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Last weekend saw the passing of one of the great influences of modern education - including here at Northbridge International School Cambodia - Sir Ken Robinson. I first came across his work, as many people did, through viewing his TED talk on how education is killing creativity in schools.
This has subsequently become the most popular TED talk with some estimates of 380 million views. I was also lucky enough to attend one of his live presentations in Qatar and was immediately struck with his passion and commitment to education.
In particular he was a strong advocate for the importance of Arts education and the negative impact that standardised testing has on schools. His other skill was making complex problems seem very simple and he could explain things in a humorous and engaging way that immediately resonated with audiences around the world.
Many of the ideas and perspectives that Sir Ken Robinson argued connect well with the IB programmes and the PYP. In his book "Creative Schools' he identified eight 'C's" that he argued should be a focus of education; curiosity, creativity, criticism, communication, collaboration, compassion and citizenship. These attributes are also elements of an IB education through the Learner Profile, the commitment to action and service and international mindedness.
During my induction to Northbrige and Nord Anglia in the last few weeks I was pleased to find that the work of Sir Ken Robinson was part of the "Be Ambitious' philosophy and shows the commitment of the school towards 21st C learning.
I feel reassured that the ideas that Sir Ken Robinson so passionately stood for will continue to guide and shape our thinking on education in future years. If you have not seen his work I would encourage you to watch the 19 minute TED talk above.
When people think about leadership, what often comes to mind are the concepts of power, decision making, delegating and innovation. Seldom does one think about care, empathy, kindness, and generosity – however these traits that highlight the emotional skills for successful and effective leadership, including by students at Northbridge International School Cambodia, are just as important.
What are the Primary Arts all about? Is it just a load of fun and messing around? It is fun, which is why we love it but there is so much more to the programme than some people might think.
Take a visit to our early learning spaces at Northbridge International School Cambodia, both inside and out, and you will observe a wealth of play activities happening. Students are interacting in playing on their own (solo play), playing with the same thing or in the same space (mirrored play) or sharing together (collaborative play).