Our failing schools. Enough is enough! | Geoffrey Canada

Why, why, why does our education system look so similar to the way it did 50 years ago? Millions of students were failing then, as they are now -- and it's because we're clinging to a business model that clearly doesn't work. Education advocate Geoffrey Canada dares the system to look at the data, think about the customers and make systematic shifts in order to help greater numbers of kids excel.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more.
Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at www.ted.com/translate
Follow TED news on Twitter: / tednews
Like TED on Facebook: / ted
Subscribe to our channel: / tedtalksdirector

[@ritnim8353]

This is one of the Ted talks that are extremely under acknowledged and deserve way more attention.

[@alexandercarvunaris846]

yes we all agree with this, you must be active and spread information that is what we all must do.

[@SlothGuru]

A message for those who made the descision to search for this video, I embrace you for taking the opportunity to educate yourself in your spare time. You're not ignorant or a threat to the society, you're the solution. Just wanted to say that.

[@clarakw5571]

Sloth Guru oh that’s so cute thanks 😊

[@farahboudastour504]

Thank you :)

[@queenieadrianomarcos2106]

I searched for it because it was mentioned in the book of Angela Duckworth about Grit. Yes! I like what Geoff said in that

[@mehmetefe4224]

Hey Sloth Guru, this message made me so happy... I just create myself education system :)

[@qafgurlbandj5972]

I value this comment deeply. Thank you.

[@RoseDempseyAVON]

I LOVE this man. I wish he was Secretary of Education and could convert all our schools to what made his Harlem Children's Zone such a success

[@thebaileyfamily2755]

He’s my cousin lol we going to his thanksgiving every yeat

[@rosacutejenniely8339]

People are petty and want the school systems to stay the same because they're logic is ' I had to suffer through it so you should too'. Stupidity.

[@el_kks_4361]

wow couldnt agree more

[@el_kks_4361]

we as new generation(also some of those who arent) can help its necessary, we need this change.

[@alexandercarvunaris846]

You say that using the wrong "there", the correct one to use is their. I could not agree more this is a problem and needs to be fixed.

[@el_kks_4361]

+Alexander Carvunaris +

[@rosacutejenniely8339]

+ Alexander Carnvunaris Thanks, spelling has never been a strong suit for me, not gonna lie. I think I said they're because I was thinking of a few individuals in my mind, lol. Or maybe because I need to go back to 2nd grade grammar, what ever it is, it's evident. I hope the problem is fixed as well. The speaker really did address the problem but not only that he raised up a solution. Now if only people could incorporate that.

[@academyofmine]

A school that's failed for 56 years was asked "what are you going to do different this year?" They responded with "we're going to do what we did last year". I'm feeling disappointed to be an adult. Let's pick up our socks adults and educators. The facts are in on education. And remember.... “Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance, you have to work at it.” ― Margaret Atwood

[@Ben-fg9wy]

But how can adults change the education system?

[@80beanz]

@@Ben-fg9wy by having less administrators and being honest about why kids fail in education. Throwing money at problems never helps. When resources are scarce(US education does not have this problem) human innovation always finds a way to better itself.

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@xso_0]

Ah yes.. our school system still sucks seven years later. We're still forced to learn topics that do nothing to our daily lives. I'm in the 10th grade and I'm beginning to have a daily breakdown because of the amount of stress school has given me. My teachers tell me to "go outside," "spend time with my family," "enjoy today," and "have fun." But how am I supposed to do those things, when I'm constantly worried about what I'll get on the next test and still finishing up work they assigned that day. How am I supposed to be happy, when I barely have time in the day to do activities that I enjoy doing. But most importantly, how am I supposed to succeed in life, when I barely have the will to learn. It's been too long... nothing has changed. I'm beginning to believe that this system will still be in place when my children go to school, and I'm very worried about that. I wouldn't wish for anyone's children to go through what I and millions of other kids have gone through and are still going through. It's absolute torture.

[@MacKenna_Z]

Yes I am also in tenth grade and I had a breakdown today because I had a late presentation and a late essay I have to turn in today plus the nine other assignments I have to turn in by Monday (and two tests I have to prepare for) I honestly could not care less about my education and am just showing up to school for choir and my musical theater class, it honestly feels like school is just working for grades and not for learning the material it really is torture

[@selbyhill4905]

I felt the exact same way in high school and now I’m in college and it’s gotten worse for me, except now I’m paying for this torture. It’s honestly awful and it needs to change in ALL schools. Our system is awful.

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@IcyPinguin]

"The whole basis of social operation today is a profit system. As long as you have a profit system, all your universities are tuned to the monetary system. The universities are not tuned to human betterment. They are not tuned to the well being of society. The universities are supported by the food industry, by wealthy corporations, and if you threaten them at the university level, that support will be withdrawn. You will not be permitted to talk against the mass productive systems of the present day economy. If you speak against those systems at a university, they would lose their support." - Jacque Fresco

[@callofdutylegend123]

Wow as soon as I read even just the title of this video, quotes from Jacque Fresco popped into my mind. That guy's a genius and the Venus Project is just really fascinating.

[@timnray99]

the university system is supported by the government, the two biggest institutions responsible for double digit inflation are education and medicine, both government subsidized....the loudest fascists at school are the left leaning students as Bloomberg pointed out in his commencement speech...and where Jacques are not corporations blasted at schools....fool

[@patyzgong8654]

watch the documentary college conspiracy

[@williamfisher327]

if you say you care about kids or the future of this country, watch this please.

[@jasonyoung4529]

Are you kidding me and take away a teacher who has a bachelors from "What's de doo university" in special ed's 70k union salary? No way. My kids don't deserve a good education

[@volinderdhesi9500]

Jason Young a

[@noobnoobie9719]

william fisher you need to act not only watch this video

[@HumanistJohn]

The problem with standardized tests is that the stakes are SO high. They turn teachers into factory line workers who must install countless pieces/parts into children so they can do well on THE test. An inspiring Dead Poets Society type teacher doesn't have much room to be inspiring anymore.

[@APP1413]

Absolutely agree with Mr. Jeff. I was an educator for seven yrs., and implemented what he said, and had basically nothing but success. Listen to the wise ones, and you'll become wise; follow the stupid one, and you fair badly. He obviously is wise.

[@frankrodrigues4128]

This Man was the President of my high school "Robert W White School in Boston Massachusetts. Thank God for him and the rest of the faculty there. They saved my life !

[@johnathannelson3746]

man this guy should come to my high school

[@michellesy5420]

Love his passion towards education!

[@SpiffingLadyCat]

looks like Prince Ea has drawn a lot of inpsiration from this

[@billyrowe0064]

This guy made an excellent speech! Totally gained my attention when the video started! Best speech you could deliver. People on TED rated it as persuasive and I can see why on the attention grabbing start. He developed the attention, presented the need, satisfied the need, visualized the need to get a solution, and got the audience to take action. All five steps of MMS - a great persuasive speech.

[@bricoyarte5375]

Great! I´m a teacher from Argentina, and this talk touch the reality of my country. Thanks a lot to share this.

[@sarahdaigle7630]

Beautiful words. Amazing motivation. The time is now

[@67Mannheim]

Fire, fire, fire! Such passion, fiery passion, burns. It's contagious. Glad to hear some people really care - beyond the 'funding'. Thanks for the upload.

[@free2bme455]

Wow!!! One of THE BEST Ted Talks I've heard. Thank you Mr. Geoffrey Canada!

[@charityh.300]

Mobile County school district needs to hear this we have 11 failing schools in the county of Mobile Alabama..

[@victoriamatthews5108]

“School systems are the microcosms of society.” In society, professional actors, singers, and athletes are highly paid and greatly respected; however, in schools, teachers are not on that level of financial gain or admiration. Like society, schools glorify male athletes, and female athletes are few and always less important. Also, students are more interested in pep rallies, school dances, sport games, and peer popularity, and those, who excel in academics, are considered nerds. In addition, the hierarchy of the school system needs reorganization whereby prestigious administrators are not over-paid and their salaries are equal to teachers . . . The structure of school systems has not allowed for change.

[@PsoriasisChannel]

This speaker is a force for good. I shared on Facebook. Thanks.

[@SuperHaven7]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for this video. Seriously, I wish I had you over at my school. ^_^ But at least I can hop on the 'wagon' in stead definitely. I need to hear this message more because it's "an important one" but so unbelievably governed by government and the faulty system that you don't learn a thing--try that on for size--well I didn't.

[@SuperHaven7]

You are a true Hero. Your right--the time is beyond by now. Enough is enough.

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@TheBashxDProductions]

His class didn't feel like one, it felt as if he was just installing this information onto my brain, it was amazing and since then I'm completely intereseted in math and generaly score very high on tests, not because I "work hard" or anything, but because a talented teacher inspired me and taught me about math. Since then i've had terrible ass teachers, but I still like math because of him and to this day I keep in touch with him biweekly. And it wasn't just me, other students too.

[@flashhd8785]

Look at your neighbor and copy the one who is doing the best without compromising fun. Finland has innovative education and Holland has the most rehabilitation penal system.

[@LucysChoice]

That's a great talk! I really hope that people will get inspired from it and will experiment in their teaching styles because we really need it in our society. Every great person had a wonderful teacher.

[@bvegannow1936]

Teaching isn't just limited to schools. People get taught things from society and the environment also. Let nature by thy teacher.

[@PirateBug59]

Yes! This guy is great! Excellent points.

[@NYCSteviewonder]

this guy spoke at my school last year, and he did a great job

[@greggeverman5578]

6 years later and I’m STILL trying to get him to stop being angry. 😁

[@georgenaugles5039]

Right! We need assessments that inform instruction week to week or at least month to month. I can't believe the crassness of administrators who have told me "well, the next group of students or the group after that we'll get it right." NO, we need to make sure we do all we can to ensure the students we have NOW learn their academic standards so they are well prepared for career or college, as they prefer.

[@iluvenisp]

This man is AMAZING! And super inspiring! GREAT TedTalk!

[@BowenDesignWorks]

I don't believe you can't discuss changing education in America without addressing the Teachers Unions that has caused much of the problem.

[@Ben-fg9wy]

Teachers'* have* Yes, they have caused poor English performance and made school harder to fix.

[@marclabrie6027]

@@Ben-fg9wy fire all teachers then and get new ones

[@shantelelewellen2788]

Our education does look the same as it did 50 years ago+. It's like a factory. Factories are efficient, and are graded on it's quality. If it doesn't meet standards it gets tossed aside. This is the model we have for our education system, and people are not all the same. It's not one size fits all. Teachers are expected to do something about it without the resources, and have to follow a business model that doesn't make sense. As an educator this is my wish. I wish for smaller class sizes. I think this should be the first thing we do to make great change for our schools. There would be more Teachers to hire which would benefit our economy, but also the students could get the support they need. Teachers feel tremendous guilt for not being able to support all their students, and not be able to give them the attention they need, and it's not their fault. There are class sizes up to 38 students in the hands of 1 teacher. By the way, did I mention this was a 1st grade classroom. This is not uncommon to see in the poverty districts in Oregon. We need more teachers, and smaller class sizes, if we are expected to differentiate lessons to truly meet the needs of our children.

[@Jessicascleaningtips]

our teachers on their phones during class time 😤

[@vengefulfork7169]

yep same and if the teachers see any phone a student owns the office immediately gets it

[@yolandakent9872]

As an Educator if 18 years, I agree!!!!

[@mmkogut]

easily one of the best TedTalks I've ever seen. he should also see: this TedTalk on innovation and education... Robert Gordon: The death of innovation, the end of grwoth

[@HumanistJohn]

No, I am very serious. Right now my students' brains are fried and the teachers are worn out. Students and teachers would all do much better if breaks were more evenly spaced with similar lengths. Rather than a 2 week winter break, 1 week spring break, and 11 week summer break, we could have even quarters with 3 or 3.5 week breaks. That would also allow families to take vacation during a season of their choice (a boon for the ski industry?).

[@ilive4god2007]

He is awesome! Preach, brother )

[@pasainchina97]

Excellent being honest i see this guy, hear this guy...i think he really believes in this..refreshing

[@pamelaonlinebuenrostro1705]

here in 2020, and still thinking about schools and learning methods

[@Lee1Min-Ji]

As a teacher I have been equally as frustrated about the lack of time in a year and more so in a class period to teach my students.

[@IshtarLinqu]

Nupuqi Om-Re Khonectics Chamber 9 plus degree The earths creative waters electric current connections is an English Translation of Nupuqi Om-Re Khonectics. This work is the totality of the worlds historical learning curriculum. Due to the invent of different languages and cultures what was once elementary to all has become confusing to the masses including their Phds . Many have come to label the unlearnt as Ignorant . Lets spell ignorant to decipher the true meaning . Does it mean dumb or unlearnt? Ignorant ( IGNOR ANT ) WISDOM OF THE TRINITY NUCLIDE OXIDATION RADIATION BY THE MOUND BUILDERS . So Humans choose led by their demonic fire ( desire , Illi ) select ( nois , Zion ) to become as one of us to know good from evil . Is it by choice that all of you have continued for centuries to attempt to expound on knowledge far beyond 6th grade when all the knowledge of this world is elementary ? Is it on purpose that the world has taken classes from the totality of the curriculum and binded the followers to only that class by calling it a religion ? Yom ka re = ma son AGE 3, 4, 5 ( 3 grades or 3rd grade education ) Ma son Receives his Star and becomes ( Sayyid ) Master He is initiated into the chambers Adept = Master Mason age 6 1ST Reading = Hiero ( Gospel ) age 7 2ND Writing = Glyphs age 8 3RD Arithmetic = Mithra age 9 The end of life primary stage 4TH Bio Bonding elements Bible = Hebrew ( Helium bonded rays of water ) Kaballah ( Health ) age 10 5TH Life and Earth Science = Christianity ( Methods , Methodist ) age 11 6TH Social Studies = Islam ( Civics , Geography ) and the seal of the Prophets ( elemental gases ) age 12 The end of life elemental stage Graduation ( G ra duat ion ) 13 the age of Pi ( creative wisdom ) Ankhi Because many of you asked for rights rather than defend your Reich your schools were closed down and your traditions were forgotten . The results of this demand were Public schools . This led to a curriculum put together that would supposedly allow the cream to rise to the top. On occasion , an example is seen where a young students graduates high school and enters college at age 10 - 15 . Other contributing factors such as greed, Parents who used their children as workers , Human relations ( racial , tribal , class , legal ) conflicts , Human genetic deficiencies , and the Holders of the information who have used the technique of combining all of the previous listed techniques into one called the system to keep 85% of you unlearnt . A veil has been placed on your eyes and your blessing are no more. Does a spark remain , the smallest Iota ? You must learn to pray again and regain your blessing of old . You have forgotten what Prayer is and you must go back to your beginnings ( bonded elemental ginns ) . To do this you must face your demons and Remember. The reason you cant remember is because the traditions were broken . Oh how at birth we use to have a ceremony of Baphomet, the baptizing of the children into the Ancient Order . Everyone was in all white robs and head wraps as we performed the ritual . The baptism was held on Sabbath ( seeds atomically bond forming Ba entering thermosphere and hellos ) .This is the Highest regions where water molecules are found. The duality principle gave us Sabbath to keep Holy (Trinity based , H2O , FATHER , MOTHER , CHILD) . This day was set aside for tribes to not only engage in traditional story telling but to study the Holy Books , Baptism and Community Baths ( dosing of the water , sprinkle ) this is called the Holy Communion .

[@ranielpangilinan727]

REAL Education stands from Creativity and honesty.

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@TadejPasar]

Came here after The Grit book. It’s 2020 and everything is still the same as Dr. Canada tells it in my country. If there is someone who is making a difference reading this I would like to help.

[@thomasleszczynski3663]

We don't get mad at the innovation, or trying something new. We get mad at how working conditions always seem to deteriorate when "something new" comes along. Charter schools! Great! Except they work you like a dog, burn you out, and then take the next wide-eyed dreamer into the grinder. They always seem to squeeze in more paperwork, longer hours, and impossible expectations! Let's use the business analogy.. imagine this in Mr. Canada's voice "What BUSINESS would expect a single cashier to be able to check out 30 different customers... buying COMPLETELY different products... AT THE SAME TIME! Nobody can do that!"

[@YR2050]

These videos has been keeping me hopeful.

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@nsfa19]

Incredible!!

[@parishathkumar1190]

Two things: (1)Has anyone ever assesed the impact on childerns education and faild marrage of their parents. (2)Unfortunately there is no subtitute for the hardwork one has to put in for learning.

[@dunc1959]

Great entertaining talk and much of what this man says could apply just as much here in the UK where we have many of the same problems with our education system.

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@preparationh_25g38]

This man is just simply brilliant!

[@KeeganIdler]

Thank you!

[@AndreaSamadi]

I watch this TEDTALK once a quarter...and this time, it's the last. Enough is Enough...stay tuned Geoffery Canada...I am going to be in touch with you. We have run out of time...

[@mscarter624]

Imagine if Geoffrey Canada was Secretary of Education instead of Betsy Devos...

[@Mayhelive4ever]

Candace Carter it’s be basically the same. Both believe in charters, vouchers and E-schools.

[@SDbrotv]

This is fantastic!

[@maritzaalvarado3008]

Coincido en que los problemas de la escuela siguen siendo los mismos desde hace más de 200 años. Las políticas educativas no se construyen desde las bases sólidas que la comunidad educativa requiere.

[@mmmchkplss1203]

How comforting to see the people in the crowd cheering and clapping for this man 😁 and knowing all of them went home and did nothing about anything and it's been 9 years and the system hasn't changed 😆 Bunch of hypocrites. Now let's all get out there and DO SOMETHING

[@rogercaselli2921]

Bom dia!!! Nós, brasileiros, precisamos de pessoas igual a este senhor. Executa suas ações e não fica na mesmice de teóricos (que não produzem e não colaboram em nada), o sistema de ensino, em um todo, em São Paulo está falindo. Até hoje não vi um citar o nome de Geoffrey Canada como modelo, ao contrário, o escondem.

[@ramrunsfast]

Parte de o problema e que os professores não tem o apoio que eles precisam. Junto com isso, tem muitas pessoas que só estão viviendo dia a dia então essas crianças tem que començar a trabalhar bem antes para ajudar sustentar a família. A coisa que nunca vou entender no Brasil e que o rico faz a escola particular para depois entrar na universidade publica em contrário os que não conseguem pagar uma escola particular vai para a publica para depois fazer uma universidade particular. Para mim e ridículo e o sistema tem que mudar em termos que entre mais dinero você faz, mais de a universidade pública você paga.

[@HumanistJohn]

I would love to teach year-round with smaller breaks between marking periods rather than a big long summer break. I hate wasting time reteaching in the fall to make up for the summer.

[@thomasleszczynski3663]

If I have 80 kids a day, and it turns out that each one of them is struggling with a different topic, it's very difficult for me to do anything about it AND continue with the next topics. So if Johnny is struggling with 2 digit multiplication, I pretty much have to move on. School is designed to have everyone move at the same pace, more or less.

[@honey_bee7923]

Thomas Leszczynski thats why its so corrupt. Take mental health into account. If Jhonny suffers from clinical depression. He wont have the motivation to make his education better, and in worse circumstances, Johnny might believe that all he is good for is to make grades.

[@Skuroccer9]

Very powerful, but what do we do about it?

[@CRIresearch]

Great job Geoffrey

[@hughjass42069]

He boasted that his charter school had a 100% graduation rate. He lied. His school failed to educate 35 of the 97 kids 2006 class of sixth graders. Only 62 graduated. That is not 100%, it is 64%, less than ⅔.

[@docentstef257]

Motivating speech to do better, to find the correct priorities

[@alexisgrasso9529]

Agreed, Dr. Canada! but for one thing: let's encourage innovation in public schools and track the results. Only support for excellent, free, primary, public education can insure that it is not merely our affluent children who succeed!

[@thelifeofaboi2693]

Please come to Inglewood Unified School district. Our schools our failing!

[@JacksonWelch]

I like his voice! :)

[@SuperHaven7]

This is amazing. For goodness sake it's so lovely to hear an adult TALK about these issues! So confusing and pain staking...

[@CraftyShawn]

Great presentation love his sense of humor

[@slgaines32]

This was great!!

[@joshuapitong899]

Thank you.😊

[@josealfredotorresrubio9947]

Way far, one of the best TED Talk I have ever seen in my entire life. State has the power to make a change, but they don't want, probably political interests or stuff like that, but we need a cataclism in our school systems (worldwide)

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@Holobrine]

Whenever someone in politics tells you "we can't afford it", always remember that they really mean other things are more important. In this case, ask yourself, was the Iraq or Afghanistan war really more important than our education? How about more than healthcare? How about more than college?

[@5moka]

this guy made me cry!

[@tyr3lltrinidad381]

I love this part it made me feel better 17:07

[@mstruth8628]

Lol. Exactly

[@DrBauhause]

Its 2019 and nothing has changed...

[@elhassjr2368]

In my country the problems are beyond this!

[@VarunDewan]

to this dude's wife..this duu cool.. and smart! xD

[@CrowdPleeza]

You have to change these kids and their parent's attitude towards being educated. Why do kids at these failing schools excel on the basketball court,the football and track fields? Because their attitudes towards athletics is more healthy than their attitudes towards academics. For too many kids in these failing schools it's not cool to be smart or to have broad interest. This is what has to change. So until these kids and their parents take the healthy attitude that they have for excelling on the basketball court and apply that to academics you won't get enough progress from them academically. If they can handle complex football plays then they can handle complex mathematics.

[@Igottamakeit]

+CrowdPleeza Why FORCE them to be good at 'academics'? Different kids have different interests.

[@sharaal6709]

@@lompocus irrelevant

[@hustlemadec9985]

His presentation is stellar and he would make a damn good politician

[@victorledezma6652]

10 years later nothing changed

[@NEUHOUSER1]

My mother used to teach (now teaching elsewhere) at a JDC (Juvie) with a seemingly unfireable teacher who; would show up late, leave early, refused to teach at all but played movies instead, and leave items considered to be dangerous with the students on a regular basis. When my mother talked to the administrator of the JDC about it the other teacher heard and contacted the union who then sent a rep to council her on why she felt the need to "intimidate", "bully" and "harass" the other teacher.

[@MrElektrolyt]

Ruanda, Tanzania and Bosnia make great first names too!

[@nolie94]

SO MUCH PENN LOVE. I LOVE IT (Canada was last year's commencement speaker. Legend is an alum).

[@DeimosSaturn]

True, I didn't substantiate any one of my abundantly self-evident claims.

[@jesse399]

I wish all parents can be this dedicated to their children education as Geoffrey is our American children.

[@hungrytomato]

I don't think the point of this talk was to offer solutions, but rather, to offer a meta framework to look for solutions. That's why all the comparisons to technology, to get us to reflect upon our attitudes on the subject and to get the attitude right going forward into solutions. Not about what solutions, but what do we need to do in order to allow the production of solutions.

[@juangutierrez7213]

We should always change and improve what we do, so that way we can reach more individuals, even if it is one student at a time.

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@myForumDaily]

he's so NYC...i love it :)

[@ym8447]

very eloquent.

[@ghazanfaradilfaridi9397]

In school classroom management is very important watch in the link below

[@DeimosSaturn]

Even cell phone networks operate in a similar floating network method. Individual idle cell phones become relays for other people's calls into areas with lesser tower coverage. As the machines become field powered by near-future technology, there could be such spider-web relays all over the place eliminating the need for towers.

[@Tyandaga]

He mentioned having schools open all year round, but there's a reason why school is usually closed during the summer: it's too hot! Many public schools simply don't have the funding to have air conditioning, and it's only ever given to the library or office ;p.

[@tnoble]

not true

[@Tyandaga]

Tom Noble Maybe where you live, but here they don't ;p

[@CorrectCrusader]

Not true at all. Schools have acs in every room in all the schools i've been in.

[@kcfitchik2392]

schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/20/schools-out-for-summer-but-why/

[@hopefulmelancholy7514]

Schools & most public taxpayer funded entities cant afford *adequate* air conditioning to combat mass sweating.The library is a very good example.

[@MsKatame]

That guy is very inspiring though he sn't really offer any possible solutions. Does anyone remember A. S. Neil? he was just as inspiring and actually talked about what he did differently as well as why

[@joebodner6368]

the part at 17:07 is very inspiring

[@tyr3lltrinidad381]

wow very inspiring indeed

[@ed-edd-n-eddy]

I'm going to summer school voluntarily. Yet we will still.have the waste the first month reviewing what I have been learning over the summer. We need school all year round bro.

[@CurtHowland]

"that worked great for you medical system" Exactly. With the centralization and institutionalization of medical care, quality has decreased (stagnated really, bureaucracy does that) and prices have gone way up. Exactly like centralized schooling has done. Good for you to notice it. The few segments of medicine that remain essentially market driven, such as Lasic surgery, have seen dramatic improvements and ever decreasing costs. Exactly like everywhere else that the market is allowed to work.

[@bvegannow1936]

Ban: mandatory school, gov control over education and curriculum, hsd and ged requirements, public school, directly tax funding schools. Let kids learn job skills and work instead.

[@rainyflowwunevilable]

lol tbh they are slowing trying to get new things in my school and even renovate my school right now... i feel like it’s so they don’t look like bad guys and that whenever the need to argue with someone they can say that they do change their school.

[@anime2012]

i remember even my handwriting would go bad over the summer- holding a pencil felt awkward when school started in september. having breaks from school is good, but a 2-3 month long vacation is no way to get a person, let alone a child, to retain information. ^^;

[@fixatomato]

This guy is amazing, off the charts. Loved the whole talk. Appreciate the passion you have Dr. Canada. But that right index finger was freaking me out man.

[@NYCSteviewonder]

just watch the whole fucking video. he has done so much good to this world that you haven;t

[@fireflaming8498]

Thank god, I have great education in the U.S. I live in Illinois, Chicago Public Schools, A and B student. ;)

[@SuperHaven7]

Good for you. It's definitely deserves a thank god. For sure.

[@mrincrdible7248]

love to see positive black people changing the world keep the good work up.

[@abdulmoizayyaz]

This ted talk needs to god damn be seen by Everyone

[@PeaceOutWorld]

In addition to my previous post: Authoritarian style of teaching is an issue. You sit & listen or be punished. Lack of engagement of students bright ideas. Learn and score well, that's it. Full time school started with the wars (I & II) when dads were off to war and moms needed free daycare/schooling. Before that, it was an agrarian society, built around local farms, farming in summer, mixed ages in class, going to school much older, and on. Now it's all corporations & paychecks. Mercenaries.