The Power of a Question | Tony Tepedino | TEDxRochester

have you ever had an idea and let it go

have you ever had an idea and let it go have you ever been inspired by someone

have you ever been inspired by someone

have you ever been inspired by someone or something and fail to act have you

or something and fail to act have you

or something and fail to act have you ever wondered what if six years ago as

ever wondered what if six years ago as

ever wondered what if six years ago as Jen was saying I attended my first TEDx

Jen was saying I attended my first TEDx

Jen was saying I attended my first TEDx Rochester right here at geva I was with

Rochester right here at geva I was with

Rochester right here at geva I was with my friend and co-worker Amy and a

my friend and co-worker Amy and a

my friend and co-worker Amy and a student and he was a junior at the time

student and he was a junior at the time

student and he was a junior at the time Martin as we left we were completely

Martin as we left we were completely

Martin as we left we were completely blown away we were excited by the

blown away we were excited by the

blown away we were excited by the connections we had made and the

connections we had made and the

connections we had made and the information that we had learned with our

information that we had learned with our

information that we had learned with our excitement that our energy level was

excitement that our energy level was

excitement that our energy level was beyond palpable at that moment as we

beyond palpable at that moment as we

beyond palpable at that moment as we walked away Martin looked at Amy and I

walked away Martin looked at Amy and I

walked away Martin looked at Amy and I and said what if we have a TEDx at our

and said what if we have a TEDx at our

and said what if we have a TEDx at our school Amy responded right away with why

school Amy responded right away with why

school Amy responded right away with why don’t we that was the moment everything

don’t we that was the moment everything

don’t we that was the moment everything changed embracing the power of a

changed embracing the power of a

changed embracing the power of a question the unknown reveling that

question the unknown reveling that

question the unknown reveling that stepping into that feeling it’s sort of

stepping into that feeling it’s sort of

stepping into that feeling it’s sort of reveling in it using the questions to

reveling in it using the questions to

reveling in it using the questions to flip a moment that feeling has continued

flip a moment that feeling has continued

flip a moment that feeling has continued to spill into every facet of what I do I

to spill into every facet of what I do I

to spill into every facet of what I do I was a traditional teacher who was afraid

was a traditional teacher who was afraid

was a traditional teacher who was afraid to put my progressive beliefs and

to put my progressive beliefs and

to put my progressive beliefs and practice now my classroom practices have

practice now my classroom practices have

practice now my classroom practices have completely flipped I give my students

completely flipped I give my students

completely flipped I give my students the keys and I let them we need to drive

the keys and I let them we need to drive

the keys and I let them we need to drive animal almost all aspects of the classes

animal almost all aspects of the classes

animal almost all aspects of the classes that I teach you choose their own

that I teach you choose their own

that I teach you choose their own projects they create their own goals and

projects they create their own goals and

projects they create their own goals and they find solutions to problems I guide

they find solutions to problems I guide

they find solutions to problems I guide my students teaching them that they

my students teaching them that they

my students teaching them that they matter and that they can make an impact

matter and that they can make an impact

matter and that they can make an impact the questions the discomfort the unknown

the questions the discomfort the unknown

the questions the discomfort the unknown and the possibilities are what drive and

and the possibilities are what drive and

and the possibilities are what drive and motivate me oh there’s jeebus sorry I

motivate me oh there’s jeebus sorry I

motivate me oh there’s jeebus sorry I forgot to show the slide

forgot to show the slide

forgot to show the slide there’s a quote by Sydney Harris that

there’s a quote by Sydney Harris that

there’s a quote by Sydney Harris that resonates with me every day Harris’s

resonates with me every day Harris’s

resonates with me every day Harris’s regret for the things we did can be

regret for the things we did can be

regret for the things we did can be tempered by time it is regret for the

tempered by time it is regret for the

tempered by time it is regret for the things that we did not do that is

things that we did not do that is

things that we did not do that is inconsolable Martin’s would if did not

inconsolable Martin’s would if did not

inconsolable Martin’s would if did not get tossed into that pile of regrets it

get tossed into that pile of regrets it

get tossed into that pile of regrets it is turned into our fifth consecutive

is turned into our fifth consecutive

is turned into our fifth consecutive TEDx LML Columbia School we went from

TEDx LML Columbia School we went from

TEDx LML Columbia School we went from offering pedx LOL colombi school as a

offering pedx LOL colombi school as a

offering pedx LOL colombi school as a club to a year long class that Amy and I

club to a year long class that Amy and I

club to a year long class that Amy and I co-teach it’s a it’s an amazing process

co-teach it’s a it’s an amazing process

co-teach it’s a it’s an amazing process in its real work and the students often

in its real work and the students often

in its real work and the students often refer to our class as a job the goal of

refer to our class as a job the goal of

refer to our class as a job the goal of the class is to create TEDx and the

the class is to create TEDx and the

the class is to create TEDx and the Columbia School as their teachers it is

Columbia School as their teachers it is

Columbia School as their teachers it is our job to stay out of their way to

our job to stay out of their way to

our job to stay out of their way to observe to listen to guide them we let

observe to listen to guide them we let

observe to listen to guide them we let them learn from their mistakes and

them learn from their mistakes and

them learn from their mistakes and what’s really awesome is we get to see

what’s really awesome is we get to see

what’s really awesome is we get to see this transformation of our students Amy

this transformation of our students Amy

this transformation of our students Amy and I also learn a lot about ourselves

and I also learn a lot about ourselves

and I also learn a lot about ourselves along the way and what it means to be

along the way and what it means to be

along the way and what it means to be true partners in this chaos that we have

true partners in this chaos that we have

true partners in this chaos that we have created with our jar strengths we

created with our jar strengths we

created with our jar strengths we support each other’s weaknesses and

support each other’s weaknesses and

support each other’s weaknesses and their final test is TEDx ldap Columbia

their final test is TEDx ldap Columbia

their final test is TEDx ldap Columbia School it really is an awesome process

School it really is an awesome process

School it really is an awesome process for these kids and you know I look back

for these kids and you know I look back

for these kids and you know I look back and I see the possibilities and all the

and I see the possibilities and all the

and I see the possibilities and all the things that I sort of regret and I often

things that I sort of regret and I often

things that I sort of regret and I often wonder you know why don’t we take

wonder you know why don’t we take

wonder you know why don’t we take chances what is it that sort of gets in

chances what is it that sort of gets in

chances what is it that sort of gets in the way doesn’t allow us to take those

the way doesn’t allow us to take those

the way doesn’t allow us to take those risks take a minute to think about what

risks take a minute to think about what

risks take a minute to think about what inspires you maybe it’s something from

inspires you maybe it’s something from

inspires you maybe it’s something from today because i can tell you after

today because i can tell you after

today because i can tell you after listening to what i’ve heard today who

listening to what i’ve heard today who

listening to what i’ve heard today who it’s hard not to be inspired can you

it’s hard not to be inspired can you

it’s hard not to be inspired can you recognize that moment that opportunity

recognize that moment that opportunity

recognize that moment that opportunity that you might regret how can you flip

that you might regret how can you flip

that you might regret how can you flip it and complacency opportunity from nine

it and complacency opportunity from nine

it and complacency opportunity from nine to inspiring from regret to possibility

to inspiring from regret to possibility

to inspiring from regret to possibility personally I’d rather live in the

personally I’d rather live in the

personally I’d rather live in the unknown and not live with regret what is

unknown and not live with regret what is

unknown and not live with regret what is your what if thank you

your what if thank you

your what if thank you you