When one of Liz Kleinrock’s fourth-grade students said the unthinkable at the start of a class on race, she knew it was far too important a teachable moment to miss. But where to start? Learn how Kleinrock teaches kids to discuss taboo topics without fear — because the best way to start solving social problems is to talk about them.
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Society as a whole can’t even speak about mildly taboo topics. Have you seen the political correctness? The filtering?The insistence that we walk on eggshells? The social risk you take when you say the most innocuous of things is crazy. It’s absurd and I’m not sure if it’s safety culture, Puritanism, leftism, or my own fear.
You're an awesome teacher Liz! 😊
amazing speech
The world needs more teachers like her
Thank you Ms. Liz, for having the courage to speak. Also i miss you❤❤❤
She was my 4 grade teacher. Miss you ms. Liz!!!!!!!!!
Way to go Ms. Liz!!!!!!!!
THE COLUMBINE SHOOTERS MOM GETS A CLIP. That loser should be jailed! No comments allowed so I'll leave a comment on every video! DO NOT CELEBRATE LOSER PARENTS THAT STOOD IN THE WAY OF HELP, when parents are responsible for their kids actions then we will see less death! SICKENING TO APPLAUD COLUMBINES SHOOTERS MOM SHAME,
This entire story is obviously made up. TED: agendas worth spreading.
The title of this talk is "*How* to […]," but I didn't hear about how*. Mainly she just said that she wants young students to discuss taboo topics, etc… but didn't describe how to go about it. Perhaps a more appropriate title would be, "kids *should talk about taboo topics." It is very strange, but despite the fact that she talked about both specific examples, and generalities, I didn't see the relationship between the two. At times, she was waxing philosophical; speaking in abstract strange ways, but I can't see how she made the generalization from the examples. She seems to assume that the audience will already accept her general claims, the examples weren't being used as evidence to back them. If the audience already knows about and agrees with everything the speaker has to say, then why are you talking to them? Usually, to make a general claim, you provide multiple examples which all have a feature in common. A red bicycle, a red house, and a red pencil are all red. The only thing her examples had in common was that they were times when she talked to kids about taboo topics. There were no common techniques, no common approaches, no strategies, no tools which can be re-used by someone else in the future. What is also odd is that she didn't talk about real/concrete outcomes; we should talk to kids about taboo topics because when we do the result is [X]. It's just supposed to be obvious that she should talk to kids about taboo topics. If that's the approach you're going to take, then there's no point in talking.
Great video! its definately giving me some great ideas 💗
I take issue that some topics have been arbitrarily defined as "taboo" – let's get rid of the concept of "taboo" and have an open marketplace of thought and ideas
I've found the only way to approach these topics is in person, where people seem to have a more innate respect for the other. Online it's too easy to see them as another unit of the internet, and tbh I've rarely seen a productive political/taboo discussion online.
I wish schools had the balls to teach things like this to their kids, but oftentimes they're too scared of being yelled at by angry parents.
She makes too much sense!
Schools teaching about social and emotional intelligence? Skills that will actually help them become balanced people in the future?
Outrageous!! More standardized tests please!
No black kids in the class?
Anyone who says talking OPENLY and HONESTLY with kids about taboo/serious topics is a bad thing, or that it doesn't help, are close minded individuals who most likely are the ones helping to cause the problem. See, kids are sponges. They absorb what they are taught and they REMEMBER it. Teach your kids about how black people are terrible, and teach them that being a racist is a good thing, and THEY WILL DO IT! Teach them about all the races, how everyone is equal, and about EMPATHY will result in your kids accepting EVERYONE and never looking at a person of a different race and going "you're inferior". Granted, talking to your kids doesn't always prevent bullying, but if we can prevent racism, if we can properly EDUCATE our kids and make them open to everyone – we have succeeded.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience and insight.
Yes, Australia is shockingly racist against aborigines 😢
Race is a social construct it is not real . There cannot be races within a race. There are different people that are same because we are all humans. We are fundamentally same.
It’s unfortunate that TED discredited themselves when they started pushing that pedophiles are just like you and me, and that when they rape it’s all our fault not theirs. TED = trash
Too many times adults fail to realize how intelligent and aware kids are. Children notice what you say and don't say in front of them.
What a smart teacher she is, wish there were more like her but that was not my experience as a child.
the stranger thing is black people invented race therefor invented rsacism
its funny cuz i always thought white people pooped white…..
Janusz Korczak would be proud!
This Ted Talk had me on the fence through that really specific event and solution. Although that summary at the end earns some merit.
Why would i speak taboo stuff with my kids?? Is she a pervert?
someone here for homework ✍👊
Growing up I had poor teachers and I had great teachers. I know from my experiences that only in classrooms led by weak teachers who didn’t command respect would a kid have the guts to make a remark like Abby’s. Such meanness would have been unimaginable to a kid in a classroom where the teacher had firm control.
Abby was nine and knew full well at that age she was being cruel, hateful and she knew exactly what the reaction would be by everyone in that room, including the teacher. Abby has been practicing her craft as a troll probably since she was a preschooler. She should have been severely punished for her assault against humanity. A three day suspension would have been appropriate. Instead this was treated as some silly “lemons into lemonade” teachable moment. Ridiculous.
now this is a teacher that should earn at least $ 100,000.00 no question
A Heroine imho
no offense but if you dont think kids consider this stuff already your mistaken, most kids i knew growing up knew every swear word before elementary was done. Topics of race usually never got further then a momentary consideration followed by whatever activity was generally more important.
The problem is more so that parents have that divide where said topics words or what have you are generally triggers for parents to punish their kids.
Its like asking your teenager what they did at the party, do you really wanna know?
Im not gonna be grounded for a year am i?
she has the can I speak to the manger voice
As a teacher I have unfortunately had to deal with racist discussions in class about which race is smarter — and making that into excuse to give up trying to be good at math or science. It's not an easy subject to tackle and I didn't do a great job dealing with it. If I had to confront that situation again, think a curious mindset and a calm attitude would help. I think these topics are important. Even though I'm a computer teacher, I have talked to my class about equality vs equity, women in engineering, brain developmental differences of the sexes, mental health and addictions, which I'm passionate about. Also, can I just say, this lady is gorgeous!
The women thinks only white people can be racist. Kinda sad to hold that view as a TEACHER.
why is every ted video a quality video
You notice how the primacy take away for the children was that racism is calling someone with "Dark" skin a mean name? Think about that for a minute.
Thank you, I told my ex and her family to treat my son as an adult. Not because of his age (5) , but his level of understanding. I (myself) knew at a very early age things. I explained that he was more capable of understanding things if explained in the proper manner. I so far have a better relationship with him because, I still talk to him like an equal. He understands that I'm his father and knows that I will still discipline as needed. Overall he knows that he can talk to me, and that is the most important thing.
This makes me thing about what true education is.
I've been taught for my life that education equates to having a higher degree in an institution.
However, now I start to question whether a college degree is worth learning without the stuff presented in this video.
Having these taboo discussions with other people regardless of their age, gender, race, etc. is very important to learn about other people and ultimately bring humanity together.
Also, being skeptical and asking the question Why? to everything around us is essential for the pursuit of true knowledge.
A question opens a mind. A statement closes a mind.
I appreciate TED for bringing this up on youtube and I hope we can get more people to view this and learn from it.
O interesse é o melhor "ingresso" ao show:
As discussões sociais deveriam ser sempre "usadas" para a promoção da paz. Nunca para segregação ou predileção de um grupo. Sob a desculpa de dívidas históricas ou exposições deprevatórias a uma "platéia" que não "comprou o ingresso do show", tragédias acontecem. Parabéns a professora, não apenas por estimular estas discurssões aos interessados, através de fontes em uma pesquisa autônima. Mas também por não impor temas a quem não se interessa por eles. Isto é ter liberdade de aprender sobre o que quizer, ao invés de medir com a mesma régua. Pessoas e interesses diferentes.
Sim, o silêncio é revelador; Especialmente quando não se tem nada a dizer, ou quando não se quer, ser ouvido… O preconceito começa, quando desejamos que todos sejam iguais (e muitas vezes vemos que não nos enquadramos ao nosso próprio padrão).
Note que não ha cor, nem opção sexual nestas letras, não tente reduzir este texto. A alguém defendendo apenas sua propria espécie, nacionalidade ou modo de pensar.
Ser livre, envolve ter escolhas. E até quando não escolhemos nada ou não reagimos, exercemos nossas liberdades. Por isto antes de sermos (alguma cultura, esporte, raça ou religião), precisamos estar (livres e dispostos a escolher o que somos e nos tornaremos).
Esta escolha supera a familia e a escola, sendo legada aos pais, professores, vizinhos, colegas e demais "autoridades internas" que se tornarem amigos e confidentes durante nossa eterna pesquisa/busca antropológica, por nos mesmos…
Não saber o que somos, o que achamos sobre algo, nos coloca na defensiva (sempre). Pois o medo do desconhecido, nos manteve vivos por milênios. Quebrar este escudo não é suficiente para evoluirmos como humanos, troca-lo por algo melhor sim. Nisto, proponho a busca voluntaria e assitida por conhecimento confiável e de qualidade. Não uma regulação métrica, mas uma validação das fontes (sengundo suas especialidades, não finalidades).
Se você acha que já se encontrou e não tem liberdade para discutir estes assuntos com seus filhos ou alunos, acredite: A internet e os amiguinhos deles serão.
Obrigado a todos que leram isto,
mesmo que não concordem.
Teach kids about taboo subjects using a social justice lens? I hear that's working wonderfully on college campuses.
Way to go teacher!!! 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼
Great, thank you so much✨
While you seem like an excellent teacher, the problem is that many or most teachers are unable to teach from a fair and neutral standpoint without pushing their own views down kid's throats.
If more teachers like Ms. Kleinrock existed, and weren't silenced by close minded parents/governments, we would have less of what just occurred in New Zealand. And oppressive parents who shelter their children who then grow up to rebel, would also be less of an issue. Our planet would benefit greatly. Somebody give this woman a medal, and more platforms to speak on. She is wonderful for teaching young children this way, and other teachers of all levels need to take a lesson from her.