[Music] let me begin by answering one of the
let me begin by answering one of the
let me begin by answering one of the most pressing and personal questions
most pressing and personal questions
most pressing and personal questions students have asked me since I started
students have asked me since I started
students have asked me since I started teaching here how many flannel shirts do
teaching here how many flannel shirts do
teaching here how many flannel shirts do you own perhaps coming as a surprise to
you own perhaps coming as a surprise to
you own perhaps coming as a surprise to many in the audience the answer to that
many in the audience the answer to that
many in the audience the answer to that question is only three so now that we
question is only three so now that we
question is only three so now that we already have that taken care of
already have that taken care of
already have that taken care of I guess I should take up the rest of my
I guess I should take up the rest of my
I guess I should take up the rest of my time here on stage by answering another
time here on stage by answering another
time here on stage by answering another frequently asked question why did you
frequently asked question why did you
frequently asked question why did you decide to teach I have spent nearly all
decide to teach I have spent nearly all
decide to teach I have spent nearly all of my life in a school of some sort
of my life in a school of some sort
of my life in a school of some sort navigating through a ph.d program and a
navigating through a ph.d program and a
navigating through a ph.d program and a postdoc research position at two of the
postdoc research position at two of the
postdoc research position at two of the world’s top academic institutions
world’s top academic institutions
world’s top academic institutions afforded me the chance to change lives
afforded me the chance to change lives
afforded me the chance to change lives with my research though ultimately I
with my research though ultimately I
with my research though ultimately I found that path to be unfulfilled I
found that path to be unfulfilled I
found that path to be unfulfilled I needed to be more connected more
needed to be more connected more
needed to be more connected more personal and more proximate in the
personal and more proximate in the
personal and more proximate in the impact of my work if changing lives
impact of my work if changing lives
impact of my work if changing lives sounds too ambitious I at least wanted
sounds too ambitious I at least wanted
sounds too ambitious I at least wanted to change perception of what it means to
to change perception of what it means to
to change perception of what it means to learn to inspire thinkers and risk
learn to inspire thinkers and risk
learn to inspire thinkers and risk takers not educated sheep on the pursuit
takers not educated sheep on the pursuit
takers not educated sheep on the pursuit of superficial standards for success
of superficial standards for success
of superficial standards for success every kid is inherently curious as
every kid is inherently curious as
every kid is inherently curious as infants we learn by observing and
infants we learn by observing and
infants we learn by observing and imitating as we learn to gain control of
imitating as we learn to gain control of
imitating as we learn to gain control of our bodies we start to explore the world
our bodies we start to explore the world
our bodies we start to explore the world around us through more than just our
around us through more than just our
around us through more than just our eyes we reach out we grab hold of things
eyes we reach out we grab hold of things
eyes we reach out we grab hold of things we feel texture and temperature we learn
we feel texture and temperature we learn
we feel texture and temperature we learn that dogs are cute and a cat that
that dogs are cute and a cat that
that dogs are cute and a cat that exposes its belly is just an imitation
exposes its belly is just an imitation
exposes its belly is just an imitation for cruel and unusual punishment we
for cruel and unusual punishment we
for cruel and unusual punishment we learn so much through those curious
learn so much through those curious
learn so much through those curious childhood explorations school teaches us
childhood explorations school teaches us
childhood explorations school teaches us how to properly quantify things that
how to properly quantify things that
how to properly quantify things that books and the experts and the advice and
books and the experts and the advice and
books and the experts and the advice and coaching from those who have come before
coaching from those who have come before
coaching from those who have come before us has allowed each of us to learn at a
us has allowed each of us to learn at a
us has allowed each of us to learn at a rate that far exceeds what could be
rate that far exceeds what could be
rate that far exceeds what could be gained through curious exploration alone
gained through curious exploration alone
gained through curious exploration alone what bothers me
what bothers me
what bothers me though is that many students coming
though is that many students coming
though is that many students coming through the classroom seem to have lost
through the classroom seem to have lost
through the classroom seem to have lost the curiosity that once dared them to
the curiosity that once dared them to
the curiosity that once dared them to take risks fear of failure has precluded
take risks fear of failure has precluded
take risks fear of failure has precluded a willingness to even try yet the most
a willingness to even try yet the most
a willingness to even try yet the most rewarding experiences in life are
rewarding experiences in life are
rewarding experiences in life are overcoming the very things that were the
overcoming the very things that were the
overcoming the very things that were the most challenging I am three years and
most challenging I am three years and
most challenging I am three years and however many days into teaching as a
however many days into teaching as a
however many days into teaching as a career so I don’t necessarily feel
career so I don’t necessarily feel
career so I don’t necessarily feel qualified to stand on the TEDx stage and
qualified to stand on the TEDx stage and
qualified to stand on the TEDx stage and deliver some kind of wisdom about
deliver some kind of wisdom about
deliver some kind of wisdom about pedagogy in the classroom teaching high
pedagogy in the classroom teaching high
pedagogy in the classroom teaching high school is the most difficult thing I
school is the most difficult thing I
school is the most difficult thing I have ever done I’m lucky if I get to sit
have ever done I’m lucky if I get to sit
have ever done I’m lucky if I get to sit down eat lunch or even go to the
down eat lunch or even go to the
down eat lunch or even go to the bathroom during a typical school day if
bathroom during a typical school day if
bathroom during a typical school day if any of you think that is an exaggeration
any of you think that is an exaggeration
any of you think that is an exaggeration I invite you to shadow me for a day or
I invite you to shadow me for a day or
I invite you to shadow me for a day or better yet an entire week to be honest I
better yet an entire week to be honest I
better yet an entire week to be honest I am standing here exhausted thinking
am standing here exhausted thinking
am standing here exhausted thinking about the stack of papers I need to go
about the stack of papers I need to go
about the stack of papers I need to go home and grade the project feedback I
home and grade the project feedback I
home and grade the project feedback I need to give and wondering when I’ll get
need to give and wondering when I’ll get
need to give and wondering when I’ll get to spend a full weekend with my wife I
to spend a full weekend with my wife I
to spend a full weekend with my wife I know there are so many teachers out
know there are so many teachers out
know there are so many teachers out there who deal with a lot more than I do
there who deal with a lot more than I do
there who deal with a lot more than I do on a day-to-day basis so I have a
on a day-to-day basis so I have a
on a day-to-day basis so I have a newfound respect for teachers everywhere
newfound respect for teachers everywhere
newfound respect for teachers everywhere our job goes way beyond simply
our job goes way beyond simply
our job goes way beyond simply delivering subject matter the teachers
delivering subject matter the teachers
delivering subject matter the teachers role is one of constant change and
role is one of constant change and
role is one of constant change and adaptation I want my students to learn
adaptation I want my students to learn
adaptation I want my students to learn something far more than the subject I
something far more than the subject I
something far more than the subject I teach after all delivering subject
teach after all delivering subject
teach after all delivering subject matter is the easy part to be ordained
matter is the easy part to be ordained
matter is the easy part to be ordained as the best physics teacher ever on a
as the best physics teacher ever on a
as the best physics teacher ever on a framed piece of binder paper is quite
framed piece of binder paper is quite
framed piece of binder paper is quite the honor and I mean that humbly and
the honor and I mean that humbly and
the honor and I mean that humbly and wholeheartedly that students would make
wholeheartedly that students would make
wholeheartedly that students would make the effort to get dr. Derek Muller
the effort to get dr. Derek Muller
the effort to get dr. Derek Muller creator the YouTube channel veritasium
creator the YouTube channel veritasium
creator the YouTube channel veritasium to bestow such a gift is beyond
to bestow such a gift is beyond
to bestow such a gift is beyond impactful so let’s just ignore the fact
impactful so let’s just ignore the fact
impactful so let’s just ignore the fact that I’m also the only physics teacher
that I’m also the only physics teacher
that I’m also the only physics teacher they’ve ever had
they’ve ever had
they’ve ever had [Laughter]
[Laughter]
[Laughter] and I want to acknowledge and thank my
and I want to acknowledge and thank my
and I want to acknowledge and thank my own high school physics teacher mr. Khan
own high school physics teacher mr. Khan
own high school physics teacher mr. Khan as he is one of the primary inspirations
as he is one of the primary inspirations
as he is one of the primary inspirations that has led me to this stage tonight in
that has led me to this stage tonight in
that has led me to this stage tonight in his own words you have to think
his own words you have to think
his own words you have to think objectively back is one of the only ways
objectively back is one of the only ways
objectively back is one of the only ways for me to obsess how impactful I am on a
for me to obsess how impactful I am on a
for me to obsess how impactful I am on a student’s learning so instead of
student’s learning so instead of
student’s learning so instead of standing here and talking to you I’ll
standing here and talking to you I’ll
standing here and talking to you I’ll share some of their feedback with you
share some of their feedback with you
share some of their feedback with you now stop and star so play me baby like
now stop and star so play me baby like
now stop and star so play me baby like an old guitar
an old guitar
an old guitar [Music]
[Music]
[Music] like you know
like you know
like you know [Music]
[Music]
[Music] it’s been too long
it’s been too long
it’s been too long [Music]
[Music]
[Music] just the two classes I had with you
just the two classes I had with you
just the two classes I had with you changed my whole experience at York many
changed my whole experience at York many
changed my whole experience at York many of my best high school memories came out
of my best high school memories came out
of my best high school memories came out of your physics class physics was one of
of your physics class physics was one of
of your physics class physics was one of the only classes I got to apply the
the only classes I got to apply the
the only classes I got to apply the knowledge I learned to a hands-on
knowledge I learned to a hands-on
knowledge I learned to a hands-on project
project
project I remember that I always looked forward
I remember that I always looked forward
I remember that I always looked forward to my algebra 2 class I believe I went
to my algebra 2 class I believe I went
to my algebra 2 class I believe I went from a skeptical physics student to a
from a skeptical physics student to a
from a skeptical physics student to a curious independent thinker in your
curious independent thinker in your
curious independent thinker in your class i tribute much of my success as a
class i tribute much of my success as a
class i tribute much of my success as a student in high school to your guidance
student in high school to your guidance
student in high school to your guidance you never let me quit in the middle of a
you never let me quit in the middle of a
you never let me quit in the middle of a problem but challenged me to push
problem but challenged me to push
problem but challenged me to push through uncharted intellectual territory
through uncharted intellectual territory
through uncharted intellectual territory even if I didn’t understand something
even if I didn’t understand something
even if I didn’t understand something you made me feel comfortable and
you made me feel comfortable and
you made me feel comfortable and learning for my mistakes and finding
learning for my mistakes and finding
learning for my mistakes and finding ways to fix them for the next your
ways to fix them for the next your
ways to fix them for the next your teaching encouraged me to challenge
teaching encouraged me to challenge
teaching encouraged me to challenge myself more when it came to academics
myself more when it came to academics
myself more when it came to academics this strong foundation rebuilt my
this strong foundation rebuilt my
this strong foundation rebuilt my confidence and my ability in math I’m so
confidence and my ability in math I’m so
confidence and my ability in math I’m so thankful to have been and continue to be
thankful to have been and continue to be
thankful to have been and continue to be a part of robotics 4 it has made a huge
a part of robotics 4 it has made a huge
a part of robotics 4 it has made a huge impact and helping me decide what major
impact and helping me decide what major
impact and helping me decide what major I wish to apply for you were
I wish to apply for you were
I wish to apply for you were instrumental in giving me the foundation
instrumental in giving me the foundation
instrumental in giving me the foundation and confidence to take on new challenges
and confidence to take on new challenges
and confidence to take on new challenges in the physics class I took at New York
in the physics class I took at New York
in the physics class I took at New York was not just a regular physics class I
was not just a regular physics class I
was not just a regular physics class I did not expect to complete two
did not expect to complete two
did not expect to complete two engineering projects that were planned
engineering projects that were planned
engineering projects that were planned designed constructed and tested solely
designed constructed and tested solely
designed constructed and tested solely by students you have forced me far past
by students you have forced me far past
by students you have forced me far past my comfort zone and seen me through both
my comfort zone and seen me through both
my comfort zone and seen me through both success and failure all the while
success and failure all the while
success and failure all the while assuring those provided the room to grow
assuring those provided the room to grow
assuring those provided the room to grow as a person your physics class was the
as a person your physics class was the
as a person your physics class was the closest thing I’ve ever had to a
closest thing I’ve ever had to a
closest thing I’ve ever had to a project-based learning course I learned
project-based learning course I learned
project-based learning course I learned how important a passionate teacher is to
how important a passionate teacher is to
how important a passionate teacher is to a student you’ve truly helped me realize
a student you’ve truly helped me realize
a student you’ve truly helped me realize any passion for the sciences and I
any passion for the sciences and I
any passion for the sciences and I sincerely thank you for that teaching
sincerely thank you for that teaching
sincerely thank you for that teaching has given me the opportunity to stand
has given me the opportunity to stand
has given me the opportunity to stand here tonight and share the stage with
here tonight and share the stage with
here tonight and share the stage with the former astronaut and while that is
the former astronaut and while that is
the former astronaut and while that is something I will certainly remember from
something I will certainly remember from
something I will certainly remember from this experience so too is the chance to
this experience so too is the chance to
this experience so too is the chance to share the stage with such wonderful
share the stage with such wonderful
share the stage with such wonderful promises of the future those promises
promises of the future those promises
promises of the future those promises are the reason I teach to quote The
are the reason I teach to quote The
are the reason I teach to quote The Avett Brothers from their aptly named
Avett Brothers from their aptly named
Avett Brothers from their aptly named song head full of doubt Road full of
song head full of doubt Road full of
song head full of doubt Road full of promise decide what to be and go be it I
promise decide what to be and go be it I
promise decide what to be and go be it I am a teacher
am a teacher
am a teacher a coach I am a friend what do you want
a coach I am a friend what do you want
a coach I am a friend what do you want to be thank you
to be thank you
to be thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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