Sir Ken: Reflections and thanks…

Like thousands of other educators around the world, I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear that our beloved Sir Ken had died.

As educators who followed his thinking, listened to his impassioned presentations, and read his books, we are mourning his sparkling intellect, his understanding of our world, his delightful and wicked sense of humour, and most of all, his vision of what could be in terms of education.

For me, what made Sir Ken stand out like a beacon of hope was his deep understanding of the importance of the arts in education, and the deficits within school systems in using the arts for enlightenment, learning, and joy.

He made us shake our heads in despair, while making us laugh at the same time. Using a combination of wit and intelligence, he made revolutionary thoughts accessible, and ignited our thinking about new ways of being in the classroom.

He acknowledged – as a realist – that changing school systems is a mammoth task. Those systems are steeped in old scripts, endless layers of bureaucracy, and political influences. But that didn’t stop him from trying, traveling the world to spread the word and inspire. He made us look deeply, and think hard.

When Sir Ken came to Halifax to speak, I was there for the main event, and afterwards at a meet-and-greet cocktail party with him. I was fortunate enough to spend some time in conversation with him. What struck me was his intense listening, his ‘getting’ the world of ECE, and his optimism. He said to me, ‘I have the greatest respect for early childhood educators. They get it. Now we need for all that to trickle up into the school system.’

Here’s a toast to you, Sir Ken. I learned so much from you. You shared with us your passion, insight, and the ability to articulate the possibility of change and what that could look like. You provided hope, and now it is up to us to carry the torch, to re-imagine our early childhood and school settings, and act upon your great vision.