10 Reasons Why Students Love TED-Ed Clubs

This post is inspired and co-authored by two members of the Rundle Academy TED-Ed Club. Charlotte and Cameron both have made the committment to pursue and support ideas worth sharing in two ways: Charlotte, as a student working on a talk, and Cameron, as a member of the TED-Ed Club leadership cohort. 

I found their ideas to be a touching and enlightening look into why the Rundle Academy TED-Ed Club has become a popular extracurricular activity that attracts a wide range of students with a wide range of interests. In fact, it seems that the TED-Ed Club program has a little something for everyone.  So, what are Charlotte and Cameron's top reasons for being in a TED-Ed Club?  Here they are:

1. People can share their voice and they don’t need to filter their ideas through other people.
2. It’s a great way for kids to express their ideas.
3. It’s a calm, nurturing environment.
4. It can give you the motive to do things that change the world.
5. There are no rules regarding what you can or can’t write.
6. It gives you the opportunity to be in the spotlight.
7. You get to meet a lot of people just like you.
8. It dosen’t consume very much time and if you don’t want to make a talk you can just help out.
9. You get to inspire people you don’t even know.
10. It gives you a bulldozer (figuratively) so you can move mountains.  

Of course #10 makes my day.  Here at Rundle Academy our motto is that "We move mountains." I feel that it reflects greatly on the learning environment  a TED-Ed Club helps me, as a teacher, create. Every child finds a role that suits them in this club and every child find a passion or interest that they can pursue. This year's TEDYouth Conference was all about being future ready .  It seems to me, that participating in a TED-Ed Club is just one more way to help students become ready to take on the world and pursue their dreams by helping students develop the kinds of skills that will enable them to navigate the future. When I step back and just listen and watch as my students hone their research, writing, critical thinking, presentation and speaking skills, it amazes me. How can an educational program that is so simple and uncomplicated at it's heart, be so powerful? 

Well, mostly, the program is simply a framework that enables students to pursue and learn about anything they are interested in. It promotes curiousity, and in a world where highly scripted and prescribed curricula seems to sap the creativity right out of children, this program gives them the complete freedom to simply learn for the sake of learning.

And, as 12 speakers and 15 leadership cohort members attest, it seems to be the place to be!

What to learn more about TED-Ed Club program? Check out the following links and be prepared to be amazed!

Why TED-Ed Clubs? 

What is TED-Ed?