Genki English Book Club: Ken Robinson’s “The Element”

411kek5xAWL._SL160_ (1)I think you know we all love Sir Ken Robinson around here.  His humorous presentations about exactly why the current education models don’t, can’t and shouldn’t work are a revelation.

In this book  The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything he concentrates on one aspect of learning, that of being in “your element.”    Like when you have a Genki English class and the time just flies by, it seems like there are so many cool things to teach but just not enough lessons.  And conversely why sitting through exam prep or grammar lessons just seem to go and one forever.

It’s usually easy to reach this state with younger kids,  but Sir Ken talks about how it can be acheived by anyone, of any age, and how it should be your daily exisitance, waking up to something you just love to do.

A big part of the influence comes from Csíkszentmihályi’s book “Flow” ( which I haven’t read yet as Kindle UK doesn’t have it – but it’s on my list!) however this book is  done with Sir Ken’s great writing style and some really cool examples that I’ve been using in presentations all year!

So have a read and tell us what you think!

And just in case you haven’t heard of Sir Ken’s amazing work, then check out this brilliantly animated presentation for the RSA:

Richard Graham

Hello, I'm Richard Graham. When I was a kid I found school to be sooooo boring... So I transformed my way of teaching. I listened to what the kids were really wanting to say and taught it in ways they really wanted to learn. The results were magical. Now I help teachers just like you teach amazing lessons and double your incomes!

6 Responses to “Genki English Book Club: Ken Robinson’s “The Element””

  1. Margit

    Richard,

    sorry for another tech. question:
    With the “kindle version” can I read this on my i-phone only downloading it? I have the feeling I want to read this right away.

  2. richard

    Yep! First download the iphone app. Then buy the book on Amazon. Then it automatically sends it to the phone and it takes just seconds to download!

    From then on it’s even easier, you just click on “buy books” and download with one click.

    Plus if you have an ipad it downloads to there as well and the bookmarks are synced, so you can read the iPhone on the train then come home and the iPad is on the same page! I’m loving it!

    I put my Amazon gift cards into my account so there’s always enough money there to buy the next book – they’d be a great present to ask for for Christmas!

  3. Margit

    WOOOOOW! I can’t believe it!
    I think I’ll finally start using my i phone!!!!
    Thanks!

  4. Sakura

    Thanks for sharing this book to us.

    Can I buy this i phone application and download books here in Japan?

    Please help me how to do it.

  5. richard

    Yes indeed I buy books in Japan every week with it! From the iPhone App Store seach for “kindle.”, just download and install it! Not all books are available in the Amazon Japan store, but once you have set up your account with them ( so that you can pay with a Japanese credit card) then you can select which country’s books you want available!

  6. Margit

    Richard,
    you’ve saved my weekend with this.

    I finished downloading this book onto my i-phone just 5 minutes before Mio starting screaming for pain in a high fever, and had to enter hospital.
    If I wouldn’t have had anything to read I would have gotten sick myself for worrying, AND this book in content gave me energy and power to stay “in my element” during those days.

    I highly recommend it to everybody, not only teachers. It’s so full!
    And I recommend this “kindle” reading especially if you live in a country where it is hard or expensive to get books in your mother tongue or even in English.

    Richard, could you send me a list of your recommendations. ?!

    Thanks so much for everything!

    Margit

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