Do Schools Kill Creativity?

Updated: Oct 26, 2024

Level: C2 AdvancedDuration: 90 minutes

Materials:

TED Talk Video Link: Free Video Resource
Creativity in Schools Talk (PDF) – For general discussion and personal reflection
Agree to Disagree on SKR Talk (PDF) – For expressing opinions, focusing on agreeing/disagreeing and Creativity vs. AI.

Speaking Skills:
- Develop fluency through structured debates and opinion-sharing.
- Practice expressing various levels of agreement and disagreement using advanced language structures.
Critical Thinking:
- Analyze Sir Ken Robinson's arguments on creativity in education and challenge them in the context of AI’s growing role.
- Reflect on the future of creativity and education in an AI-driven world.
Listening and Comprehension:
- Understand the key points from Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, Do Schools Kill Creativity?
- Relate the talk's themes to the growing influence of AI on creative fields.

Activity: Personal Experience with Creativity

Use the Creativity in Schools Talk PDF for this activity.
In pairs or groups, students discuss:
1. Have you ever had a teacher who encouraged creativity?
2. How has creativity played a role in your own learning experience?
3. What were the most creative things you did during your school years?

Objective: Encourage students to reflect on their own experiences with creativity in school.

Click below to download Resource 1: "Unleashing Creativity: The Pre-Talk Debate.

Activity: General Conversation on Creativity

Continue using the Creativity in Schools Talk PDF to guide the discussion.
Ask students:
1. Do you agree with Sir Ken Robinson that creativity should be prioritized in education?
2. How could schools change to encourage more creative thinking?

Objective: Set the stage for the TED Talk by exploring the concept of creativity in education.

Activity: Watch Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk

Play the TED Talk: Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Ask students to take notes on key points they strongly agree or disagree with, and areas where technology could challenge Robinson's views.

Objective: Familiarize students with Robinson’s arguments and prepare for critical discussion.

Activity: Agree to Disagree: Expressing Opinions & Creativity vs. AI

Use the Agree to Disagree on SKR Talk PDF to guide this activity.
First, students express their opinions on statements from the TED Talk, such as:
1. “Creativity is as important as literacy in education.”
2. “The current education system stifles creativity.”
Then, transition to the Creativity vs. AI section of the PDF.
- Discuss statements like:
  1. “Creativity will become less important as AI can generate ideas faster than humans.”
  2. “Schools should stop investing in arts and creative programs and focus on math and science for innovation.”
Encourage students to use a range of agreement expressions, from strongly agree to strongly disagree, explaining their reasoning with examples.

Objective: Encourage critical thinking on the impact of AI on creativity and challenge Robinson's vision of education.

Click below to download Resource 2: "Agree to Disagree: Post-Talk Challenge & AI Debate.

Activity: Reflection and Group Discussion

Students reflect on their personal experiences and how they see the role of creativity evolving in an AI-driven world.
Discuss how Sir Ken Robinson’s ideas about education and creativity could adapt to modern technology.

Objective: Connect the discussion to real-world applications and future trends.

Homework/Extension:

Students write a reflection or essay on how AI might challenge or complement creativity in the future, referencing both the TED Talk and the class discussion.