Kids thrive in chaos. So let them experiment and learn about the world.
Read the article and choose the correct word a)-c) to complete each sentence 1-10:
1. Young children usually ______ when they are allowed to explore and learn independently.
a) thrive
b) stifle
c) decline
2. His ______ parenting style made the children afraid to make mistakes.
a) fertile
b) resilient
c) overbearing
3. Creative workplaces often provide ______ for new ideas and experimentation.
a) fertile ground
b) repercussions
c) decline
4. Good leaders encourage employees to ______ to new situations and challenges.
a) instill
b) adapt
c) eliminate
5. The teacher tried to ______ confidence in her students by praising their effort.
a) instill
b) decline
c) hesitate
6. Breaking safety rules can lead to serious ______.
a) boundaries
b) repercussions
c) premises
7. Parents often worry when teenagers begin to ______ and question family rules.
a) stifle
b) nurture
c) push boundaries
8. Too many strict rules can ______ creativity and independent thinking.
a) foster
b) stifle
c) adapt
9. The team remained calm and ______ despite several unexpected problems.
a) resilient
b) overbearing
c) entropic
10. Great teachers and managers try to ______ growth rather than control every detail.
a) foster
b) eliminate
c) decline
Key: 1a; 2c; 3a; 4b; 5a; 6b; 7c; 8b; 9a; 10a
Glossary
- to attest – to confirm or state that something is true, often based on personal experience or evidence
- entropic – related to entropy; moving toward disorder or chaos
- be par for the course – something that is not good but normal, expected, or typical in a situation
- premise – the basic idea, assumption, or starting point of an argument or theory
- overbearing – too controlling, bossy, or dominant; trying to control other people excessively
- to stifle – to prevent something from growing, developing, or being expressed
- poised – ready and well prepared for something, especially success or positive results
Practice makes perfect
Watch a part of the video (3:16 – 6:36) and decide if the sentences below are true or false:
1. Ken Robinson believes that only some children are naturally talented.
2. The little girl in the drawing lesson was usually very attentive in class.
3. Robinson’s son played one of the three kings in the Nativity play.
4. The boys in the Nativity play accidentally mixed up the order of the gifts.
5. Robinson argues that children are often willing to take risks and try things they do not fully understand.
6. The speaker says that being wrong and being creative are exactly the same thing.
7. According to Robinson, many adults become afraid of making mistakes.
8. Robinson believes that schools and companies often discourage creativity by treating mistakes negatively.
9. The speaker agrees with Picasso’s idea that children are naturally artistic.
10. Robinson argues that education sometimes reduces people’s creative abilities.
Key: 1F; 2F; 3F; 4T; 5T; 6F; 7T; 8T; 9T; 10T
Discuss
- Do children need strict rules or more freedom? Why?
- Do you think children naturally enjoy taking risks and experimenting?
- Is chaos always negative?
- Can mistakes help people learn? Have you ever learned something important by making a mistake?
- Why do children often seem less afraid of making mistakes than adults?
- Were you encouraged to be creative as a child? In what ways?
- Do schools in your country encourage creativity or rather “educate people out of their creative capacities” and focus more on correct answers and exams?
- Can “productive chaos” work in business, or does it create too many problems?
- Should employers tolerate mistakes if employees are trying innovative ideas?
Hold a debate
“Too much control prevents creativity.”
Arguments for:
- freedom encourages innovation
- mistakes are valuable
- autonomy develops confidence
Arguments against:
- structure provides safety
- chaos can reduce productivity
- guidance is necessary
Watch and Revise!
Raising Future Leader
Embrace Chaos & Creativity
https://www.cloud.worldwideschool.pl/index.php/s/K3PM2fmRqT5Ay3D
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