Last night, TEX-Moncton let students steal the stage. We were fortunate to have two high school students be on stage, Beth and Skye. I am most fortunate to be connected to them both through www.CurrentGeneration.org
This post focuses on Beth. While she does not speak directly about Current Generation in her TED-X Talk, Current Generation is the kind of issue and program that allows freedom for students that she urges at the end. Well done and thank Beth.
Beth Stevens (grade9) spoke about being motivated to learn when the learning is in the context of solving real problems for real people. There is something special that happens when the work is authentic. Motivation for learning increases, multi and transdisciplinary learning happens, and students gain self-confidence because the find they have an important place in the world, perhaps contributing to more positive mental health. The project that excited her was around Bike Safety and Ellen’s law which urged her to create a safety light, which she now sells. She urges adults to teach current events so that students will be aware of the issues and provide space for them to DO something about it, not just make a trifold poster with a rubric. She urges kids to take a chance, learn for real purpose and not worry so much about the grade on a project, but to focus on the grade of a society and the grade of our planet. If we are going to live sustainable lives, there are lots of problems out there to solve, including climate change and plastics.
The CBC did a little profile on each of the speakers.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/events/tedxyouth-moncton-1.5163098?fbclid=IwAR2NNhdphYlKLkvcvnofMxtBOEj2qYpnJ4EsomZYen7Io-JuD9CUIfK5y6Y
