Rhetorical analysis
The subject of the analysis is “how school kills creativity”. Throughout the world, all schools operate in a similar manner. They value mathematics, sciences, and languages over art subjects such as drawing, music, and dance. This limits the expression of other talents that children may possess. The current school system purposed to meet the needs of an industrialized world. Technological innovation means that computers are taking up more roles once performed by humans. In the next thirty years, the world is going to be at a dilemma as degrees will be essentially worthless. Because schools suppress creativity and imagination, people will have few alternatives to finding work. Because of this, we must change how we perceive education.
The purpose of the topic is to inspire thought, to encourage us to have an open mind as to what is important in the world. In his speech, Sir Ken Robison issues a very thought provoking statement “If all the insects disappear from the world, the word will collapse in 50 years, if all the humans disappear from the earth all other life forms will flourish in 50 years”. He uses this to try to provide perspective as to what really matters in the world. We should not aspire to spend huge amounts of time under schools only to end up at nine to five jobs. We should aspire to reach the zenith of our potential by exploring and mastering our talents.
The issue at hand is the cumulative suppression of talents, creativity, and imagination by a school system structured to only value academic ability. This broken system must be changed soon to avoid creating calamity and dilemma in the future. The context of Sir Ken Robison’s speech is the current educational system, a system that has remained rigid for many decades even in the face of a changing world. The current education structure throughout the world is no longer serving its purpose.
Sir Ken Robison makes the argument against schools and their impact on creativity and imagination. He is a renowned education advocate who advices governments and seminars throughout the world. The speech in question was delivered during a Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED) seminar. This is a conference where people deliver their ideas to the world. His speech was intended to educational institutions, policy makers, and universities (Sirkenrobinson.com).
The main point that Sir Ken Robison makes is that educational systems should start valuing and incorporation more creative abilities and subjects in the classroom. Currently most people never get to discover their talents because the knowledge that they possess was enforced on them. This was at the expense of other talent that they may possess. The argument that Sir Ken Robison makes is one of policy. Changing the attitudes and structures surrounding education requires input from policy makers. His is an impassioned plea to policy makers. He is urging them to appreciate creativity and imagination in today’s school systems. The changing demands of the world require this.
Sir Ken Robison is a successful orator; he structures his arguments around a series of humorous personal anecdotes that serve to keep the audience in thrall while at the same time diving home his points (Sirkenrobinson.com). The assumptions made by Sir Ken Robison in presenting his arguments are, all people pass under the same educational structure, all educational systems throughout the world are similar, educational systems have been crafted to value mathematics and sciences above other subjects. These assumptions are mostly true for different countries throughout the world and are a reasonable basis for propping up the assertion that schools kill creativity.
Sir Ken Robison presents himself in a knowledgeable and respectable manner. He is a renowned expert on educational matter having at different times in his life chaired educational institutions and panels on creativity. He has an approachable character and way of speaking that encourages one to indulge in his views. While presenting his opinions he also shows respect for conflicting opinions.
In presenting his thesis that schools kill creativity, Sir Ken Robison states that school suppress the art subjects, as one grows up they are given lesser precedence. These are the subjects most apt to foster and cultivate creativity in children. In supporting his opinion, Sir Ken Robison gives an anecdote about Gillian Lynne, a legendary choreographer and dancer. In her formative years, Gillian was not good in school but intervention from her parents found and nurtured her dancing talents (Gillianlynne.com). Robinson argues that schools should be structured to appreciate more of these talents and not suppress them. The speaker wants us express more interest in his topic. He uses humor to evoke interest in the matter.
Sir Ken Robison’s speech is one sided in that it does not present us with conflicting opinions. We are only able to analyze the situation from one perspective. This is one weakness in his argument. He is however successful in demonstrating how schools kill creativity and how this state of affairs cannot suffice in a changing world.
References
Gillianlynne.com,. 'Gillian Lynne - Biography'. N.p., 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
Robinson, Ken. 'Ken Robinson, Speaker, TED.Com'. Ted.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
Sirkenrobinson.com,. 'Website and Blog of New York Times Best Selling Author of "The Element", TED Speaker, Education and Creativity Expert | Sir Ken Robinson'. N.p., 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
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