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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
Awesome book. Really helped me think about where my passions are nested and how they might possibly work together. The final chapter alone is worth reading this book.
I read this book because it was suggested by my "tribe..." Teachers who started the idea of #GeniusHour (called 20% time in other places). Oh so many things to grasp! (If you want my detailed notes, email me and I'll get them to you!) One thing I know... I've dabbled in my Element, but I'm not there yet. My next step? Finding out what I need to do to feel whole... Is it informing others of all I learn? Is it being one-on-one with students? Is it photography? Is it playing my banjo? I think it's a mixture of some of these, and I'll keep searching for it. Yes, I'm fortunate to be happy doing what I do, but I still need to do more... And I need to keep encouraging students to find what ignites their fire, as well. Encourage them to pursue it. All of our students are geniuses in some way. Can we find it and help cultivate it? Give them the optimal conditions for following their dreams...? We've got to try.
If you've seen the videos or been lucky enough to hear him in person, there is not much new here. The message is solid and timely. A pleasurable read with his conversational style and great sense of humour. As an educator, I was hoping that he'd go deeper into educational issues and was confused by my book store's "self-help" classification but it all ties together now that I've read the book. If you are at all interested in finding your passion/Element or helping others to do so, this is a great book for you.
I loved the TED talk Ken Robinson gave about this topic, and I thought I would find the book inspiring, but I don't.
I also have an objection to his entire premise. Just because some people find something to be passionate about, that they love more than anything else and want to do all the time, that doesn't mean that everyone should. I really think that some people can enjoy lots of things equally and never want to give their lives to any of them.
And then what if someone finds a passion (element) that is completely worthless as a career option, like napping, or giving money away. I mean, in the far reaches of my imagination I can think of ways to turn any passion into a job, but I don't really believe that they are all realistic.
The funny thing is that I do agree with him mostly. I have always studied and worked at what I loved instead of what others thought I should do. I continually try new things, searching for my element. I just don't know if it as simple as that anymore. This book is unsettling, maybe I'll finish this someday, maybe not.
I also have an objection to his entire premise. Just because some people find something to be passionate about, that they love more than anything else and want to do all the time, that doesn't mean that everyone should. I really think that some people can enjoy lots of things equally and never want to give their lives to any of them.
And then what if someone finds a passion (element) that is completely worthless as a career option, like napping, or giving money away. I mean, in the far reaches of my imagination I can think of ways to turn any passion into a job, but I don't really believe that they are all realistic.
The funny thing is that I do agree with him mostly. I have always studied and worked at what I loved instead of what others thought I should do. I continually try new things, searching for my element. I just don't know if it as simple as that anymore. This book is unsettling, maybe I'll finish this someday, maybe not.
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
After watching Ken Robinson's Ted talk, I immediately checked out two of his books from the library: this one, and "Out of Our Minds." I'm hoping the other has a little more meat and not just anecdotes. I love the message of "The Element," but for me it's missing the "so what?" and "what do we do next?" factors. It did validate my choice to homeschool, but I didn't really need that. I want tips for helping my children discover their "Element."
I love Ken Robinson's ideas on education and the importance of passion. His books make me both motivated and frustrated because of how much time I spend in a broken system trying to change things (and answering banal questions like "how do you teach more than one grade in a class?" Or "I don't understand how you can have a combined English and history curriculum). Really, though, his books give me great ideas and encourage me not to give up. This one I've rated at a four simply because many of the ideas were repeats from previous books I've read of his. Still excellent though.
Excellent book. It is a must read for educators, parents, or anyone else that works with children and young adults. It really lays out excellent arguements for reframing our approach to many things, especially how we go about developing ourselves as people. Depending on your outlook I think it has a great opportunity to make a large impact on your life's perspective.
I've been anticipating this book since it was first announced, about 8 or 9 months ago. I was also hopeful that the author's voice would mimic his presentation style rather than the last book of his that I tried to read, Out of Our Minds (which I couldn't get through at all). Happily, despite the many typos (around 12!), Ken's humor, narrative and story telling expertise all came though.
This is a book about not only finding your passion, but also about the importance of doing so – both for yourself and for the benefit of society. It is also about how the nature of education has to not just change but actually TRANSFORM in order to better serve those who engage in the process. Robinson's point is that in way too many instances, our educational systems discourage students from pursuing their passions – or worse yet, do not provide environments that foster finding one's element. He relays a slew of stories about prominent people who found their element DESPITE their "education", in some instances choosing to forego finishing their formal education.
There were a number of ideas which resonated strongly with me, two in particular I'll share. (1) "The future for education is not in standardizing but in customizing; not in promoting group think and 'deindividuation' but in cultivating the real depth and dynamism of human abilities of every sort." (2) Finding your element, especially if it is NOT your job, will probably enhance how you do your job.
Getting back to item (1), Robinson suggests we need to (a) transform curriculum and "eliminate the … hierarchy of subjects; (b) instead of "subjects", curriculum should be based upon disciplines, and (c) curriculum should be personalized. Agreed! Now when can we start!
This is a book about not only finding your passion, but also about the importance of doing so – both for yourself and for the benefit of society. It is also about how the nature of education has to not just change but actually TRANSFORM in order to better serve those who engage in the process. Robinson's point is that in way too many instances, our educational systems discourage students from pursuing their passions – or worse yet, do not provide environments that foster finding one's element. He relays a slew of stories about prominent people who found their element DESPITE their "education", in some instances choosing to forego finishing their formal education.
There were a number of ideas which resonated strongly with me, two in particular I'll share. (1) "The future for education is not in standardizing but in customizing; not in promoting group think and 'deindividuation' but in cultivating the real depth and dynamism of human abilities of every sort." (2) Finding your element, especially if it is NOT your job, will probably enhance how you do your job.
Getting back to item (1), Robinson suggests we need to (a) transform curriculum and "eliminate the … hierarchy of subjects; (b) instead of "subjects", curriculum should be based upon disciplines, and (c) curriculum should be personalized. Agreed! Now when can we start!
I read this book for three reasons. First, I’ve been a fan of Sir Ken Robinson since I watched his first TED Talk, “Schools Kill Creativity” along with his subsequent talks on TED.com. Second, I’m an English teacher and I agree wholeheartedly with Robinson that our educational systems need to be redesigned beyond the current industrialism model. Third, I assigned this book to my current English 302 class and wanted to read it along with them.
I was not disappointed. It’s easy to read, full of examples for every point Robinson makes, and dotted with humorous references in every chapter. My students mostly liked it too (most gave it 4-5/5 stars. My only criticism is that most of the book is filled with anecdotal examples, and it isn’t until the last chapter that Robinson actually offers some very doable suggestions for making changes.
The book is filled with some very relatable sentences that make sense and offer good advice or bring the reader to an epiphany. For example, Robinson says, “Creative insights often come in nonlinear ways, through seeing connections and similarities between things that we hadn’t noticed before. Creative thinking depends greatly on what’s sometimes called divergent or lateral thinking, and especially on thinking in metaphors or seeing analogies.”
A few pages later he writes, “We don’t just see the world as it is; we interpret it through the particular ideas and beliefs that have shaped our own cultures and our personal outlook.”
My favorite chapter is the last one, “Making the Grade.” It makes reading the anecdotes worthwhile as Robinson describes ways in which we can transform our current educational system into one that encourages creativity and happiness. I highly recommend this book for all educators, from teachers to administrators, and to policy makers, parents, and students. As Robinson says regarding life and education, “we can always try to think differently.”
I was not disappointed. It’s easy to read, full of examples for every point Robinson makes, and dotted with humorous references in every chapter. My students mostly liked it too (most gave it 4-5/5 stars. My only criticism is that most of the book is filled with anecdotal examples, and it isn’t until the last chapter that Robinson actually offers some very doable suggestions for making changes.
The book is filled with some very relatable sentences that make sense and offer good advice or bring the reader to an epiphany. For example, Robinson says, “Creative insights often come in nonlinear ways, through seeing connections and similarities between things that we hadn’t noticed before. Creative thinking depends greatly on what’s sometimes called divergent or lateral thinking, and especially on thinking in metaphors or seeing analogies.”
A few pages later he writes, “We don’t just see the world as it is; we interpret it through the particular ideas and beliefs that have shaped our own cultures and our personal outlook.”
My favorite chapter is the last one, “Making the Grade.” It makes reading the anecdotes worthwhile as Robinson describes ways in which we can transform our current educational system into one that encourages creativity and happiness. I highly recommend this book for all educators, from teachers to administrators, and to policy makers, parents, and students. As Robinson says regarding life and education, “we can always try to think differently.”