#8 9/11 Healing: Phyllis Rodriguez and Aicha el-Wafi

9/11 Healing: Phyllis Rodriguez and Aicha el-Wafi TED Talk Response:

The stories of Phyllis Rodriguez and Aicha el-Wafi was touching, emotional, but also inspirational.  The two women started off their presentation by sharing the story of their two sons; Rodriguez's son was killed in the 9/11 incident and el-Wafi's son was convicted of taking part in this incident and serving a life's sentence.  This speech was not about forgiveness or justice but rather on the importance of perspective.

I was amazed and touched that these two women did not have anger towards the situation and that they were able to overcome their emotions to think about the other person's situation and had a sense of empathy for them.  Rodriguez and el-Wafi were able to make themselves stronger by bonding with a person who was in a similar situation.  It was inspirational to see them put aside their emotion to comfort each other with their losses and push through the pain.

At one point in the speech, el-Wafi explained how Rodriguez knew where her son is, however, el-Wafi didn't know where her son is, if he is dead, or if he is being tortured and that torments her every day.  Rodriguez also explained how when she told her story to others, they gave her sympathy but when el-Wafi shared hers, there was no sympathy, for the most part.

I could tell that both mothers were very emotional during the speech because they were crying and holding their hearts, however, I could also see a strong friendship/bond showing that both mothers shared something in common and that they supported and comforted each other.  Their movements set the mood/tone of their speech and made it more inspirational and emotional.  El-Wafi had the most distinct speech because she was very soft-spoken and talked faster and it seemed to convey her passion and "heart-brokenness".

One of the main points I found in this speech was to find different perspectives and to find what you have in common to to connect with a new friend.  Both women had their sons disappear because of the 9/11 incident and they knew what it had felt like for the other person through the perspective of being a mother.  Maybe this is what society needs to do more often; put yourself in the other person's situation through a common position.  This way, people could be more empathetic rather than sympathetic to better understand the emotions of the person and this could help them through a hard time during life.
By doing this, people would have the opportunity to connect with others and start a friendship, even if the people speak different languages like Rodriguez and el-Wafi.  Imagine if every person in the world was able to share and experience with someone else, somewhere in the world... there would be peace.  Now I challenge you to forgive that person and make peace with them and imagine the situation from their point of view.

      I find that the timing of the release of this speech could not have been more accurate/useful with the news of Bin Laden's death and the reactions to it...
"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

#7 Caroline Casey

Caroline Casey TED Talk Response:

Imagine suddenly being told that you were no longer able to do what you dreamed of doing.  This is the story of Caroline Casey who wanted to be a "biker chick" until she was told that she was legally blind at the age of seventeen.  From that moment, she worked her hardest to defy the limitations and labels society placed on her.  She believed that she could do anything with her trust in herself and her confidence to overcome her blindness.  She viewed her blindness as an obstacle rather than part of herself.  But then she talked to an eye specialist and he asked the question that changed her focus, he asked, "Why? Why are you trying so hard not to be yourself?"  She decided to accept blindness as a part of her and realized that people need to accept themselves for who they are.  She realized that she needed to pursue her dream and she did, she travelled across India on an elephant named Kanchi.  She then started a foundation called Elephant Family to help keep the asian elephants protected, she also started a company named Kanchi to help the mindset of society about people with disabilities.   Her story was very inspiring to me and it helped me to believe that anything is possible.

I was surprised when she told the audience that she was legally blind.  Her movements were so natural and it seemed that she could see everything.  She was walking around the stage and moving her hands.  She was very casual and used stories to help the audience understand her.

Caroline Casey ended with the fact that we need to accept all of what we are, without trying to be someone you are not.  I found this fact very important because, as a teenage girl in high school, many girls around me complain about not being "perfect" or not fitting in and they downplay major parts of their personality to be liked by their peers.  The world can learn from Casey's point, everyone has to accept all of themselves and this can be accomplished by not putting stereotypes or labels on anyone who might stand out because it can make them feel less comfortable with their uniqueness.  By doing this, no one feels like they have to defy society's limitations just to accomplish what they dreamed of doing like Caroline first felt she had to.  She rode Kanchi 1000km across India because she wanted to, not because she was expected to.  She accepted herself as perfect in her own way and lived her dream.  After listening to Casey's presentation, I have a question for you: "Why should you try to be perfect?"

#6 Dave Eggers

Dave Eggers TED Talk Response:

Dave Egger's TED Talk was about the necessities for effective learning.  Eggers spoke about one-on-one learning instead of listening to a lecturing teacher.  Using this teaching strategy, people can listen to the student and help them on a personal level instead of being in a class with twenty-five other students.  This type of learning is personalized for the student.

Every student is unique in the way that he/she learns.  Some students can listen to lectures and get all of the information they need, however, some need a more personalized experience to get the learning with the greatest possibilities.  He realized that some students can't reach their full potential by learning the standardized way, so he decided to start a free tutoring system, with the help of his friends, to help students with writing homework using face-to-face interactions.  I thought this was a great approach to education because it helped the student realize what their full potential could be.

At the beginning of his TED Talk, he mentioned that he was very nervous and it was very visible to the audience.  He talked very fast and said "uh" many times and the audience could tell that public speaking made him uncomfortable.  However, this seemed to make his speech more powerful because he still came out to share his idea with the world even though he was uncomfortable.  He shared many stories and experiences with bits of humor to attract the audience to his presentation and his idea.

The learning style is creative and interesting and so is the building that houses it.  826 Valencia was on a retail street, so Egger had to find something to sell.  He decided to make it a pirate supply store selling everything a pirate needs from eye patches to planks.  Many other tutoring centers followed this creative and wacky design to help make learning a fun and interactive experience.

One of the things I really liked about his speech was the TEDwish that he presented at the end.  He shared his wish about the community helping the younger generation to learn through human interactions and its involvement in the schooling system/environment.

Egger's ideas about face-to-face learning environments could help education around the world.  There are many students with many different learning styles, and creating more programs for the different learning styles could help students around the world reach their full potential.  I know that I like to be able to go in and talk to my teachers one-on-one when I need help, and creating a center for this kind of attention would help many students who learn more without the standardized classroom.

#5 Ric Elias

Ric Elias TED Talk Response:

You never know when your life will be turned upside down.  One day you are content and tucking your daughter in to bed and then the next, you are wondering when you will ever see her again.  Ric Elias talks about his experience in the Hudson Plane Crash and it's dramatic effects on his life.

Ric Elias started off by putting the audience into that kind of unexpected and devastating situation by describing his observations of the moments before the crash, sharing a glimpse of his experience.  Elias described his thoughts that occurred in that moment.  He found that he wasn't scared of dying but just sad.  I found that surprising because I would think that dying would combine fear and sadness because of the fear of what will happen once you are gone and sad that you will never see that life again and not be able to fix the relationships he had.  I have never had the experience of almost-dying and I found it interesting that Elias thought of all these things when his world was coming to an end, he was unselfish because he didn't feel sorry for himself but instead felt sorry for not being able to do anything else with the people that he loved.  Another point he bought up towards the end of his speech was about being a great father for his kids.  Elias presented this part with more passion and feeling than any other point in his speech to emphasize the point that really mattered for him, which was being there for his kids.  This became his overall goal in life, this was the moment where he saw what really mattered to him and now he is trying his hardest to accomplish it.

I thought that Ric Elias was an excellent speaker.  Ric Elias spoke confidently and from his heart which made his speech intriguing and awe inspiring.  His story was amazing and at times depressing, but he provided comedic relief to the audience so that his story was not so "dark".  His first-hand account of these events made it easy to put myself in that situation and I thought he was very strong for being able to move forward after these events and change his life using the experience.
 Ric Elias' talk moved me and I realized that I could use many of his tactics in my own TED Talk.  For example, sharing my experiences to connect with the audience and making my speech short but to the point.

Many people can learn from Ric Elias' experiences by living life in the present and not dwelling on the past.  He makes the best of life because he knows that it can take an unexpected turn at any moment.  I think that this is the most important part of his speech because life is too fast to dwell or regret, you just have to focus on what is important to you in the present.  I also found that you can't take life for granted because you will miss it when it's ripped from your grasp.  After listening to his speech, I have a question for you:  "What would you change?"



CHANGE - Connection to Tracy Chapman's Song

#4 Clay Shirky

Clay Shirky TED Talk Response:


After watching Clay Shirky's TED Talk, I started to think about the impact of media and technology on the world.  I realized that I spend a lot of time using this technology every day whether it is watching TV or texting or using the internet and Shirky's talk helped me to realize how technology and media will change the world.  He explained how there are two types of media: one with websites and software that will create a better world and the other that will not.  He started off by saying how a blog that started in Africa ended up being a global project to share information with the public and used it as an example of a beneficial website.  This is edited by the public using testimonies to share information with the public.  I thought that it was similar to Wikipedia- an information source that uses the free time of people to spread ideas and knowledge around the world.  These people used their free time to spread their knowledge, which made me wonder why the rest of us could not contribute to this 'grand idea' instead of spending their free time watching TV or playing Angry Birds.  I am not saying that doing that for a half and hour is going to end the world, I am just saying that there are so many more things we could direct our free time towards.  Shirky's idea of changing the world by using our free time to spread knowledge is similar to Dan Pink's idea of doing things because we love to do it rather than being motivated by some materialistic object or as an order from your boss.  This could impact education by learning for the sake of learning rather than learning to get an A.  This idea could change the world because it is an eye-opener to do things for the joy of spreading your knowledge of the world and using the technology and the media that society has developed.

Shirky had a formal presentation and used a powerpoint to support his ideas.  However, I found that his talk was confusing because he didn't connect all of his ideas and, in order to understand them, I had to read the transcript to his talk.  Shirky did capture my attention with his opening story about a Kenyan who blogged about the ethnic violence that followed the elections.  I was able to connect it to the violence in Egypt with Mubarak and the media "blackout".  I could use some of his tactics of presenting his idea in my own TED Talk such as stories and a powerpoint.  However, I will make sure that my presentation is easy to understand.

#3 Daniel Pink

Daniel Pink TED Talk Response:

After watching Dan Pink's TED Talk,  one of the things I took-away was about doing things because you like to do it rather than getting a reward for doing it.  I agree with his point because, even in school, students perform based on grades and that is like a reward for students.  However, Dan Pink is saying that, with these ulterior movements, people do not try as hard with "rudimentary cognitive skills."  I believe that his point may lead to changes in job environments to an environment that is more "free" in order to produce the best ideas because I think that the pressure of rewards distracted the focus of these jobs.  Daniel Pink was very formal in his presentation but he still used humor to capture the attention of the audience.  He also captured attention using a power point as a visual aid and it helped to support his ideas.  He connected with the audience using humor but backed up his reasoning with logic and research validating his ideas.  This video gave me an explanation of the material we are learning in class and it helped me to connect to the concepts.  It gave me an idea about the world we live in today and the changes that may have to be made to fit the new styles of learning and working.  However, I do disagree partly with Daniel Pink's theory of higher rewards distracting from effective productivity because some people in society are motivated by money or other rewards and perform better this way.  Pink's point applies to education as well, however, I think it would be virtually impossible to stop giving grades as rewards.  The grades encourage students to work their hardest but it does not judge their learning, which is most important in my opinion.  This grading system has been in place for so long that I think would make it hard to rid society of and then students would not have a material reason to come to school yet this idea makes people think that the idea and desire of the thing is more important than the material reward.  Pink's idea about experiencing different things to increase focus and creativity can apply to the world and white-collared jobs that do more right-brained work.  I think that these conditions and styles of working will be effected by his idea because of different things instead of the same routine that occurs every day. Daniel Pink's idea about reward decreasing success with thinking jobs rather than with mechanical skill will effect education and jobs around the world.

#2 Elizabeth Gilbert: Nurturing Creativity

Elizabeth Gilbert TED Talk Response:


In Elizabeth Gilbert's TED Talk, she starts off by saying that she wrote "Eat, Pray, Love."  She states that every other work of art she creates will be judged and compared to her first huge success.  Using this beginning statement, she explains that many people have come up to her and asked her if she was afraid of not succeeding or afraid of rejection and she admitted that she was.  However, she did not let this fear lead her life, she continued to do her job without focusing on the great art that is expected.  Another point Gilbert made was how every person "has" a genius rather than "being" a genius and the genius would invisibly assist artists with creativity.  Gilbert ended with the idea that everyone deserves appreciation for the work and time they give for the things they love doing with a story about God being reflected in your work in a way that makes the performance so amazing and unforgettable.  I agreed with many of the things Gilbert was saying.  For example, society does not even think twice about a suffering or anguished artist because that is society's assumption and expectation of creativity.  I believe that society, should encourage these minds to succeed instead of discouraging or questioning their reasoning, similar to what happened to Gilbert when she said she wanted to be a writer.  It was easy to tell that Gilbert was very passionate about this idea and it was reflected in her presentation.  She was constantly moving around the stage with various hand motions to keep the audience's attention by having their eyes follow her around the stage.  Gilbert's inflection of the words and her body movements reflected her passion for the subject.  She captured the audience's attention with stories, connections, and a personal presentation.  She spoke very casually and shared many stories that I could connect to which made the presentation easier to understand.  After watching this TED Talk, I realized that I have to be passionate about what I do and work my hardest at it.  This point also applies to the world because it is our job, as humans, to try hard at what we love whether it involves creativity or not.  Education can learn from Gilbert's speech as well because basic education does not involve as much creativity as art or writing alone, nor does it involve much of your "genius" and to help fix this, society must change to encourage creative abilities so that schools can start to change the mindset of many.  I also learned that, even if your life does not consist of creativity, encourage others and challenge yourself.  I can apply what I have learned about Gilbert's presentation in my own by using stories that help the audience connect with my point and by creating an exciting presentation.

You must love what you do because you keep coming back, doing it, and trying hard.

#1- Sir Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson TED Talk Response:

1.  What are your take-aways from this video?

      When I listened to Sir Ken Robinson's talk, I noticed his ideas and the style in which he presented his information.  I noticed many things that I could use for my own TED talk.  For example, a casual presentation with stories that could make it more personal and easy for the audience to connect to.  He also talked about his ideas in depth but easy to understand and this is what I hope to use for my TED talk as well.

2.  What are the speaker's effective speaking techniques?

       Sir Ken Robinson uses humor to connect with the audience and draw their attention.  He is very comfortable in the way he is speaking, almost like he is having a conversation with the audience and he speaks with them casually and personally.

3.  What is his/her presentation style?

       Sir Ken Robinson presents his ideas using humor and stories in order to connect with the audience.  He is very relaxed and tries to keep the audience's attention using his relaxed approach.

4.  What matters from this video?  How does it connect to you personally?  To education?  To the world?

       Sir Ken Robinson talks about the importance of education yet how it seems to undermine and kill the creativity of students.  I find this interesting because it parallels Daniel Pink's idea of a right-brained future.  I agree and disagree with Robinson's statement because school uses the student's creativity for projects in english, the occasional art class, or math when problem solving to find the answer.  However, I don't think the school challenges students to use their creativity to its full potential.  His idea matters because it may change education for the future, especially since right-brained directed thinking will be dominant, according to Daniel Pink.