5 Must See TED Talks for Special Education Teachers

If you work at all around Special Education students, you are aware of the unique set of challenges it takes to ensure a successful learning environment. Endless meetings and mountains of paperwork, a feeling of isolation that general education teachers really don’t always “get it” when it comes to your students, all this can lead to stress and burnout. In fact, Special Education teachers are leaving the professional at an alarming rate. If you are a Special Education teacher or instructional aide, a Speech or Occupational Therapist, a school counselor, school psychologist, school nurse or anyone who works around a special education population in any capacity, you will enjoy these Ted Talks. Check them out any time you need a jolt of inspiration. Just click on the titles to view.

1. Scott Sonnon: How We Suppress Genius and Create Learning Disability 

Scott Sonnon overcame dyslexia so severe that he was hospitalized in a children’s psychiatric institution. He was advised that he should not set very high expectations of his potential. He went on to become a five-time world martial arts champion, award-winning producer and author, patented inventor, and fitness industry magnate. Scott was named one of the top 24 trainers in the world by Men’s Fitness magazine, and one of the six most influential martial artists of the 21st century by Black Belt Magazine.

2. ADHD As A Difference In Cognition, Not A Disorder: Stephen Tonti 

Stephen is a Senior Directing major at Carnegie Mellon. He is also the current President of Carnegie Mellon’s Film Club. He recently completed his Thesis Project within the School of Drama: a production of Mac Wellman’s “A Murder of Crows.” He is currently working on creating a collective of Film Enthusiasts across Carnegie’s Campus as well as other colleges and universities around Pittsburgh. You can find out more about Stephen and his talk on his website: www.stephentonti.com or follow his blog “Caffeine, Nicotine, and ADHD: a guide to maintaining sanity.”

3. Temple Gradin: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works — sharing her ability to “think in pictures,” which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.

4. Stella Young: I’m Not Your Inspiration Thank You Very Much

Stella Young is a comedian and journalist who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair — a fact that doesn’t, she’d like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity. In this very funny talk, Young breaks down society’s habit of turning disabled people into “inspiration porn.”

5. Matthew Williams: Special Olympics Let Me Be Myself

How much do you know about intellectual disabilities? Special Olympics champion and ambassador Matthew Williams is proof that athletic competition and the camaraderie it fosters can transform lives, both on and off the field. Together with his fellow athletes, he invites you to join him at the next meet — and challenges you to walk away with your heart unchanged.