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Monday, April 18, 2011

TED talk blog #2 "What adults can learn from kids"

The TED talk I listened to was by the author Adora Svitak.  I learned by clicking on the link that she was actually a real child, although not one many people can identify with.  She is now twelve and goes around the world as a speaker.  


When I first watched this video, I did not know what to think.  The message was clear:  adults should be listening to children.  However, during the 8 minutes of her speaking, I do not think the message was as pronounced as it would have been in a normal 11 year old.  I took away the message and that is all and I do  not even agree with her.  So far, having watched only 2 videos, this is my least favorite and probably will continue to be so in the future.  This girl was so unique that neither children my age nor adults could relate with her, which is very important in a TED talk, in my own opinion. 


She had good techniques with her speaking but, like I said earlier, was so different from other people that they could not relate with her.  This is a key aspect in TED talking and will be necessary in creating a successful speech, so I will have to make a memo of that.  One of her speaking methods that most annoyed me was the way she said children and adults like she was neither a child or an adult.  She did not use "we" in association with children, which I think would be helpful in her speech.  Okay, enough with the negatives.  Some good speaking methods I took away from her talk was her complete confidence in speaking and the way she adds modest humor to her talk.


Her speaking style was not that of a child, but one of an adult.  In her presentation she said she had been writing since she was four years old, while most of society does not even know the alphabet at that age.  It seemed slightly odd, which is prejudiced because I am, obviously, a child.  To an adult, her speaking may not have seemed weird in any way, but I don't know.


Personally, I think that children should learn from adults which is why we do not grow old to young. The main message connects to me because I am a child even though I do not completely agree with the message.  In my opinion, children should not necessarily teach adults, but should be listened to by adults.  We should be respected, not be teachers.  I do think that education and the world are changing to be more accepting to children and what they want, but it is in respect to us.



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