February 23, 2021– As we finish up our series for this month about breaking out of our comfort zones, we see that it can be uncomfortable to realize and be proud of our accomplishments and writing life because we don’t want to be seen as arrogant and perhaps, we lack the self confidence to feel as though we deserve them. If this has ever happened to you, you’re not alone! Even after writing eleven books and winning several awards, Maya Angelou couldn’t escape the doubt that she hadn’t earned her accomplishments. This feeling of fraudulence is extremely common. Why can’t so many of us shake feelings that our ideas and skills aren’t worthy of others’ attention? Elizabeth Cox describes the psychology behind the imposter syndrome, and what you can do to combat it.
Tag: TedTalk
Encourage Adventure
February 11, 2021– As we continue to explore Breaking out of our comfort zones this month, we’ve got a great Ted Talk to share with you! Meet Caroline Paul, Firefighter, Paraglider, and all-around adventurer. Gutsy girls skateboard, climb trees, clamber around, fall down, scrape their knees, get right back up — and grow up to be brave women. Learn how to spark a little productive risk-taking and raise confident girls. Be brave, be confident, and be adventurous!
Overdue
December 4, 2020-Libraries have the power to create a better world; they connect communities, promote literacy and spark lifelong learners. But there’s one thing that keeps people away: the fear of overdue book fines. In this thought-provoking talk, librarian Dawn Wacek makes the case that fines don’t actually do what we think they do. What if your library just … stopped asking for them altogether? Click here to watch this TedTalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/dawn_wacek_a_librarian_s_case_against_overdue_book_fines?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
Kids in Poverty

October 23, 2020– Why should a good education be exclusive to rich kids? Schools in low-income neighbourhoods across the US, specifically in communities of colour, lack resources that are standard at wealthier schools — things like musical instruments, new books, healthy school lunches and soccer fields — and this has a real impact on the potential of students. Kandice Sumner sees the disparity every day in her classroom in Boston. In this inspiring talk, she asks us to face facts — and change them.
Lifelong Reader

October 16, 2020- I LOVE this TedTalk by Alvin Irby. According to the US Department of Education, more than 85 percent of black fourth-grade boys aren’t proficient in reading. What kind of reading experiences should we be creating to ensure that all children read well? In a talk that will make you rethink how we teach, educator and author Alvin Irby explains the reading challenges that many black children face — and tells us what culturally competent educators do to help all children identify as readers.
The Technology of Storytelling
September 30, 2020-iPad storyteller Joe Sabia introduces us to Lothar Meggendorfer, who created a bold technology for storytelling: the pop-up book. Sabia shows how new technology has always helped us tell our own stories, from the walls of caves to his own onstage iPad. Click on the link below to watch the TedTalk now: https://www.ted.com/talks/joe_sabia_the_technology_of_storytelling
Think, Pair, Share
September 21, 2020-You’re a poet and Daniel Tysdal is about to show it. Daniel will walk you through his writing process to showcase the Power of Poetry to help us remember, grieve and celebrate. Daniel Tysdal has been a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at UTSC since 2009. He is the author of three books of poetry and the poetry textbook, The Writing Moment: A Practical Guide to Creating Poems (Oxford University Press 2014). He is the recipient of multiple awards for his work and his research interests include creative writing and poetry. Check out the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0BUYzMypi8
Does Grammar Matter?
July 13, 2020-Does grammar matter if the people we’re speaking to can understand what we mean? Let’s see what Andreea S. Calude has to say about that on this TEDEd below:
The Lost Art of Letters
June 8, 2020– This Ted Talk from Lakshmi Pratury is about the lost art of letter writing. Do you write letters anymore? You should! Check out the video below:
Lunch Lady Heroes
April 24, 2020– I was lucky enough to meet Jarrett when I was in New York attending the SCBWI winter conference last year. He’s a fantastic speaker and a lovely guy. Check out his Ted Talk about Why Lunch Ladies are Heroes and his graphic novel!