You, Your Child, and School: Navigate Your Way to the Best Education

by Sir Ken Robinson PhD, Lou Aronica

An essential book for parents to help their children get the education they need to live happy, productive lives from The New York Times bestselling author of The Element and Creative Schools Parents everywhere are deeply concerned about the education of their children, especially now, when education has become a minefield of politics and controversy.  One of the world’s most influential educators, Robinson has had countless conversations with parents about the dilemmas they face. As a parent, what should you look for in your children’s education? How can you tell if their school is right for them and what can you do if it isn’t? In this important new book, he offers clear principles and practical advice on how to support your child through the K-12 education system, or outside it if you choose to homeschool or un-school.  Dispelling many myths and tackling critical schooling options and controversies, You, Your Child, and School is a key book for parents to learn about the kind of education their children really need and what they can do to make sure they get it.

Genres: Education, Parenting, Nonfiction, Childrens, Audiobook, Teaching, Family

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 13, 2018

Reviews

[José Antonio Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sir Ken Robinson is a world wide recognized educator. Whenever Robinson speaks or writes something new the education community listens. This is the case of his latest book, You, Your Child and School. This time Robinson is speaking to the parents. Helping a generation of highly involved parents deal with the anxiety that educating their children in an increasing uncertain world.

Robinson's ideas are always stimulating and challenging, and hopefully this book will expand the discussion about the need for a radical change in Education.

However Robinson seems to still hope for the impossible, to change a government run education system. The coexistence of opposing models is a conundrum that has wasted millions of dollars while destroying the hope of families.

As a kind of social justice warrior Robinson sees an active role of public education as a menas to equality. His low trust in the profit motive probably biased by the current state of cronyism within the mainstream system blinds him to the efforts of thousands of edupreneurs who are trying to make a change. As Michael Strong points out here we need a free market of education for ideas to spur innovation. For many educators it is sinful to consider education for profit but as Kerry McDonald point it out here it seems to be a major reason why so many efforts have failed.

Aside from the political contradictions, Sir Ken Robinson delivers sound advice for parents who have understood that the current system of Education needs a turnover.

It is satisfying that Robinson devoted some pages to the importance of play.

"Perhaps the simplest advice I can offer parents concerned about preparing their children for the world is this: let them play more. I don't mean they should spend more time with the Little League or the school basketball club, as valuable as that can be. I'm talking about inventing games on the spot, with their friends, turning a pile of twigs into a faerie wood, or hiking along a stream to explore the wildlife there. Play is the work of a child, and children must have time, space, and permission to engage in variety of play in order to maximize the developmental benefits that play offers"

Then follows to elaborate on the definition of play by the "Dirt is Good - DIG" movement.

· Play is intrinsically motivated
· Play is a state of mind
· Play is pleasurable
· Play is nonliteral
· Play is actively engaging
· Play has no external rules

Another important advice from Robinson is how to judge a good school? He offers a template to make the call.

"As a parent you can use the four purposes and eight competencies as a template for judging whether your child's school - or your homeschooling program - is providing the kind of education they really need and press for improvements where necessary."

The four purposes:
· economic development
· social development
· cultural development
· personal development

Learning to live (ways to know):
· know that
· know how
· know this

The eight competencies:
· curiosity
· creativity
· criticism
· communication
· collaboration
· compassion
· composure
· citizenship

Overall is a good book for parents, not so a contribution to the cause of an overhaul in Education.

[Rushmee Thapa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I am going for "Teach For Nepal" so in order to get some insights and knowledge and also this book is written by the Ted x most watched speaker Ken Robinson. More than that I read this book because some one gave it to me to read within some days. 😃 So, I felt like Benjamin Franklin who used to borrow book and read the whole night because he must return book in the morning.
I would say it is highly relevant for parents but then I got a lot of strategies, reference and ideas. Not so much interesting because it is not made to be interesting. Purely for knowledge and profoundness.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

A portion of this book is about finding the right school environment for your child and then working in partnership with the school. However, there is little specific advice on how to know what learning characteristics and gifts your child has or which might need direct support. References are made to other resources, but the title and description make this seem like the major theme of the book.

Instead, Robinson provides an overview of child development, general parenting advice about getting children outdoors and such, and a survey of our current education system. It reads like a series of lectures. If you are new to parenting and haven't given it much thought, you'll learn something--and you might read Robinson's The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything to understand the importance of recognizing uniqueness in each child. If you are just starting to think about your child and schools, you'll get a general overview.

Thanks, NetGalley, for an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not the target audience for this book, not being a parent, but I found the premise of the book intriguing. Not much new here, if you've read anything else written by him.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a partial review, as I have just started on Chapter 7, which is conjuring images in my mind of my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Plum-Hannifen. (I think I spelled it correctly, but I am not sure). She was really able to engage us all, and I particularly enjoyed her approaches to social studies. We got to have an "archaeological dig", learned to write checks, and how difficult it is to live off minimum wage (we picked publicly available information on salaries and budgeting for things from the newspaper classifieds). She also taught us how little historians have to go off before the written word was invented, and how educated guesses can be incorrect. I feel like I am a better person for having been in her class. My third grade teacher allowed us many crafting projects, and that was the best year I had in school. I am still blown away how things can react differently from the high heat of a kiln, then they will at low heat of a stove (combination art and science project). Though, Mr. 3rd grade teacher, upon reading this book, I raise your critique of my essay "We don't have enough recess time" which was that our grade had the most out of the school, to maybe none of the recesses for anyone was adequate, because of the benefits of unstructured play was unrealized by the timing of the bell. Now, I do realize this review is turning more into an ode to great teachers, so I shall go back to "on topic". Education is a very emotionally charged political topic these days, and I feel it is a bit sad that the author has to continuously bring up how physical activity and the arts benefit children's test scores. I can understand why he would argue these points, it's just that, for once, in this day and age, can't children do things because they are "fun/enjoyable" in school hours, not just for the benefit of test scores. Why are we as a society "results driven"? Even as adults, if one has a hobby, I feel it is questioned for lack of productivity. I am very opinionated thus far in the book. More of a review to come after finishing.

Review continued: I enjoyed how alternatives to traditional education were brought up, with many examples used. As a side note, the book reads just like one continuation of his TEDx Talks lectures. Heavy with citations also. Overall, highly approve of this book, especially since I was so driven to emotion by it to have given a single chapter review at a midpoint.

[Bryan Tanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was introduced to Sir Ken Robinson through his 2006 TED talk: Do Schools Kill Creativity? In this book, Sir Robinson does a number of helpful things for parents of young school-age children:

1) He educates parents regarding their current educational options, emphasizing pros and cons.
2) He teaches parents what children need in order to grow up to be healthy and well-rounded.
3) He continues to make an entertaining and profoundly moving case for greater creativity in schools.

An interesting casual read. An absolute must for young parents questioning how they can best guide and support their children's education.

[Kathy Mathey · Rating 4 out of 5]

...lots of valuable information for teachers, too...

[Daniela Rusu · Rating 4 out of 5]

După ce am citit cartea "Școli creative" de Sir Ken Robinson, nu am ezitat nicio clipă cu privire la aceasta, de același autor, în colaborare cu Lou Aronica.
Creșterea și educația copiilor este deopotrivă plăcută, dar și provocatoare. Dacă ești părinte sau cadru didactic, e musai să citești această carte.
Conform autorilor, educația trebuie să asigure 4 tipuri de dezvoltare: economică, personală, culturală și socială.
Scopul educației este "să împingă oamenii către experiențe formatoare de valori, să asigure supraviețuirea următoarelor calități: curiozitate întreprinzătoare, spirit neobosit, tenacitate în urmărirea scopurilor, disponibilitate de autonegare rezonabilă și, mai presus de toate, milă".
E de apreciat conceptul potrivit căruia educația este mai mult decât rezultatele testelor și deprinderea unor abilități exersate. Educația e și despre echilibru emoțional, potențial descoperit, atins la capacitate maximă și valorificat prin bune practici, empatie, omenie. În acest sens, e important să vedem rolul profesorului. În carte se spune că profesorii buni știu că nu-i pot face pe copii să învețe, deoarece copiii învață singuri. Însă, profesorii sunt cei care crează cele mai bune condiții pentru ca acest lucru să se întâmple și eu sunt de acord cu asta.

Finally, recomand cu drag această carte!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ken Robinson--excuse me, Sir Ken Robinson--made his breakout through a viral TED talk and he's at his best when he's in TED mode: optimistic, a little light on the footnotes, and eager to disrupt the status quo. This is roughly a "how to" guide, a taxonomy of sorts of the school ages, giving you food for thought when deciding what kind of schooling (public? private? home? un?) for your kid and how to be an active parent to support and complement that school. There are plenty of examples of revolutionary new models, including democratic schools where students have a say in curriculum and hiring faculty and schools that partner with parents so radically that they have to sign a contract that they will attend a certain number of exhibitions and volunteer 10 hours a year at the school.

Some of the ground is familiar for those of us who, like obsessively reading about this stuff--moving bodies is good, building relationships and empathy is good, encouraging children to become their best selves is good--but there are also a slew of contrarian special cases and considerations, like whether ADHD is being widely overdiagnosed, whether pushing everyone to college at the exclusion of trades and vocation is a grave mistake, or (my favorite argument of the book) whether dance might be as crucial a "core subject" as math.

[Andrew Stewart · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wholeheartedly agree with Ken Robinson's views on education, but I'm giving this book one star because I found it unbelievably useless in helping me navigate my child's schooling.

If you're not aware of Ken Robinson's philosophy, then watch his Ted talks - they are really good. Much of his advice is more relevant to policy makers than parents (eg do less standardised testing, put as much focus on the arts as maths and reading) so I was super excited to find out what Ken's advice for parents would be. Turns out he gives three options: 1) find a school already doing what he believes, 2) advocate for your local school to do what he believes or 3) home school. I found this a huge let down. There were some very brief sections evaluating if kids should do homework, but nothing more insightful than a basic Google search will find you.

In the end the high quality of the ideas in his Ted talks really led me to expect far more from this book.

[Thanh Nhàn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Gia đình và nhà trường là hai nhân vật chính trong hành trình nhào nặn nên một đứa trẻ thành Tài và thành Nhân. Con đường đó sẽ nở hoa hay là bế tắc? Đứa trẻ sẽ được nâng đỡ bởi cái bắt tay của hai nhân vật này, hay lại bị mắc kẹt giữa một “cuộc chiến triền miên”?
Cuốn sách này là một cây cầu vững chắc để kết nối bố mẹ với “ruột gan” của nhà trường và bức tranh rộng lớn, “sục sôi” của giáo dục và thế giới. Chỉ như vậy, bố mẹ mới có thể hiểu thấu đáo, sắc nét hơn mình nên lựa chọn, làm gì trong bối cảnh giáo dục đầy hỏa mù ngày nay, và đồng hành như thế nào với trường học để tự tin, bình an và hạnh phúc đưa đẩy đứa trẻ đến với thành công và hạnh phúc như đúng tiềm năng của chính nó."
- Nguyễn Chí Hiếu, Giám đốc Học viện IEG

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[Angel Grimalt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your're a parent worried about school or parenting in general, read it.

Sir Ken Robinson, one of the most influential thinkers in contemporary education, offers an essential guide for parents seeking to deeply reflect on their children's education and the environment that can maximize their development.

The work establishes comprehensive knowledge spanning from stages of child development through adulthood, as well as fundamental principles about the purpose of schools and the competencies they should foster. Robinson provides key elements for evaluating educational centers, identifying their benefits, and understanding the essential qualities that define an effective educational institution.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Some information or contents on school types, programs, and examples is outdated, but the fundamental ground that he develops and the clarity of his thinking and writing overshadows any lacks.

[Corina Murafa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty boring in many places and abundant in cliches or super simplified, in your face type of explanations that occupy two pages instead of one paragraph. Lots of obvious ideas for parents/ adults that I assume read the book because they’ve been having an interest in education. Some of the documented study cases are interesting, and I do like the overall message of getting involved in your kid’s life and education, as well as the fact the authors give plenty of examples of how that can be done. Last but not least, as the book is very US-centered, unfortunately some of the strategies/ options available for American parents are not at hand for parents from other countries.

[Jarda Kubalik · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess many readers feel the book 'brings nothing new' and 'is just a collection of general truths we have all heard before'. But the difference is that the author has the authority to claim these truths and is certain of every word in the text - backing it by research and ears of field experience. Read it slowly and think carefully, then you will understand its value. What I did not like so much about it is the way it is more of a commercial product than a work of a scholar.
If you want to use it as a step-by-step guide and manual how to arrange the best possible education for your young, you will, not surprisingly, fail.

[Kimball · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Don't know how I found this one.

Notes:

The term teenagers weren't invented until the 1950s. That one really stuck. What terms will stick in the future?

They studied millions of twins and found out that genes contribute to 49% of who we become and our environment contributes to 51% so instead of debating nature versus nurture we should be discussing the relationship between the two. Idiots.

Spirituality is simply finding meaning, purpose, and compassion in life.

Capacity is what a child is born with ability is what they can develop and become.

Children enjoy learning but they don't always enjoy being educated. Mmmmm that's deep.

[Naomi te Wildt · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been over a decade since I first saw Sir Robinson’s TED talk “Do schools kill creativity”, and there is a lot of overlap between the book and the TED talk. Overall, this feels like an introductory book for parents who are wondering how they can enable their toddler or elementary school aged child to be excised about learning and engaged. While there was a full chapter about picking schools, most of the book reviewed what it takes to be a good parent, to understand your child, and what am good schools are like - all important topics, but judging from the title I was expecting more content about how to gauge what school is good and/or is a good fit for a kid.

[Saima Absar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for parents and educators. Offers a broad view of education, learning and what a good school actually means. May not give names because in education no size fits all. But the general framework is one that any child can be raised along.
I haven't read his other books so not too sure about repetition. However I have heard 3 of his TedTalks, they were eye-openers. Infact those are the ones that brought me to this book in the first place. The book does cover more than what could be wrapped up in a 17 minute lecture. Definitely worth a read. And a great gift for parents and teachers.

[Teodora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really good and wise advice about what is important when raising a child for the the world of tomorrow. I always admired Sir Ken Robinson's perspective on education but since I have a child of my own to raise, his ideas became more practical. While I am well aware there are no scientific formulas around how to raise a happy competent person, this book gave me some good tools I can put into practice more. Keeping the native creativity alive in children is a long and difficult process but also rewarding. I'll have to see if it pays off in about 15 years from now :)

[Yanina Patricio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seguramente tienes muchas anécdotas del colegio pero también malos recuerdos. Quizás fue un lugar que te hizo sentir menos inteligente que el resto. Si eres padre en este momento, no te sorprendas que tu hijo tenga estos mismos problemas ahora.
¿Qué factores son los que impiden que esto cambie? Ken Robinson te lo cuenta en este libro. Identificando los problemas y describiendo las soluciones que podrían cambiar esta situación. Un libro infaltable en tu biblioteca si quieres saber por qué tu hijo, muchas veces, no es feliz en el colegio.

[Becki · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this book wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for. But perhaps (probably) my hopes were too high. I did not turn the final page with a clear answer on where to send my kiddo to kindergarten - or really even ideas on how to get an answer.
It was interesting. My background is in education, so not much new to me information. But good reminders nonetheless.
I did skim the last 50+ pages in an effort to finish before it needed to go back to the library.
Probably a 2.5 for me.

[Almachius · Rating 1 out of 5]

What does he actually say in this book? What is his point? Everything and nothing. Really disappointing. Children need exercise? Oh golly. University is right for some children but not others? Deep. You should be involved in your child's education but not too involved. Incredible insight. Sleep is vital too is it? What a surprise. Dance is great. So is maths. Oh.

Come on, Sir Ken. Get a better editor.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I very much enjoy and respect Sir Ken Robinson, and much of what he is sharing is foundational and needs to be understood, this book was published in 2018 and some of its information is outdated as we enter the world of AI. I also found his exploration of nerve divergence to be lacking and reflective of some antiquated thoughts around ADHD and autism.

A worthwhile read with a caveat towards it, not being your only reference point.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

After listening to Ken Robinson discuss this book on a moms podcast I immediately wanted to read it. I was disappointed to realize that most of the information in the book was not something I didn't already know. I found little that I could put into action to remedy the issues I and my children face. There just isn't enough here to warrant an entire book.

[Jade Haydock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of ideas here that I would like to think about more. It’s somewhat intuitive but well presented and heartening to hear of different ways that people are approaching education. I listened to the audiobook but would like to read/ return to a hard copy too. Remember to check out Dancing Classrooms, Parents Across America, PE before school.

[Anna Gurevitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very helpful book primarily for parents with kids in school. It supports a child centred approach to the education system. At the same time the book can be seen to be empowering to school children, parents and even teachers alike. A great read for parents, educators and those working with kids and or the education system.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book from Sir Ken Robinson (who sadly died the same day I read this book). It would be useful read for any parent with a school-going child either to validate their school choice or to spark questions they might pose to themselves or the educators currently in their children's lives. Well worth a read (as is anything that Sir Ken has written)

[JolaBe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Książka dająca do myślenia. Inspirująca do podążania mniej oczywistymi ścieżkami. Budującą autorytet i sprawczość rodzica. Jednak osadzona w realiach amerykańskich, stąd nie zawsze adekwatna do polskiego systemu edukacji. Z drugiej strony ciekawie jest poczytać, o cieniach i blaskach szkoły w innym kraju.

[Raymond Goss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw a Ted Talk with Sir Ken Robinson and was impressed. His educational insights are worth listening too. This book is geared towards parents. I found about 50%+ of the book really good, but overall the book wasn't as captivating as the shorter Ted Talk.

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The introduction, which lasts four chapters, left me indifferent but I thought the rest of the book had some valuable advice in helping one's children define what's best for them and choose an education path accordingly. I found the approach to adhd diagnosis nuanced and interesting.

[Karem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clarifies the role of parents when kids are enrolled in regular school. Clear and to the point advise. Parents should take an active role in kids education and not expect the school to take 100% responsibility about it.