If You Teach Anything....Watch This

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It began in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader. The home page includes pictures of thinkers from wide walks of life; Billy Graham, Malcolm Gladwell, and Richard Branson to name just a few.

Sir Ken Robinson is a visionary cultural leader, he led the British government's 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. At the 2006 TED Conference, Sir Ken made 'an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity'. I think all educators would be wise to invest 20 minutes and watch the following lecture. It is inspiring and thought provoking and it may just make you rethink your teaching style from student to student.

The talk was especially compelling to me as a music educator in a community school that services very young children, teenagers, professional adults and senior citizens. Regardless of their age, they seek the tools with which to be musically expressive and my challenge is to deliver students quality information without educating them 'out of their creativity'.

So grab a cup of coffee and be prepared to be entertained, to laugh and to learn.