The Art of Delivering Information | Mike Johnston | TEDxLaSierraUniversity

We all have opportunities to teach, to share, to deliver information. In this inspiring and engaging talk, Mike Johnston presents simple and effective ways to focus not only on content, but on how we deliver it, cracking the code to successfully educate any individual on any topic.
Mike Johnston is a renowned drummer, but his greatest passion is for education. He currently runs the world’s biggest educational website for drummers, where he offers live and pre-‐recorded drum lessons. He began studying the drums at the age of five and spent the next fifteen years studying privately with drumming legends Pete Magadini, Steve Ferrone, and Will Kennedy.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@mikeslessons]

Guys, thank you so so much for taking some time out of your day to listen to me talk about what fuels my soul! I appreciate your kind words (and the fact that you sat through 15 min. of me babbling, lol) more than you know :) Mike Johnston

[@danielfgray88]

Mike Johnston I really enjoyed that! Did you get a little choked up at the end there?

[@AquaAnim]

+Daniel Gray (DanielFGray) He did, and it shows exactly how important education is to him

[@PosadYu]

+Mike Johnston I just come back from London drum show and re-watched it ))

[@jonoboyleenglishteacherand1689]

+Mike Johnston That wasn't babble that was motivating. I will remember your phrase about cracking the code - I teach English in China, the description of your adjusting explanations is my daily grind, it gets overwhelming, and your video was supportive. I will continue to ignore the jargon, and just keep trying to connect to the learners in front of me. I hit a barrier recently, realising they didn't have the vocab to answer my discussion topics - I went back to the drawing board, took some cool vids and pics in and I have won their hearts back, ha one lesson was even about food, so yes the dessert was there in front of them. Now the test is on - literally in two weeks. I just hope my words stuck, and they will be able to answer the questions. A month ago I had a class that wasn't getting it, so I mixed them up and sat them with their opposites in ability - now I am coaching my team, there's nothing like the feeling when you watch your class helping each other through a problem...keep up the motivation dude. Thank you.

[@SweeneyTodd2095]

I've always had respect for you as a drummer. I've learned so much since I've followed you from that tiny room and overhead camera until now. But never have I had so much respect for you as a teacher. Thank you for revealing the art of delivering information, so that I might inspire someone down the road. Thank you.

[@darwinmedinamusic]

"Why can't we treat the delivery of information as a talent?" Most beautiful question I've heard in a long time.

[@NachiketKarekarMusic]

SO MUCH PASSION! He cracked up at just the thought that he can't teach again hypothetically. So much passion for teaching!

[@LaSierraBSchool]

Every educator needs to watch this.

[@mdyng1955]

Mike's passion for teaching sparks passion in his students. I've witnessed so much growth in in my many friends who study with Mike. Amazing teacher, amazing human being.

[@cheesecakes0188]

This brought tears to my eyes. A great teacher cares enough to make sure you understand. I teach in a public school and my heart yearns to make sure my students can be all they can possibly be. Thanks Mike.

[@kristiawanindi3871]

Drumming is my Hobby, Teaching is my Passion, Very strong words and full of meaning. Thank you Mike for your sharing.

[@maxadrums]

This is just an amazing TedTalk about the Art of Delivering Information. About teaching, educating. CHECK IT OUT.

[@nigelfisher6896]

Mikes a great drum teacher. Very interesting watching this.

[@kmorrissey]

Mike! Wonderful breakdown of the passion for teaching. I've been studying drums with you as my teacher for several years, and I realize that your passion is wanting me to understand what you're trying to convey. No wonder I like the lessons so much. Awesome sauce!

[@jakobforslin6301]

Mike Johnston: Great teacher, Great drummer.

[@emmanuelhird9931]

Mike makes me want to teach. All my life I said I would never teach, but I don't know about that now.

[@kellyb0279]

I love this man!

[@rogzcorpuz]

This is one of the best Ted Talks I've ever heard. We share the same passion, Mike. Thank you for teaching me how to deliver information more effectively.

[@robertbridges4686]

I follow your lessons and every time you start with joy, you show what can be. You give us the dessert and then you break it all down. For me its your joy that hooks and then its how you show us how to break it down and how we can use those concepts to everything. You are a talented teacher. Youve made me an eager student

[@absinha6209]

This applies to so many things. Mike - you are awesome!

[@willmeyer2150]

Great Presentation! Thank you for all the work you do to share your talents in education!

[@harryplaysdrums]

That ending man..

[@kevinjdrums]

So proud of you big bro! Every educator must see this.

[@franrub9234]

Excellent!!!!

[@bigblackcanon]

Very awesome talk. As a drum teacher myself I totally agree with the desert before veggies bit as it is very apparent that the interest of a young person starts to slip away if you dont at first show them the end result and how good it can sound/feel to apply the basic knowledge of rudiments around the kit. Keeping kids attention these days seems like its getting more and more difficult, so to have that end goal is super important. All the other points were awesome as well. I hope you do another one sometime Mike. Good work!

[@banksanddadechirowellness243]

I love this, thank you Mike Johnston - for your passion and committment

[@seantobin8262]

Mike you nailed this one. Very proud!

[@antobeo12]

Fantastically well said. A true monument to your talent, Mike!

[@joshsmith9448]

Amazing talk by a great dude. He explained astronomy to me over Mexican food once. He's a born teacher.

[@hmclake1]

I should have seen this much more earlier. Great talk! As a drumming teacher myself I can't agree more with Mike. Great to see how much passion he has for teaching!

[@mtdrummer9266]

Mike, awesome job. I relate so much to that. I always end up as the one going around helping people that didn't quite get it right away. I also tend to explain everything 4 or 5 different ways because that is what it took for me to get it (very annoying to the wife and kid). Whenever I'm trying to learn something new I relate it to something I already know and then try to use that to explain it to others. I also teach whatever I just learned to others as a way to make sure I actually learned it correctly myself. If I can't help someone else to understand it then I really don't know it as well as I think I do and I need to learn it better myself.

[@shakedpersi3332]

Wow. That's an amazing video! Almost skipped it because I saw it doesn't have too many views. So happy I didn't skip. Thank you, great content!

[@mamawolfpackmusic]

Amazing work Mike. Well done.

[@michaelkahn8903]

thank you for a real good lesson. and from who you got the praise, that is a rave. kudos. I am now going to restate some information I related two or three times to a leader of a nonprofit who wants to run for office, and explain to him again why that is not a good idea. YOu taught me that it is all in the delivery, and i am inspired to try to redeliver.

[@eyesburning]

Great talk, Mike! Your passion really shows when you're teaching :)

[@gayatriswarnkar9419]

Soul engaging speech! Love it.

[@ruffdrag]

Here's how I know that teaching is my passion...if you told me I could never explain things to people ever again, I don't know that there'd really be a reason for me to be on this earth. So, if that rings true to you, you might have a talent, you might be an educator.

[@bffentertainment7848]

Wow, was so inspired! Thank you Mike!!

[@pkirsch1303]

Very much looking forward to drum camp next week :)

[@CyberIllusions]

Great Job, Mike!!

[@chrismorgan2966]

Great job Mike!!

[@martydurlam]

I believe the children are our future...teach them well, and let them lead the way.

[@K20AMikey]

You're awesome mike

[@preisseldrums]

That was refreshing, thank you! And love your drum Videos, Mike. Keep it up :-)

[@ruveenperera]

"We need to start caring more. To change education we don't have to tear down schools and build new ones or impeach a president.......". Applies to almost all contexts. Very well said.

[@AdamRek]

Mike, it is really awesome talk. Thank you for it.

[@davidverna7767]

AMAZING!!!!!!

[@sseos]

you are the real deal, such an inspiration! Was great meeting you in Berlin!

[@SoggyBagelz]

AMAZING

[@leosuarezjr8479]

great work bro.. when we present and they say " we're not interested".. they are actually saying " you are not interesting"... btw.. love your passion.. proud of you.

[@mattcurl5683]

Great video!

[@persennerhall-personalresu5858]

Thanks, Mike.

[@Hawkhunter07]

This was amazing

[@MikeSchertenlieb]

well done MJ!

[@holzi2k]

Amazing.

[@JamesKnoerl]

Right on, you got a text.

[@lainstewart857]

This helped me with being a assonant teacher in a pre K class

[@dudustickytricks]

Inspiring , and universally applicable. As a musician, artist, employee, coworker, father, etc. this advice is endlessly valuable. One question, though... did you only have friends with alliterative names? :)

[@Sonatarium]

man, I look forward to learning from you

[@giant1band455]

Great Ted Talk!

[@moonbentley7412]

great talk

[@BLOOM604YVR]

I don't know if Mike will see this, but this is my passion in life. Are there any books in particular that could be suggested for further reading?

[@nkinyori]

Wow!

[@yorrgh]

wow

[@INFOGUIDEBENGALI]

What is the name of that book?

[@cherusiderea1330]

For the love of god, please stand still

[@the6ig6adwolf]

I've heard good things about that coach Fisher.

[@Albator972]

Mike Johnston...i guess I said it all

[@StartdrummingDe]

Und hier das ganze in voller Länge! ;-)

[@brentyeich6142]

Great message, needs to work on speech. Very hard to focus when he's moving all over the place and continually pausing to swallow his spit haha

[@Unanythang]

who's here because of Matt Halpern?

[@timfilichia]

Great information but when you wander back and forth, you are diminishing your delivery. Great information though.

[@williambird1234]

Mike's teaching is desert.

[@user-dz4ch5qz2v]

حسبنا الله و نعم الوكيل

[@M7MDG3mer]

ما الومك 😂🥲💔

[@jessicaalcorn6314]

colombus did not discover america.

[@mikeslessons]

Jessica Alcorn No he did not Jessica, but we are taught in school that he did. If the teacher truly cared about the delivery of the information they could say "Now, who here has heard that Christopher Columbus discovered America?" After half the class raised their hands the teacher then could whisper "Then I'm about to blow your minds". Then the entire class would be engaged and the real learning, and long term retention could begin. Hope that helps :) Mike Johnston

[@7thewitness]

Mike Johnston That's true. Approach can be powerful!

[@dudustickytricks]

Inspiring , and universally applicable. As a musician, artist, employee, coworker, father, etc. this advice is endlessly valuable. One question, though... did you only have friends with alliterative names? :)