Connections and Reflections: Using TED Talks for SEL
Have you ever experienced a TED Talk rabbit hole? It’s a weird sensation. Even though you’re taking a lot of time to just...sit and watch something...oddly enough, it doesn’t feel like a waste of time in the slightest.
I’ve found myself in this rabbit hole many a time. When I first discovered TED Talks, it was while I was teaching fifth grade. I stumbled upon the now infamous TED Talk done by Sir Ken Robinson, provocatively titled “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” As a young teacher just a couple of years out of college, I was, as they say, Shook. This one talk inspired me to take action in my career. I used it as the basis of Professional Development for my colleagues, it gave me the idea to write a grant to get 1:1 iPads in my classroom, and it jump started the aforementioned TED Talk rabbit hole that led me to build a unit for my students where they wrote and gave their own TED Talks.
Needless to say, there is an incredible amount of value in listening to experts speak about something for which they have great passion. We stand to learn so much about a wide variety of topics in an accessible, engaging way. But if we want to really gain something from watching these experts, we have to do more than just passively watch. We have to make personal connections to the content and to what we already know and understand about the world in order to use that new information. And to make that learning really sticky, we also need to reflect on the viewing experience. What did we learn? How did it make us feel? How does it connect to our lives?
Knowing that there is so much social emotional learning potential in these talks, The Nora Project Program Team has curated a list of TED Talks that connect with the themes of empathy, disability and difference, advocacy, and universal design. We think these talks are perfect for kids to watch independently, though better yet, together with their families. For each talk or group of talks, we’ve also assembled a series of reflection questions to help students connect with the content.
Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll share some of our favorite TED Talks here on the blog that help stimulate reflection and conversation.
For now, I’ll share one of my favorites from Judy Heumann, pioneer of the Disability Rights Movement. Use the viewing guide below to promote deeper reflection and discussion, and be sure to find someone to watch this with so you have a buddy for your conversation!
Viewing Guide
Judith Heumann: Our Fight for Disability Rights - and Why We’re Not Done Yet
Before watching this talk, I recommend thinking about what you already know about the rights afforded to disabled individuals under the law. Then, think about what you know about the legal rights afforded to other minority groups like women, racial minorities, LGBTQ individuals, and religious minorities.
Pause the video at 3:10 - Reflect on what Judy means when she says “So I understood discrimination.” Have you seen evidence that this type of discrimination against people with disabilities continues today?
Pause at 6:03 - Disabled people are often asked invasive questions that non-disabled people would never be asked. Reflect on why this might be and whether it is fair and appropriate.
Pause at 12:45 - Imagine, for a moment, a world without the accessibility measures that Judy mentions. How might a lack of accessibility tools and inaccessible spaces exclude people? How would that make people feel? Then, reflect on why it’s important to create accessible spaces and events for everyone.
After watching, reflect on Judy’s call to action. She says “...together we can make a difference. Together we can speak up for justice. Together we can help change the world.” Brainstorm some ways you might be able to make a difference so that your community is more inclusive and more accessible. For example, if you visit a website for a store or restaurant and it does not have information about accessibility, contact the store or restaurant and ask the owners to add a section on accessibility. Reflect on what else you could do in your community to improve accessibility and equality for disabled people.