Now, I want to start with a question: When was the last time you were called “childish”? For kids like me, being called childish can be a frequent occurrence. Every time we make irrational demands, exhibit irresponsible behavior, or display any other signs of being normal American citizens, we are called childish. really bothers me. After all, take a look at these events: Imperialism and colonization, world wars, George W. Bush. Ask yourself, who’s responsible? Adults.
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Now, what have kids done? Well, Anne Frank millions with her powerful account of the Holocaust. Ruby Bridges helped to end in the United States. And, most recently, Charlie Simpson helped to raise 120,000 pounds for Haiti, on his little bike. So as you can evidenced by such examples, age has absolutely nothing to do with it. The traits the word “childish” addresses are seen so often in adults, that we abolish this age-discriminatory word, when it comes to criticizing behavior associated irresponsibility and irrational thinking.
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(Applause)
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Thank you.
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Then again, who’s to say that certain types of irrational thinking aren’t exactly what the world needs? Maybe you’ve had plans before, but stopped yourself, thinking, “That’s impossible,” or “That costs much,” or “That won’t benefit me.” For better or worse, we kids aren’t hampered as much when it comes to thinking reasons why not to do things. Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations hopeful thinking, like my wish that no one went hungry, or that everything were free, a kind of utopia. How many of you still dream like that, and believe in the possibilities? Sometimes a knowledge of history and the past failures of Utopian ideals can be a burden, because know that if everything were free, then the food stocks would become depleted and scarce lead to chaos. On the other hand, we kids still dream perfection. And that’s a good thing, because in order to make anything a reality, you have to dream about first.
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In many ways, our audacity to imagine helps push the boundaries of possibility. For instance, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, my state — yoohoo, Washington!
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(Applause)
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has a program called Kids Design Glass, kids draw their own ideas for glass art. The resident artist said they got some of their best ideas from the program, because kids don’t think about the limitations how hard it can be to blow glass into certain shapes, they think of good ideas. Now, when you think of glass, you might think of colorful Chihuly designs, or maybe Italian vases, but kids challenge artists to go beyond that, into the realm of brokenhearted snakes and bacon boys, who you can see has meat vision.
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(Laughter)
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Now, our inherent wisdom doesn’t have to be insider’s knowledge. Kids already do a lot of learning from adults, and we have a lot to share. I think that adults should start learning from kids. Now, I do most of my speaking in front of an education crowd — teachers and students, and like this analogy: It shouldn’t be a teacher at the head of the class, telling students, “Do this, do that.” The students should teach their teachers. Learning between grown-ups and kids be reciprocal. The reality, unfortunately, is a little different, and it has a lot do with trust, or a lack of it.
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Now, you don’t trust someone, you place restrictions on them, right? If I doubt my older sister’s ability to pay back the 10 percent I established on her last loan, I’m going to withhold her to get more money from me, until she pays it back.
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(Laughter)
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True story, by the way. Now, adults seem to have a prevalently restrictive attitude towards kids, from every “Don’t do that, don’t do this” in the school handbook, to restrictions on Internet use. As history points out, regimes become oppressive when they’re fearful keeping control. And although adults may not be quite at the level of totalitarian regimes, kids have no or very little say in the rules, when really, the attitude should be reciprocal, meaning that the adult population should learn and take into account the wishes of the younger population.
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Now, what’s even worse than restriction, is that adults often underestimate kids’ abilities. We love challenges, but expectations are low, trust me, we will sink to them. My own parents had anything but low expectations for and my sister. Okay, so they didn’t tell us to become doctors or lawyers or anything like that, but my dad did read to about Aristotle and pioneer germ-fighters, when lots of other kids were hearing “The Wheels on Bus Go Round and Round.” Well, we heard that one too, “Pioneer Germ Fighters” totally rules.
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(Laughter)
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I loved to write from the age of four, and when I was six, my mom bought me my laptop equipped with Microsoft Word. Thank you, Bill Gates, thank you, Ma. I wrote over 300 short stories on that little laptop, I wanted to get published. Instead of just scoffing at this heresy a kid wanted to get published, or saying wait you’re older, my parents were really supportive. Many publishers were not quite so encouraging. One large children’s publisher ironically said that they didn’t work with children. Children’s publisher not working with children? I don’t know, you’re kind of alienating a large client there.
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(Laughter)
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One publisher, Action Publishing, was willing to take that leap and trust me, and to listen to what I to say. They published my first book, “Flying Fingers,” you see it here. And from there on, it’s gone to speaking at hundreds of schools, keynoting to thousands of educators, finally, today, speaking to you.
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I appreciate your attention today, because to that you truly care, you listen. But there’s a problem with this rosy picture of kids being so much better than adults. Kids grow up and become adults like you.
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(Laughter)
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Or just like you? Really? The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adult, but rather, better adults you have been, which may be a little challenging, considering your guys’ credentials.
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(Laughter)
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But the way progress happens, is new generations and new eras grow and develop and become better than the previous ones. It’s the reason we’re not in the Dark Ages anymore. No your position or place in life, it is imperative to create opportunities children, so that we can grow up to blow you away.
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(Laughter)
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Adults and fellow TEDsters, you need to listen and learn from kids, and trust us and expect more from us. You must lend an today, because we are the leaders of tomorrow, which means we’re going to take care of you when you’re old and senile. No, just kidding.
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(Laughter)
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No, really, we are going to be the next generation, the ones who bring this world forward. And in case you don’t think that this really has meaning for you, remember that cloning is possible, and that involves going through childhood again, in which case you’ll want to be heard, just my generation. Now, the world needs opportunities for new leaders and new ideas. Kids need opportunities to lead and succeed. Are you ready to make match? Because the world’s problems shouldn’t be the human family’s heirloom.
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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Thank you. Thank you.