Sir Ken Robinson
Encyclopedia
Sir Ken Robinson is an author, speaker, and international advisor on education in the arts to government, non-profits, education, and arts bodies. He was Director of The Arts in Schools Project (1985–89), Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick
(1989–2001), and was knighted in 2003 for services to education.
Originally from a working-class Liverpool family, Robinson now lives in Los Angeles
with his wife Marie-Therese and children James and Kate.
to James and Ethel Robinson, Robinson is one of seven children from a working-class background. After an industrial accident, his father became quadriplegic. Robinson contracted polio at age four. He attended Liverpool Collegiate School
(1961–1963), Wade Deacon Grammar School, Cheshire
(1963–1968). He then studied English and drama (B.Ed.) at University of Leeds
(1968–1972) and completed a PhD
in 1981 at the University of London
, researching drama and theatre in education.
He was Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick
(1989–2001), serving four years as Chair of the Department of Arts Education, and as Chair of Research Development within the Faculty of Education. He has also held the posts of Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Warwick Institute for Education, Program Director of the MA in Arts Education and Cultural Studies, and Director of the Unit for Research in Education, Culture, and the Arts (URECA). Robinson is now Professor Emeritus at University of Warwick. In 1998, he led a UK commission on creativity, education, and the economy and his report, All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture, and Education was influential. The Times
said of it: "This report raises some of the most important issues facing business in the 21st century. It should have every CEO and human resources director thumping the table and demanding action".
He helped create a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, publishing Unlocking Creativity, a plan implemented across the region, and mentored the Oklahoma Creativity Project. In 1998, he chaired the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education.
In June 2003, Robinson was knighted for his achievements in creativity, education, and the arts. A popular speaker at TED
conferences, Robinson has given two presentations on the role of creativity in education, viewed by millions. In 2005, Robinson was named as one of Principal Voices (A Time Magazine
, Fortune
, CNN
joint initiative). In 2010, the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (RSA) animated one of Robinson's speeches about changing "education paradigms". The video was viewed nearly half a million times in its first week on YouTube.
Robinson's 2001 book, Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative (Wiley-Capstone), was described by Director magazine as "a truly mind-opening analysis of why we don’t get the best out of people at a time of punishing change." John Cleese
said of it: ‘Ken Robinson writes brilliantly about the different ways in which creativity is undervalued and ignored in Western culture and especially in our educational systems.’ The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, was published in January 2009 by Penguin. The element refers to the experience of personal talent meeting personal passion. He argues that in this encounter, we feel most ourselves, most inspired, and achieve to our highest level. The book draws on the stories of creative artists such as Paul McCartney
, 'Simpsons' creator Matt Groening
, Meg Ryan
, and physicist Richard Feynman
to investigate this paradigm of success.
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
(1989–2001), and was knighted in 2003 for services to education.
Originally from a working-class Liverpool family, Robinson now lives in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with his wife Marie-Therese and children James and Kate.
Early life and education
Born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to James and Ethel Robinson, Robinson is one of seven children from a working-class background. After an industrial accident, his father became quadriplegic. Robinson contracted polio at age four. He attended Liverpool Collegiate School
Liverpool Collegiate Institution
The Liverpool Collegiate Institution is a former school in Liverpool, England.It opened its doors to pupils on 6 January 1843. The Institution was a day school for boys, sons of middle class Liverpudlians, and aimed to provide them with a suitable education encompassing instruction in the...
(1961–1963), Wade Deacon Grammar School, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
(1963–1968). He then studied English and drama (B.Ed.) at University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
(1968–1972) and completed a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1981 at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, researching drama and theatre in education.
Career
From 1985-89, Robinson was Director of The Arts in Schools Project, an initiative to develop the arts education throughout England and Wales. The project worked with over 2,000 teachers, artists, and administrators in a network of over 300 initiatives and influenced the formulation of the National Curriculum in England. During this period, Robinson chaired Artswork, the UK’s national youth arts development agency, and worked as an advisor to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.He was Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
(1989–2001), serving four years as Chair of the Department of Arts Education, and as Chair of Research Development within the Faculty of Education. He has also held the posts of Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Warwick Institute for Education, Program Director of the MA in Arts Education and Cultural Studies, and Director of the Unit for Research in Education, Culture, and the Arts (URECA). Robinson is now Professor Emeritus at University of Warwick. In 1998, he led a UK commission on creativity, education, and the economy and his report, All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture, and Education was influential. The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
said of it: "This report raises some of the most important issues facing business in the 21st century. It should have every CEO and human resources director thumping the table and demanding action".
He helped create a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, publishing Unlocking Creativity, a plan implemented across the region, and mentored the Oklahoma Creativity Project. In 1998, he chaired the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education.
In June 2003, Robinson was knighted for his achievements in creativity, education, and the arts. A popular speaker at TED
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
conferences, Robinson has given two presentations on the role of creativity in education, viewed by millions. In 2005, Robinson was named as one of Principal Voices (A Time Magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
joint initiative). In 2010, the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (RSA) animated one of Robinson's speeches about changing "education paradigms". The video was viewed nearly half a million times in its first week on YouTube.
Writing
Learning Through Drama: Report of The Schools Council Drama Teaching (1977) was the result of a three-year national development project for the UK Schools Council. Robinson was principal author of The Arts in Schools: Principles, Practice, and Provision (1982), now a key text on arts and education internationally. He edited The Arts and Higher Education, (1984), co-wrote The Arts in Further Education (1986), Arts Education in Europe, and Facing the Future: The Arts and Education in Hong Kong,.Robinson's 2001 book, Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative (Wiley-Capstone), was described by Director magazine as "a truly mind-opening analysis of why we don’t get the best out of people at a time of punishing change." John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
said of it: ‘Ken Robinson writes brilliantly about the different ways in which creativity is undervalued and ignored in Western culture and especially in our educational systems.’ The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, was published in January 2009 by Penguin. The element refers to the experience of personal talent meeting personal passion. He argues that in this encounter, we feel most ourselves, most inspired, and achieve to our highest level. The book draws on the stories of creative artists such as Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, 'Simpsons' creator Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
, Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan
Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra , professionally known as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and producer. Raised in Bethel, Connecticut, Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles, before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982...
, and physicist Richard Feynman
Richard Feynman
Richard Phillips Feynman was an American physicist known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics and the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, as well as in particle physics...
to investigate this paradigm of success.
Works
- 1977 Learning Through Drama: Report of The Schools Council Drama Teaching Project with Lynn McGregor and Maggie Tate. UCL. Heinemann. ISBN 0435185659
- 1980 Exploring Theatre and Education Heinmann ISBN 0435187813
- 1982 The Arts in Schools: Principles, Practice, and Provision,. Calouste Gulbenkian FoundationCalouste Gulbenkian FoundationThe Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is a Portuguese private foundation of public utility whose statutory aims are in the fields of arts, charity, education, and science...
. ISBN 0903319233 - 1984 The Arts and Higher Education. (editor with Christopher Ball). Gulbenkian and the Leverhulme Trust ISBN 0900868899
- 1986 The Arts in Further Education. British Department of Education and Science.
- 1998 Facing the Future: The Arts and Education in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Arts Development Council ASIN B002MXG93U
- 1998 All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture, and Education (The Robinson Report)
- 2001 Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative. Capstone. ISBN 1907312471
- 2009 The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (with Lour Aronica). Viking. ISBN 067002047
Awards
- 2009 Honorary Degree of Doctor from the Rhode Island School of DesignRhode Island School of DesignRhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
(RISD) - 2008 Governor's Award for the Arts in Pennsylvania
- 2008 Gheens Foundation Creativity and Entrepreneurship Award
- 2008 George Peabody MedalGeorge Peabody MedalThe George Peabody Medal is the highest honour the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University bestows. The award, established in 1980, honours individuals who have made exceptional contributions to music in America....
- 2008 Benjamin Franklin Medal from the Royal Society of ArtsRoyal Society of ArtsThe Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
Robinson awards Benjamin Franklin Medal - 2008 Honorary Degree of Doctor from the University of Central England
- 2004 Companionship of Liverpool Institute for Performing ArtsLiverpool Institute for Performing ArtsThe Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts is, despite its young age, one of the United Kingdom's leading institutions for the performing arts. The university is situated in the English city of Liverpool...
External links
- Bring on the Learning Revolution!TED Conference Talk, 2010
- Why schools kill creativity-The case for an education system that nurtures creativity: TED Conference talk, Monterey, California, 2006
- In-depth interview on creativity
- Sir Ken Robinson interviewed on Conversations from Penn State
- IMNO Open Source Mentoring interview with Robinson
- Liverpool pupils interview Robinson, 2008
- London students interview Robinson, London International Music Show, 2008
- Podcast interview with DK from MediaSnackers, 2007
- "Changing (Education) Paradigms" by Sir Ken Robinson - video adapted by the Royal Society of Arts
- RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
- A New View of Human Capacity at Los Angeles Public LibraryLos Angeles Public LibraryThe Los Angeles Public Library system serves the residents of Los Angeles, California, United States. With over 6 million volumes, LAPL is one of the largest publicly funded library systems in the world. The system is overseen by a Board of Library Commissioners with five members appointed by the...
, January 2009 - The Element discussion at The Aspen Institute, July 2008