Special Examination - Sir Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson speaks about those who are doing things they are good at and those who are doing what they love. He states, "being good at something is not a good enough reason to do it." He argues that adults feel comfortable doing things that they are competent in and only exploring their "comfort zone". He mentions that they do this in order to please other people's expectations. Then, there are those who do what they love, what resonates with them. this is where passion meets natural ability. Just because you are good at something does not mean you are meant to do that thing for a living. People have to find their element and in order to be in your element, you also have to love what it is that you do.

I agree completely with these views. I feel as though people should do what it is they love. They should not care about pleasing others because they should only aim to please themselves. People need to work for their own personal happiness, not the happiness of others. Is it fair that everyone else around you is happy but yourself?

Sir Ken Robinson goes on to bring in education and even tells a little short story/example of what it is he is speaking on. He says that he spoke to a guy who was a fireman and he had mentioned that he had ALWAYS wanted to be a firefighter. His teacher even told him that he was stupid to want to do this and that he would never amount to anything. Why? because we are force fed these ideas of what talent is or what people should strive to be in the world. Later in the example, Sir Ken Robinson goes on to state that the firefighter actually ended up saving the life of that teacher and his wife.

I as an aspiring teacher, will definitely incorporate the views in this lecture into the lives of my future students. I do not feel as though we as teachers should brainwash students as to what talent is or what a "good" job is. I feel as though we should encourage students to strive to follow their dreams and aspirations. I feel as though it is our duty to let our students dream big and to let them achieve those dreams, not just shoot them down. We as educators should inspire students and aide them along the way with whatever it is that THEY love and want to achieve in THEIR lives.