![]() In a sense, it’s a kind of philosophy of denial, where nothing is ever really going wrong, and where the power of positive thinking can be used to invalidate any criticism or concern, no matter how legitimate. Later, Rachel discovered the sort of forced cheerfulness she was experiencing from her administrator had a name: toxic positivity. “I don’t want to get up a lot of mornings, and I can’t tell you how often I wake up panicked and think, ‘Should I call out today? I don't feel mentally or emotionally prepared to go into work right now.’” “I don’t say to my coworkers, ‘I struggle with anxiety and depression,’” says Rachel, who asked to be referred to only by her first name to candidly discuss her mental health experiences. But it did nothing to quiet the upset she felt. The advice kept her employed and got her through a tough year. Along with masking her emotions, she learned to swallow her opinions too.Ĭolleagues nodded sympathetically and suggested she go along to get along. Under the thumb of a relentlessly upbeat administrator, Rachel, an educator and librarian in New Jersey, was pressed to be happy all the time. Please share your thoughts through your comments as I would love to know what you think.Several years ago, during her first year teaching at a new school, Rachel cried a lot. What did you enjoy about this TED Talk by Rita Pierson? How did her style of sharing the message through per stories influence you? What is the one message you take home from this talk? Because it can make a profound difference in someone’s life. ![]() We must give our professions the best we are capable of because it matters. That also means that we must do what’s right whether or not we like doing it. Now, if we adults take the message, it is important to be that adult for those who look up to us as their guide/mentor. Every child deserves to have an adult who insists that they become the best that they can possibly be. She says in the end that every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them. Rita closes her talk asking (and I paraphrase), “How powerful would our world be if we had kids who were not afraid to take risks like a champion?” The Message – Your Attitude Makes A Difference … We come to work when we don't feel like it, and we're listening to policy that doesn't make sense - and we teach anyway.Įvery 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. Teachers become great actors and great actresses. Kids don't learn from people they don't like. Some of the highlights of her talk which got the most applause from the audience, and what I also enjoyed the most, are: She was a counselor, a testing coordinator and an assistant principal. What a credibility Rota brings to the table, right? Rita herself has been a professional educator since 1972, taught elementary school, junior high and special education. Now, that says her family has been in the educational profession for generations. Rita Pierson’s Background & Highlights Of The TalkĮducator by background, she describes her background as, “Both my parents were educators, my maternal grandparents were educators, and for the past 40 years I've done the same thing.” Let me share the video so you can enjoy this incredible TED talk right now as much as I did: We all have that kid within us and we all have the same need.īut first, I don’t want to steal the thunder from the talk. The message, although crafted from an educator’s perspective to motivate other educators to love their profession and to give it their very best because it matters – is not limited to only educators. We all can leverage its power if we choose to make an incredible impact and she does it very well.Ģ. ![]() Stories are very powerful tools we all have in plenty. Rita, an educator by profession, shares her message through her own life story. That's because of two powerful components of this TED Talk:ġ. I am not a school teacher (although my parents are both retired from that profession), I found this TED talk appealing to me. This TED talk by Rita Pierson is not just powerful and inspirational, but also applicable in every endeavor of our lives where we have to work with people. If you haven't seen that post yet, I encourage you to do so before you proceed further because you are going to enjoy this TED video much more then. In a guest post at my friend, Bill Butler’s website, today I shared about the power of stories and why you should share your stories.
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