Watch the full talk:
A clip from Rita Pierson’s TED Talk “Every kid needs a champion” from TED Talks Education 2013
Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.'” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.
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We know why kids don’t learn.
It’s either poverty,
low attendance, negative peer influences—
we know why.
But one of the things that we never
discuss or we rarely discuss
is the value and importance
of human connection.
Relationships.
I have had classes that were so low,
so academically deficient, that I cried.
I wondered, “How am I going to take
this group, in nine months,
from where they are to where they need to be?
How do I raise the self-esteem of a child
and his academic achievement
at the same time?”
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.”
One of the students said, “Really?”
I said, “Really.”
And I gave them a saying to say:
“I am somebody. I was somebody when I came.
I’ll be a better somebody when I leave.
I am powerful, and I am strong.
I deserve the education that I get here.
I have things to do, people to impress,
and places to go.”
And they said, “Yeah!”
You say it long enough, it
starts to be a part of you.
Both my parents were educators.
My maternal grandparents were educators.
For years, I watched my mother take
the time at recess to review,
go on home visits in the afternoon,
buy combs and brushes and peanut butter
and crackers
to put in her desk
drawer for kids that needed to eat,
and a washcloth and some soap for the kids
who didn’t smell so good. See, it’s
hard to teach kids who stink.
Years later, after she retired,
I watched some of those same kids
come through and say to her,
“You know, Ms. Walker, you made
a difference in my life.
You made it work for me.
You made me feel like I was somebody,
when I knew, at the bottom, I wasn’t.
And I want you to just see what I’ve become.”
And when my mama died two years ago at 92,
there were so many former
students at her funeral,
it brought tears to my eyes,
not because she was gone,
but because she left a
legacy of relationships
that could never disappear.
Every child deserves a champion,
an adult who will never give up on them,
who understands the power of connection,
and insists that they become the
best that they can possibly be.
Is this job tough? You betcha.
Oh God, you betcha.
But it is not impossible. We can do this.
We’re educators. We’re born to make a difference.
TALK to TALK
May 14, 2021 at 5:30 pm
Brilliant speech. Thanks meanwhile:)
Adarsh Singh
May 14, 2021 at 5:30 pm
She could ask me to charge towards the beast titan and i gladly would 😂
Erwin you sure have a challenger in the room!
Sain D
May 14, 2021 at 5:32 pm
Destroying the nuclear family and searching for issues in society have driven away the hero’s, for sake of you BS cancel culture! You made your bed now lie in it!
The 300: Primed Providence Phenotype
May 14, 2021 at 5:33 pm
Do not deny your Animal heart body! Mammals are social and familiar by nature!
TRIBE OF MENTORS
May 14, 2021 at 5:45 pm
*Life changer habits you need to learn*
➡1.Practice Gratitude.
➡2.Write something
➡3.Invest in self-care.
➡4.Create a morning ritual
➡5.Make time for exercise.
Have a nice day🌺
atomixfang
May 14, 2021 at 5:46 pm
This consolation trophy bullshit needs to stop.
Randy Farnsworth
May 14, 2021 at 5:48 pm
Every child needs a FATHER!
Das Deutsch
May 14, 2021 at 5:52 pm
Wow, so powerful!
All what we can become starts in our minds… and I think it’s just incredible how that invisible “little” thing can change a person.
Make people think they can achieve anything, and they will.
Nicole on EQ
May 14, 2021 at 5:58 pm
What an inspirational woman. The power of human connection is truly underrated.
Rhetta Peoples
May 14, 2021 at 6:02 pm
There is nothing like a Black teacher! No slight to any others but the expressions, love and determination oozes from Black women teachers. I don’t know what I would’ve done had I not experienced being a student of a Black woman.
Leftie Snowflake
May 14, 2021 at 6:21 pm
White teachers are the best. I’m glad I had white teachers.
Just Some Nameless Soul
May 14, 2021 at 6:26 pm
@Leftie Snowflake and one more racism, probably to make a point.. Yeah, humanity is indeed fucked
Leftie Snowflake
May 14, 2021 at 6:31 pm
@Just Some Nameless Soul What do you mean?
Just Some Nameless Soul
May 14, 2021 at 7:40 pm
@Leftie Snowflake “black teachers are the best, white teachers are the best, yellow teachers are the best, green teachers are the best, purple teachers are the best”, this is racism, stereotypical racism
Irving Peenwiddle
May 14, 2021 at 10:19 pm
If that were true, we’d have a glut of Nobel Prize winners from the inner city. Instead, we have the likes of George Floyd.
mylxiong08
May 14, 2021 at 6:03 pm
What an excellent educator!
Just Some Nameless Soul
May 14, 2021 at 6:08 pm
This is the type of teacher my school lacked when I needed it..
A Walker
May 14, 2021 at 6:18 pm
Powerful
Big Dee
May 14, 2021 at 6:38 pm
Children need fathers …. black men do no raise their children… period
Michael Parris
May 14, 2021 at 6:47 pm
Some do. You’re not helping with statements that insult them.
Self-Education Methodology
May 14, 2021 at 6:43 pm
👋 Self-Education Methodology
Michael Parris
May 14, 2021 at 6:45 pm
Fathers are really good at this.
Waldo Armijo
May 14, 2021 at 6:50 pm
Bull
Sharon Hobbs
May 14, 2021 at 6:53 pm
Lets try obeying the Bible, morals and application go a long ways to correcting problems.
언엊
May 14, 2021 at 6:54 pm
I miss you..
Pedro Leandro
May 14, 2021 at 7:04 pm
Just Spectacular!!!
The education is the only way to get there! Not just to be a successful person, but first of all to be a happy person and somebody that makes a better would in the life experience.
Joseph V. Weiss
May 14, 2021 at 7:24 pm
F
Nova Vanguard
May 14, 2021 at 7:31 pm
Wish I had teachers like this
Legendary 27
May 14, 2021 at 9:33 pm
I’m not a teacher… Does this still apply to adults like me?
Legendary 27
May 14, 2021 at 9:33 pm
I’m not a teacher or a sensi… Does this still apply to adults like me?
AL
May 15, 2021 at 5:21 am
At a certain point in our life, we become our own teachers. This applies to you; tell yourself that you are worthy, you have places to go, and good to do. Improve yourself. Impress yourself. The good thing about being adults is that we are old and wise enough to realize that there are things we don’t know, and that we are able to look for resources and teach ourselves. If things become too complicated, we can ask for him in order to learn.
Best of luck.
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Kaashvi Juneja
May 15, 2021 at 5:17 am
me wishing her to come and teach me
Worgiewoo
May 15, 2021 at 7:06 am
No matter how much times passes I always cry at this speech, she is amazing 💛
Time To Get It
May 15, 2021 at 7:42 am
Human connection is a necessity. Small world as it is so human interaction is bound to happen. Relationships tell a lot about a person anyways whether it’s a friendship, intimate relationship, or interactions with family. Practice make perfect with most things. We get more in tune with ourselves with relationships or human connection because are full selves are bound to be revealed because we practice alone plus around/with ppl which is best of both worlds in regards to living in your own world + having ppl enter your world yet the world is still yours
Qwqs Sdad
May 15, 2021 at 8:20 am
She thinks that poverty could affect the educational life of students but there are many other sides which have more effect but we rarely discuss them.
She wondered how can we raise their future by bright ideas. The are powerful and strong enugh so everyone deserve better education . And they can make adifference in the society as aformer student this isnt tough and isnt Impossible
max mustermann
May 15, 2021 at 8:36 am
This gave me tears
The Sophist Quotes
May 15, 2021 at 1:43 pm
👋👏👏
Mohd Khan
May 15, 2021 at 2:57 pm
When i see ” Why every student deserves to be champion” then first thing in my mind is “Because every student is champion in their own world”
U Cannot Defeat My Shmeet
May 15, 2021 at 6:35 pm
There’s that, then there’s the mere existence of the song “schools out”
Which kinda highlights how schools have absolutely failed in making kids WANT to learn
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Asha Gairola Gairola
May 16, 2021 at 1:15 pm
In asian countries , basically if u don’t get to go collage then u r basicaally unsuccessful in the good jobs
Jamaican Princess1974
May 18, 2021 at 12:55 am
She’s good
Belinda Blah
May 18, 2021 at 4:09 am
Wish you could do a show in NZ. These Ted talks are awesomen
Anand Thakkar
May 18, 2021 at 4:02 pm
We need TEACHERS LIKE THESE!!!!!!!. In India many teachers dont take pride that they r educators. How will they be able to uplift someones self esteem If they do not have pride in what they r doin
Joviane Mathieu
May 18, 2021 at 10:48 pm
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥