I'm a big fan of Ted Talks. I've watched tons of them. Especially when I have some homework or housework that I really don't want to do. A lot of times I find Ted Talks from authors or people I read about. And I share my favorite Ted Talks with friends all the time. So I thought I'd share a few in my blog as well.
I love all of Ken Robinson's Ted Talks, as well as his books (I can't remember which ones I've read and haven't read). I share a lot of the same beliefs that he has about school, particularly where standardized testing is concerned. I think the other people in my cohort may be getting a little tired of hearing me constantly bring up the negative impacts of testing, but I just can't get over how much it really impacts the way kids learn. I know it's part of the reality I'll have to deal with as a teacher though, so I'm trying really hard to find a way to be successful within the system (and eventually bea force of change, but... baby steps for now.)
This will sound insane, but reading Brene Brown's books profoundly changed my life. This talk gets at the heart of the issue, but it wasn't until I read her books that I was able to understand some of my biggest struggles in life. And in doing so (over some time), I was finally able to make effective changes for the better. Now, I finally feel like I'm living my life to my potential. I'm so grateful I stumbled upon her somehow.
All. Of. This. I've never heard that Chopin Prelude played in that way, it's one of my all time favorites. I had a college music professor who taught us music in terms of going out into the world and then coming back "home" much like he does in this talk, and that is something that has always resonated with me.
Her four pillars for a meaningful life make so much sense to me. I love that the fourth one is storytelling. It's something that I'm realizing more and more as I get older. Happiness is overrated... purpose and belonging are so much better.
My favorite thing about this talk comes towards the end. He talks about how he, as an introvert, is able to teach, which is a very "unintroverted" activity. I can strongly connect with that. I'm suuuuuuper introverted, and yet... the one time I"m really able to push myself beyond my default personality traits is when I teach. I feel like a different person sometimes. This was something I realized in my first round of college after struggling and suffering through piano performances, which is why I became a piano teacher. and now as I prepare to enter the general classroom I find that it's still true. Even when I have some rough days in the classroom (*ahem* today), I still feel like this is what I'm meant to do. It's just that after the teaching day is done I need to go back home and chill in my alone-ness (or as much alone-ness as I can get with my own three kids and husband around anyway).
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