iPod and that I watch now and then is my absolute favorite, Sir Ken Robinson's speech "Do schools kill creativity?".

He just says so many fantastic things...

4 comments:

Christina said...

I've always loved the Picasso quote Robinson mentions. And I agree with the things that he says about creativity and its importance. These are many of the very reasons we've chosen to homeschool our daughter.

Ally said...

This is so interesting that you're posting this now. I was just at a parent meeting to look into Waldorf for my children. I feel like the lopsided education my kids are getting is killing their creativity.

Anonymous said...

I love the TED Talks, and this one was great as well. Education in this country is insane, and just as this guy says in his talk, it kills creativity. With the massive amount of tedious work assigned and ridiculous standards, there's no time for anything else but trying to catch up. Physical activities, exploration, and imaginative play gets shoved to the side, and it kills us to see how little free time they get to figure things out for them selves by engaging more than just one part their mind.

JaCal said...

Christina - I love Robinsons keynote - I think he is right in so many ways. It has really opened up for new ways of thinking of what is important when we prepare our kids for grown-up life - and retirement in 2065... ;-)

Ally - that's interesting! I can't wait to hear more about that!

Peter - I'm so glad they provide the TED seminars online and on iTunes. I have watched so many, and learned so much - great way to spend a flight. I love Hans Rosling's! Robinsons has important things to say - and the sad part is that it probably applies to schools all over... I'm not sure it's that much worse here - just that it's bad everywhere. You just realize how much more work you have ahead of you as a parent to prepare your kids - since the school system probably won't change during our kids' school years... I watch his keynot now and then to be reminded of what is important and to keep my eyes and mind open for my kids' talents and to to encourage them to explore the world.