TED - Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a

Champion
Discussion
1. What is the talk about?
The talk is about teaching, the human connection and what that connection can
impact on kids. Be champion for them, encourage to be better every day, show them
they are not alone
2. What did you think of the speaker?
I think she is great, full of caring dedication and security that the best way is the
human connection can cause.it takes a hearth full of many good thing to care so
much
3. Was she easy to understand?
For me she was, I had to listen to get a couple of time just to make sure I understood
fully her point and because I was in shock such a wonderful ideas to change thing
4. What is her message?

Look at these quotes from the talk and discuss the questions below:

“And we know why kids drop out. We know why kids don't learn. It's either poverty,
low attendance, negative peer influences... We know why.”

 Which of these things do you think has the biggest impact on dropout rates?
For me is the negative peer that can influence, it can be their own parent for not
giving them time to share their problems or their achievements accomplished living
them alone
 What can be done to help?
The best way for me is to listen to them, get involved in everything in their lives, and
show them that mistakes sometimes are good because that’s how we learn in life.

“James Comer says that no significant learning can occur without a significant relationship.”

“George Washington Carver says all learning is understanding relationships.”

 What is your interpretation of these quotes?

For me is the motivation that we give, without a relationship there is no learning.as

Rita says that she one day motivated her students with saying lets teach them how to
do it. She need it to create a bond to be able to help them feel that they are more
than up to anything in life and that they deserved it.¨__

 Do you agree with them?

Yes, I do. Everyone needs supporting words of motivational words sometimes to feel
better or feel capable of anything.

A colleague said to me one time, "They don't pay me to like the kids. They pay me to teach a
lesson. The kids should learn it. I should teach it, they should learn it, Case closed."

Well, I said to her, "You know, kids don't learn from people they don't like."

 What do you think of the teacher’s quotes? Do you agree?

Its heartless, its doing a job with no meaning and going.

  Do students have to like their teacher to learn from them?
Yes they do, that’s how we create a bond, trust. I don’t think kids will like a teacher o
even pay attention if they were bad treated or if they felt like she or he goes teaches
and leave

“How do I raise the self-esteem of a child and his academic achievement at the same time?”

 How important is it that a teacher raises their students’ self-esteem?

It gives them hope, happiness, not feeling alone. To be understood and strength to
overcome any obstacles

 What methods does Rita mention? What other ways can they do it?
She uses the motivation that they can show any one that they are capable, they can
do it ,creating that relationship that puts the persona one and one with the other one,
showing that a one wrong and three rights are better than nothing

“One year I came up with a bright idea. I told all my students, "You were chosen to be in my
class because I am the best teacher and you are the best students, they put us all together so
we could show everybody else how to do it."

“I gave a quiz, 20 questions. A student missed 18. I put a "+2" on his paper and a big smiley
face.”

 What do you think of these methods? Do you think they would work?

Of Couse it does, it’s better to be told that we are good to be told that we are a
failure. It would give the power of going for more. With no fear

It makes us feel that’s nothing is impossible

the power
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understands

 What do you think of her message?

I think is something that I would love to hear in those moments when you feel like
you can’t handle it.

 Did you have a “champion” when you were growing up? Who was it?
I had a lot of them, I had teachers tell me don’t give up, you have many beautiful
things, don’t worry about your age or time. Just keep going you will do it fine. Use
what you know and make it a good thing
 How can this message be put into practice?

We need to spread the word, show everyone how a difference will make just to go a
little further into just going to teach and create more personal connections