Why standardised education systems are failing or Why it’s essential to embrace creativity in education

For over 30 years or more the concept of standards and testing have characterised the mechanism by which policy has sought to improve education outcomes. There is such a belief that even when it swept away all other aspects of education to the point of resulting in teacher recruitment and retention crisis & pupils’ well-being plummeting no other approach has been allowed. All we have seen is a strengthening of the belief that standards and testing will bring about improvements sought for – well they don’t and won’t.

What many believe, including myself, is that it is the act of creativity that will bring about the excellence in education we seek. Sir Ken Robinson amongst others have campaigned for such an approach but without success. At what point and what argument has to be made to make the change happen? To use one of my analogies

How do we sell HD colour TV’s with surround sound to people who are both colour blind and deaf?

My own work led to setting up Advocating Creativity in Education over 12 years ago and during those last 12 years I have worked at developing a narrative that can be easily and without added burden translated into the activities in our schools and that puts creativity first. My work has led to the publication of ‘If you can’t reach them you can’t teach them. Building effective learning relationships’ in which I show how focusing on four needs (ower Belonging, Choice & Fun) can bring about the change we so desperately need in education. One of those needs fundamental to creativity is power, our ability and the opportunity to express ourselves. Standardisation robs us of that power and that is one reason why as a policy or strategy it fails. I have attached a picture that I hope demonstrates my point.

My book, written as a learning journal for teachers, is reviewed by #UKEdChat and there are a number of interviews available online including:

• Pooky Ponders Big Questions with Brilliant People How can we build effective learning relationships with every student?
• Interview by Rebecca Hanson