One of the most significant things that children learn in school is to be taught. They learn the skills and attitudes that are required to thrive (or oppose) a teacher-led environment. In traditional schools the attitudes included passivity, dependence, credulity, instrumentality and timidity. These are compatible with getting good grades, but not with becoming a powerful, independent real-life learner. As adults, our lives are diminished if we carry these attitudes forward with us into work, family life and leisure. The Learning Power Approach is uncovering a way to teach which avoids this pitfall.

Guy Claxton is emeritus Professor of the Learning Sciences at the University of Winchester, a post he took up in September 2008 together with the role of Co-Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning (CrL).He previously held the same title at the University of Bristol Graduate School of Education. He has a ‘double first’ from Cambridge and a DPhil from Oxford, and is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and the Royal Society of Arts, and an Academician of the Academy of the Social Sciences. Guy Claxton is the author of more than twenty books including the best selling Building Learning Power.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx