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A review by laurieb755
The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything by Ken Robinson
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!