TED Talks in the Classroom: Awele Makeba on the Stories that Empower Us

The TED Team launched a new initiative this week — TED-ED, focused on sharing short, dynamic videos for classroom and lifelong learning. The initial launch is modest — just a handful of videos. But they’re engaging and concise and really perfect for including in lessons.

Here’s an example — Awele Makeba is a storyteller from Oakland, California who was part of the recent TED 2012 session called “The Classroom,” along with me and a bunch of other storytellers of different kinds, who teach in different ways.  Her talk is about the power of stories — how they shape us, and how we, in turn, can shape the world.  If you’ve read this book…

…you’ll have a special appreciation for Awele’s story.

Classroom Connections:

Read:

TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE: THE STORY OF CLAUDETTE COLVIN by Phillip Hoose and Claudette Colvin

WE WERE THERE, TOO: YOUNG PEOPLE IN U.S. HISTORY by Phillip Hoose

Listen:

Before Rosa Parks, There was Claudette Colvin”  from NPR

An interview with Rosa Parks

Connect:

From Scholastic, “Rosa Parks: How I fought for civil rights”

Awele’s website

For a really fascinating classroom conversation, pair Awele’s TED Talk with this one from Bryan Stevenson, about race, poverty, privilege, and justice in our own times.

How far have we come as a nation? And where do we go from here?