Okay, it's not a guy, but love is not too strong a word to describe the way I feel about the website www.ted.com. TED, which stands for Technology/Entertainment/Design, is an audiovisual collection of talks and presentations by the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers. At an annual conference, they present the talk of their lives in under 18 minutes. Over 400 lectures are available at the TED site. All free.
There are so many that have gotten my attention, but one that I plan to show in class today is a performance by a beatbox group called Naturally 7, who assembles an orchestra's worth of sounds as they perform their cool single "Fly Baby." What does this have to do with reading? Not that much, I suppose, in terms of things like decoding and fluency. I don't necessarily plan to weave in a reading or writing lesson to this particular TED piece, but I want to expose my students to a wide range of ideas and culture, so that we can simply engage in discussion, expand their thinking, and perhaps even sow a few seeds for future dreams. I like the sound of that.
I'd love to hear what others think of TED. Check it out! What are your favorite talks?
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ReplyDeletelet's try that again: I wanted to point out the cool piece on TED by the artist Miru Kim, who explores the hidden crevices of modern urban settings, then photographs herself in them, naked. It's striking, especially when you consider her previous professional plan to become a surgeon. This isn't that different.
ReplyDeleteKatro, I love reading this blog. It is so truly inspiring. If I had a kid in juvie, I'd be heaving sighs of joy and hope if he could have you as his teacher. Dude, you rock.
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