Do schools kill creativity?

Maxi-Taxi seems to be struggling a bit with learning to read and write. We're doing OT and the 'D word' has been tentatively raised, but it's early days for him and I'm expecting the best.  I have a tendency to do that to my detriment, but I'm hoping this is not one of those times. He is such a bright, charming, imaginative little fellow that I can't help but feel that he will find his way through. I will be patient.

His struggle has also got me thinking about the way we learn to learn. In particular I keep going back to an amazing TED talk I viewed a few months ago by Sir Ken Robinson on creativity. He instantly struck a chord in me and I realised just how important it is to nurture creativity - in whatever form it takes in each individual.

How easy it is to credit rote learning, when it really isn't learning at all. It's like getting good grades for memory retention. How this leads to giving merit to the kinds of subjects that allow for rote learning, thereby setting children on a lifetime of judging 'the arts' as somehow inferior to 'the sciences'. I'm sure Leonardo would disagree. And I know what kind of thinking and doing and living brings me the most happiness in my own life.

You really must take the time to watch this 20 minute talk. Sir Ken is goofy and funny and just so right about so many things. I'd be interested to hear what you think.