Popular Culture Archives - Page 6 of 6

Ken Robinson discusses the current state of education

It is always a pleasure to listen to Ken Robinson speak. He’s one of my favourite orators and even though his delivery is very calm and controlled, it always stokes a fire inside of me. In this talk, he discusses the current state of education and how the culture of schools is failing the children that attend them. In particular, the emphasis on standardised testing and “No Child Left Behind” are ironically, leaving millions of children behind.

Insist on changing the current school culture and filling the gaps created by your child’s education: it’s critical to well-rounded children who enjoy learning who go on to be independent thinkers and creators.

Little kitten gets scared of bearded dragons

This is amazing. Obviously you feel sorry for the poor guy, but his Matrix style moves make him legendary.

Shaping your workspace and environment for productivity

Jason Fried discusses how the very places that were meant for productivity and work (offices) are in fact very detrimental to our ability to perform. A lot of very good points about how to tweak your workspace (whether you work for a corporation or for yourself) to improve your productivity and ability to work.

The power of faking your body language

Amy Cuddy gives a talk that’s very encouraging to anyone who considers themselves an introvert. Just by adopting high-power poses, you can fake it until you internalise the attributes of the person you desire to be, and there will be a eureka moment, when you realise that you have become more extroverted and aren’t afraid to do things that you once were.

The importance of doing something meaningful

Dan Ariely gave an insightful talk into just how much what we do matters. In blind tests, he showed how much better received people’s efforts were when they were valued as opposed to when they were destroyed in front of them. Just goes to show how a little recognition can go an incredibly long way, and similarly how doing something of worth is so important.

When kids grow kale, kids eat kale

In a refreshingly raw and inspiring talk, Ron Finley tells use how he is trying to transform South Central (Los Angeles) into an area filled with urban gardens. His talk is filled with comedy, noting that they need to make gardening sexy, suggesting that kids can become “gangsters” who have shovels as their weapon of choice, and that if people want to discuss helping him with his project, they can forget about doing it in cushy chairs: they need to come down to the garden and help plant him some shit!

Ken Robinson: My idol and his views on education

Ken Robinson is an absolute genius. I remember seeing his first TED talk on a podcast back in about 2006, and it really resonated with me. It became an instant hit and I’ve watched it many times since.

Ken has spent decades looking at education systems worldwide and advising governments on how their education systems are failing so many children, typically in the arts.

I challenge you to watch these videos and not be inspired by his wisdom, humour and challenges. It has made me want to explore my creative side and to set the stage for my unborn daughter to be able to explore her creativity and be what she wishes to be as she grows up.

Our brains really are fascinating things

I remember seeing this on a TED podcast several years ago and getting the wrong answer like most other people, and it’s a simple example of just how biased or blind our brains can make us.

Muse!

Martina treated me for my birthday and bought me tickets for Muse. She was originally supposed to come, but since she was pregnant, we decided it wasn’t the best idea for her to come.

It was the best concert of my life. Absolutely fantastic. The band themselves are incredible live, and then the sound, effects, energy, lighting and lasers just made for an unforgettable experience.