We share five Education TED Talks full of inspiring messages for teachers and education leaders.

1. Three rules to spark learning – Ramsey Musallam

It took a life-threatening condition to jolt chemistry teacher Ramsey Musallam out of ten years of “pseudo-teaching” to understand the true role of the educator: to cultivate curiosity. In a fun and personal talk, Musallam gives 3 rules to spark imagination and learning, and get students excited about how the world works.

More about the speaker: Ramsey Musallam – Educator

As a high school chemistry teacher, Ramsey Musallam expands curiosity in the classroom through multimedia and new technology.

 

2. Hey science teachers — make it fun – Tyler DeWitt

High school science teacher Tyler DeWitt was ecstatic about his new lesson plan on bacteria (how cool!) — and devastated when his students hated it. The problem was the textbook: it was impossible to understand. He delivers a rousing call for science teachers to ditch the jargon and extreme precision, and instead make science sing through stories and demonstrations.

More about the speaker: Tyler DeWitt – Science enthusiast

Tyler DeWitt recognizes that textbooks are not the way to get young people interested in science. Instead, he teaches science by making it fun and fantastical.

 

3. My story, from gangland daughter to star teacher – Pearl Arredondo

Pearl Arredondo grew up in East Los Angeles, the daughter of a high-ranking gang member who was in and out of jail. Many teachers wrote her off as having a problem with authority. Now a teacher herself, she’s creating a different kind of school and telling students her story so that they know it’s okay if sometimes homework isn’t the first thing on their minds.

More about the speaker: Pearl Arredondo – Teacher

She established a pilot middle school that teaches students to be good communicators in the 21st century.

 

4. How to escape education’s death valley – Ken Robinson

The most-watched speaker on TED.com, this author, educator and creativity expert challenges us to radically rethink school systems. Sir Ken Robinson outlines 3 principles crucial for the human mind to flourish — and how current education culture works against them. In a funny, stirring talk he tells us how to get out of the educational “death valley” we now face, and how to nurture our youngest generations with a climate of possibility.

More about the speaker: Ken Robinson – Author/educator

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we’re educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

 

5. Teaching one child at a time – Shukla Bose

Educating the poor is more than just a numbers game, says Shukla Bose. She tells the story of her groundbreaking Parikrma Humanity Foundation, which brings hope to India’s slums by looking past the daunting statistics and focusing on treating each child as an individual.

More about the speaker: Shukla Bose – Education activist

Shukla Bose is the founder and head of the Parikrma Humanity Foundation, a nonprofit that runs four extraordinary schools for poor children.