TED Talk of the Week: Every Kid Needs a Champion
Rita Pierson is an educator in every sense of the word, with a compassionate and straight talking approach to teaching that ensures that every student is valued.
Rita Pierson is the teacher you wish you always had. With over 40 years of experience under her belt, Piersen’s inspiring straight-talk zeroes in on a significant but often overlooked aspect of education – relationships. “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” This basic premise is so glaringly true and Pierson concurs that this simple fact is a major factor in the educational success and growth of a student.
With the heart of a true educator, Pierson’s humor and compassion shines as she understands that being a teacher isn’t always easy. As she relays, there are going to be students you can’t stand and policies that impinge on your teaching values, but at the end of the day, each student needs to feel like they are valued and seen. Pierson sums up her realistic and humane approach to teaching with the pep talk she gives her students each day: "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."
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