3 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.
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[@DanielSmith77]

Ramsey Musallam's Three Rules: 1) Curiosity comes first. 2) Embrace the mess (trial and error). 3) Practice reflection.

[@vitaminz1990]

I was a student of Mr. Musallam's. He taught me AP Chem. To this day, still the most captivating, fun, and amazing teacher I've ever had the pleasure of learning from. Mr. Moose, you are the man. Keep on rockin!

[@corporaldbag]

I'd just like to point out that I currently take AP Chem with Mr Musallam and not only do we blow shit up ALL THE TIME but he is also a friend to every student as well as a great educator. Hands down the best teacher I've ever had. He really cares about our learning and thinking

[@TimeMakerMusic]

Musallams make good teachers. :)

[@tangelaserls9677]

"Student questions are the seeds of real learning." Amazing sentiment. Many people of any age tend to ask questions in order to confirm or deny what they may already know. It's a learning technique, and it also demonstrates a unique interest in the material, as well as a desire to learn.

[@iamlymoa]

Finally. A teacher who understands.

[@777palena]

A good teacher learns from his students.

[@whiteblack9468]

This is the best presentation on the central role of curiosity in the learning process . Curiosity comes first. and it is so vital

[@typhurion]

THIS WAS MY AP CHEMISTRY TEACHER FROM HIGH SCHOOL!!! Hands down the BEST teacher I've ever had. There was always something to look forward to in his class. If you're in high school and you have the chance to take a class with him, JUST DO IT!! You will not regret it :) Sincerely, one of Mr. Musallam's former students.

[@YoloAlf]

Yeh when i was a kid i remember always asking questions but every time my teacher and parents would always respond with "you don't need to know" which really annoyed me;

[@Soccer0hots6]

I am in one of Mr. Mussalam's AP Chem classes and I can honestly say he does everything he talks about on his Ted Talk in the classroom. No class is ever boring because he provides us with so many cool experiments/ videos from movies that relate to what we are learning. He is always available to hep us before and after school, even sometimes on the weekends, and connects with us on a personal level which makes everyone love him more. Block 3 Group 3 loves you Mr. Mussalam!

[@inmargeigerm.ed.4654]

Very powerful! I wish that my Chemistry teacher had this teaching approach! Curiosity is the key, but many teachers deliver unwanted information to students every day because "they have to know that"

[@PleochroicSpodumene]

Hi, im a teacher and unfortunately I kind of agree, but its not our choice. By and large teachers want to follow student questions. However government and other forces push for a set curriculum. If we dont follow these people get up in arms. however, if we are to follow the crammed curriculum there is often little time to diverge and follow the cool ideas.

[@ms.agbowo-onyewuenyi7670]

It didn't take heart surgery for me to realize this problem among my peers at the start of my teaching career, but I appreciate the platform, the wake up call and call to action.

[@smile4yulia]

I would love to see a related talk but by an English teacher...Chemistry and social sciences are very hands-on subjects, so it would be interesting to hear some suggestions when it comes to learning a language..

[@chubbsheartstubbs]

What do you think is essential to spark learning?

[@apha55]

I will share an experience learning English as a second language. When I was about 11-12 years old, my English teacher during one of our class sessions simulated the whole class as an airplane cabin. We were all passengers, she's the pilot. She then acted out the whole scene in English telling us we were landing/taking off, experiencing certain conditions etc. We all had to act the part also; for example when we ran into a turbulence, we had to bump up/down in our seats. The whole point is we learned the language in a close-to-real-life situation and it was so much FUN almost 40 years later I still remember!!

[@ms.melissabalan613]

Let the students drive the questions of the literature you are studying. Instead of you giving them a set of pre-made 100 questions about To Kill a Mockingbird, allow them to come up with their own questions and then have them answer them.

[@athenaryan3205]

I'd look to none other than Brandon Spars.... I think he has filmed storytellings online but he's a wonderful humanities teacher

[@Nostagia]

I wish there were more people that actually cared about education like this.

[@seymurshukurzade2782]

brilliant, humanistic, positive, educational, joyful.. thank you very much for sharing your valuable discoveries and advice, the Teacher!

[@BlackhorseEdits]

I don't think I learned too much from high school, people just gave me a bunch of stuff to memorize for a week or so then I'd test on it so I could forget it forever, I did this repeatedly for about 4 years just in HS. That's what I got out of it anyways.

[@rmusallam]

As the candle goes out, the temp goes down, but pressure does as well, since the volume is essentially constant. A vacuum is then created and the outside pressure "Pushes" up against the cup. I think :)

[@PleochroicSpodumene]

while I don't agree entirely, the essence of what you have said rings true with me at least. The people in the best position to understand what students need is a good teacher. This guy is a great teacher, he actively looks for things that inspires his students to learn and then has the skills to help them get there.

[@randymeredith]

This video comes right at the time that I am discovering the central role of curiosity in the learning process. Ramsey, you make me want to stand up and cheer! Thank you!

[@HourgIass]

As a teacher myself, I work hard every day to make the information I'm presenting accessible and entertaining. It's hard, but it's so much more important to me to do my best to instill a sense of curiosity in my students than it is to follow the "pacing guide"

[@savannahg.9058]

I had Ramsey in freshman year biology absolutely amazing boutta take AS Medical BioChem with him this spring super stoked!

[@dbsk06]

cultivating curiosity. great point

[@shahsb_27]

Encourage curiosity among students and guide them through the journey of discovery and invention! Had always studied about Inquiry based Learning, but mostly couldn't implement it due to several reasons that many times learners moves off track while trying to find answers, which may often require unlearning process.

[@PleochroicSpodumene]

look when it comes down to it, I think the government should fund schools and they always will because some people cant afford to pay for education. So cheaper depends on who its cheaper for. If we rely on a business model, only those with the money to pay will receive the best education. What is disturbing is that education is becoming about uniformity rather than individuality. Teachers are pressured to teach the same thing leaving little time for exploration. hence previous comment.

[@Skyfox94]

I'd love to have this guy as a teacher...

[@trikytramont988]

Ramsey is the best!!!!

[@proggenius2024]

What an amazing speech. You ignite the curiosity in me. Thank you.

[@Hanni422]

04:46

[@fulalbatross]

It's never too late of course, and it warms me to hear that you're looking for other ways. I wish you and your kid good luck, and with your attitude I'm sure it will all turn out great =) And obviously some "don't"s are still very necessary. ;-)

[@truscorpion]

good question! i think it more memorizing than learning!

[@laurenm4021]

Very interesting! I’m a preschool teacher, and it would be interesting to figure out how to translate this to 2-5 yr olds!

[@MsKatame]

Aside from the teachers' attitude toward learning, the entire system really needs a reform. It's not like - especially science teachers - don't like doing fun things in class, they mostly just don't have time for it because there's always the curriculum breathing down the back of their necks. Of course it's the students who must pay for this with their interest

[@fulalbatross]

I'd say the best role model, and the easiest one to be, is the adult who goes easy on the "DON'T"s. Release any 3-year old into a room they don't know, and watch them literally tear it apart, and ask about everything, until they know everything there is to know about the new environment. That's curiosity, persistence and methodology already ingrained into every child. Natural born scientists. Until adults start going "Don't do that, don't touch that, don't go there, sit down and be quiet!"

[@HourgIass]

Alone**. I can only hope that, as a new teacher, I continue to find ways to motivate and reach my students. Wonderful talk. I hope I can continue to rise to the challenge. :)

[@awesomeskier12345]

the properties of individual air molecules (oxygen, co2, nitrogen) ?

[@rmusallam]

Thanks Block 3. I'm going to miss you guys. Sorry for stealing Alex all year...he needed it though :)

[@bakooryhere3300]

Thought that this needs more comments.. so yeah

[@atemarabella9612]

Very powerful

[@yudy92]

Ive done that candle in a glass trick while i was really drunk in a bar... it really hurt cus it fell on the table but the wax somehow picked on my skin.. science!

[@elpidiomenezes8149]

Its nic man!! I'd love to receive more things!!!

[@apoorv480]

My collage teachers should take lessons from him.

[@umeshbansall]

superb video

[@longtrinh5492]

what is key idea

[@ihavehaste]

I wanted to take chemistry with him, but my friends insisted I take honors chem with Mr. Milam. Bad choice there.

[@Jannik2099]

I wish our chemistry teacher was like this. I don't wanna implicate that he's not good at what he does, but nonetheless his lessons tend to have a rather sleep-inducing effect on me. We have a lot of good teachers here at the KSRychenberg in Switzerland, but unfortunately not all of them can be as good as this guy.

[@allyssainwonderland]

Brilliant.

[@msalyssa6604]

Love it!

[@Skyfox94]

No, it's target is to prepare you to fit into the system.

[@CrystalBlackmore]

excellent

[@holleey]

i'd say yes, it is, but it shouldn't be. learned knowledge is nothing compared to actual experience. the goal of school should be to enable pupils to make those experiences themselves. school should be about giving children the potential to improve existing formulas, not to make them memorize those formulas as the only correct answer there is and ever will be.

[@IcecalGamer]

It is easier for both teacher and student just to teach/ learn a recipe so they all do it just that. Why you may ask? Because curiosity leads to thinking and thinking leads to energy and time consumption. But we are lazy so we'd rather not think, not ask THE question and even when The question is asked by someone we desimise it quickly because our time and energy is to precious and is needed elsewhere. Meh... That was my rant on the subject, a lazy person yet a curious and disapointed student.

[@DurffLady]

The power of discrepant events..................

[@waxcomb]

Is learning even the goal of high school education?

[@dbraden56]

or could it be that yesterday was National Teacher Apprecation Day!

[@CaptainMog]

Should be but it doesn't seem to work eh?

[@soulofkingkt]

Riley is so cute !

[@awesomeskier12345]

I think you mean College*

[@vespahistory]

can't blow stuff up everyday.

[@nihalvallath7302]

👍

[@Quintinohthree]

I have the most boring chemistry teacher you'll ever know. I can't blame him, it's mostly because he's got Parkinson's, but the results are clear. Two people in class are really curious and interested (and I'm one of them) and get superb grades and everyone else is having trouble passing.

[@Akumeitakai]

Well Kids, that's all you get! That's It! Read a book!

[@Daearegal]

Like Breaking Bad!

[@salim5219]

Why are all the talks about education most of TED talks are about education aren't there any other subjects to talk about ?

[@noyurisoderland4190]

２、まちがい発言を歓迎　ー訂正

[@miskee11]

yeah, teachers these days are just disseminators of pre-written jargon which preferably just has to be memorized instead of actually understood.

[@atemarabella9612]

🤣🤣😭😭😭

[@youngwarriorpopocaca]

Sooo maddie has his personal phone number... interesting.

[@noyurisoderland4190]

教育とは　１、何だろう質問　２、なぜ、どうして質問　３、ふりかえり、どうだったのか質問

[@GeekiTheBrave]

He said the samethign Bill Gates said

[@lingkejiang9244]

Math is everywhere. Ha

[@j8894]

Any one's here brings by qr code?🤚

[@suni_nyte]

Module👋

[@rossplendent]

You don't know him. Maybe he's taking classes on collage-assemblage.

[@robrectec]

Great. Now can we stop talking about this stuff and just do it?

[@chinamanandfriends]

Oh hi Maddie. You're cute.

[@d4650]

(explosion)

[@MrKaineLee]

boring.