Klarinet Archive - Posting 000897.txt from 2004/03

From: "David C Kumpf" <dkumpf@------.com>
Subj: [kl] A note from Tom Peters' book on education
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:42:02 -0500

Those interested in the educational issue might want to look at Chapter 22
in Tom Peters' latest book, "Re-Imagine!" (ISBN 0-7894-9647-X). The chapter
title is "Getting it Right at the Start: Education for a Creative &
Self-Reliant Age." On page 278, he quotes Gordeon MacKenzie and his
recollection of a visit to a U.S. elementary school:

"'How many artists are there in the room? Would you please raise your
hands?' First grade: En masse, the children leapt from their chairs, arms
waving...Every child was an artist! Second grade: About half the kids raised
their hands, shoulder high, no higher. Hands were still. Third grade: At
best, 10 kids out of 30 would raise a hand. Tentatively. Self-consciously.
By the time I reached Sixth grade, no more than one or two kids raised their
hands, and then every-so-slightly....betraying a fear of being identified by
the group as a 'closet artist.' The point is: every school I visited was
participating in the systematic suppression of creative genius."

Dave Kumpf
dkumpf@------.com

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