The Element

CHAPTER ONE

The Element

GILLIAN WAS ONLY eight years old, but her future was already at risk. Her schoolwork was a disaster, at least as far as her teachers were concerned. She turned in assignments late, her handwriting was terrible, and she tested poorly. Not only that, she was a disruption to the entire class, one minute fidgeting noisily, the next staring out the window, forcing the teacher to stop the class to pull Gillian s attention back, and the next doing something to disturb the other children around her. Gillian wasn t particularly concerned about any of this she was used to being corrected by authority figures and really didn t see herself as a difficult child but the school was very concerned. This came to a head when the school wrote to her parents.

The school thought that Gillian had a learning disorder of some sort and that it might be more appropriate for her to be in a school for children with special needs. All of this took place in the 1930s. I think now they d say she had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and they d put her on Ritalin or something similar. But the ADHD epidemic hadn t been invented at the time. It wasn t an available condition. People didn t know they could have that and had to get by without it.

Gillian s parents received the letter from the school with great concern and sprang to action. Gillian s mother put her daughter in her best dress and shoes, tied her hair in ponytails, and took her to a psychologist for assessment, fearing the worst.

Gillian told me that she remembers being invited into a large oak-paneled room with leather-bound books on the shelves. Standing in the room next to a large desk was an imposing man in a tweed jacket. He took Gillian to the far end of the room and sat her down on a huge leather sofa. Gillian s feet didn t quite touch the floor, and the setting made her wary. Nervous about the impression she would make, she sat on her hands so that she

Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D, was an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation, and human potential. For twelve years, he was professor of education at the University of Warwick in the UK. He advised governments, corporations, education systems, and some of the world's leading cultural organizations. His bestselling book The Element has been translated into twenty-three languages. He died in 2020.

To learn more about Sir Ken Robinson, visit his website at: www.sirkenrobinson.com.

The Element offers life-altering insights about the discovery of your true best self. Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
 
Ken Robinson presents the theme of creativity and innovation in a way that makes you want to go out and make your dreams a reality. In his wonderfully easy-to-read and entertaining style he presents the stories of many who have done just that. . . . It is a book that lightens and lifts the minds and hearts of all who read it. Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., bestselling author of Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway® and Life is Huge!

A great and inspiring book. It s been said that an unexamined life is not worth living. True enough and Ken Robinson doesn t let us off the hook. After the first page, you have to abandon your ego and look for your own gifts and graces. Warren Bennis, author of On Becoming a Leader: The Leadership Classic

Robinson (Out of Our Minds), renowned in the areas of creativity development, innovation, and human resources, tackles the challenge of determining and pursuing work that is aligned with individual talents and passions to achieve well-being and success. . . . Motivating and persuasive, this entertaining and inspiring book will appeal to a wide audience. Publishers Weekly
 
Ken Robinson is a remarkable man, one of the few who really look at and into you, so he makes you feel at ease and happy. I m proud to be in his book as one of the people he feels attained the Element. Reading his book helps you pinpoint the search we must all make to achieve the best in us. Gillian Lynne, choreographer, Cats and The Phantom of the Opera
 
While the world is changing faster than ever, our organizations, our schools, and too often our minds are locked in the habits of the past. The result is a massive waste of human talent. The Element is a passionate and persuasive appeal to think differently about ourselves and how to face the future.