What Does It Really Mean to Be Smart? | Payton Johnson | TEDxMaysHighSchool

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

most of us here go to high school

most of us here go to high school everyday we go to class listen to the

everyday we go to class listen to the

everyday we go to class listen to the teacher do work classwork homework all

teacher do work classwork homework all

teacher do work classwork homework all just to get that good grade

just to get that good grade

just to get that good grade most of our academic careers is

most of our academic careers is

most of our academic careers is determined by how well we do inside

determined by how well we do inside

determined by how well we do inside those classrooms and how well we do

those classrooms and how well we do

those classrooms and how well we do inside those rooms sometimes we call

inside those rooms sometimes we call

inside those rooms sometimes we call each other smart but have you really

each other smart but have you really

each other smart but have you really thought about that what does it really

thought about that what does it really

thought about that what does it really mean to be smart see an 8th grade I was

mean to be smart see an 8th grade I was

mean to be smart see an 8th grade I was like any other thirteen-year-old I liked

like any other thirteen-year-old I liked

like any other thirteen-year-old I liked playing video games hang out with my

playing video games hang out with my

playing video games hang out with my friends

friends

friends drawing throwing frisbee oh I love to

drawing throwing frisbee oh I love to

drawing throwing frisbee oh I love to throw frisbee but I never enjoyed school

throw frisbee but I never enjoyed school

throw frisbee but I never enjoyed school see I always had to go to class listen

see I always had to go to class listen

see I always had to go to class listen to a teacher just to complete an

to a teacher just to complete an

to a teacher just to complete an assignment but I guess I listened very

assignment but I guess I listened very

assignment but I guess I listened very well since I became Valga torreón of my

well since I became Valga torreón of my

well since I became Valga torreón of my eighth grade class and I remember when I

eighth grade class and I remember when I

eighth grade class and I remember when I found out – it was at the inner lecture

found out – it was at the inner lecture

found out – it was at the inner lecture class and just before I got to the door

class and just before I got to the door

class and just before I got to the door my teacher stopped me and she asked me

my teacher stopped me and she asked me

my teacher stopped me and she asked me do you know

now of course I didn’t know I wanted to

now of course I didn’t know I wanted to leave but she went on to say Payton you

leave but she went on to say Payton you

leave but she went on to say Payton you have the highest grade point average in

have the highest grade point average in

have the highest grade point average in the eighth grade now this didn’t faze me

the eighth grade now this didn’t faze me

the eighth grade now this didn’t faze me at the time it wasn’t any different from

at the time it wasn’t any different from

at the time it wasn’t any different from any other teacher saying Payton you got

any other teacher saying Payton you got

any other teacher saying Payton you got the highest score on a test in the class

the highest score on a test in the class

the highest score on a test in the class see it wasn’t just a new to me I was

see it wasn’t just a new to me I was

see it wasn’t just a new to me I was always seen as that smart kid always

always seen as that smart kid always

always seen as that smart kid always always the brightest kid who could do

always the brightest kid who could do

always the brightest kid who could do any work get hundreds all A’s on

any work get hundreds all A’s on

any work get hundreds all A’s on everything so much so that all the

everything so much so that all the

everything so much so that all the expectations that everybody set for me

expectations that everybody set for me

expectations that everybody set for me started to become my own and whenever I

started to become my own and whenever I

started to become my own and whenever I couldn’t complete an assignment get an A

couldn’t complete an assignment get an A

couldn’t complete an assignment get an A I beat myself up I didn’t want to be

I beat myself up I didn’t want to be

I beat myself up I didn’t want to be Valga Tory and I didn’t try it just

Valga Tory and I didn’t try it just

Valga Tory and I didn’t try it just happened however it still carried over

happened however it still carried over

happened however it still carried over to the next year my first year of high

to the next year my first year of high

to the next year my first year of high school now here I was hoping to run away

school now here I was hoping to run away

school now here I was hoping to run away from the people who only thought of me

from the people who only thought of me

from the people who only thought of me as smart hopefully these people just see

as smart hopefully these people just see

as smart hopefully these people just see me as Payton the regular person but it

me as Payton the regular person but it

me as Payton the regular person but it didn’t help it didn’t help when I became

didn’t help it didn’t help when I became

didn’t help it didn’t help when I became break number one in my next grade class

break number one in my next grade class

break number one in my next grade class now everyone knew me as smart every time

now everyone knew me as smart every time

now everyone knew me as smart every time I walked in the hallways people would

I walked in the hallways people would

I walked in the hallways people would come up to me and asked me aren’t you

come up to me and asked me aren’t you

come up to me and asked me aren’t you that smart boy

that smart boy

that smart boy or should that boy that spoke now the

or should that boy that spoke now the

or should that boy that spoke now the first few times I was thankful caught

first few times I was thankful caught

first few times I was thankful caught off-guard but thankful but they did it

off-guard but thankful but they did it

off-guard but thankful but they did it so many times so many times to the point

so many times so many times to the point

so many times so many times to the point that I became irritated and it wasn’t

that I became irritated and it wasn’t

that I became irritated and it wasn’t just astute

just astute

just astute it was the teachers too there was a time

it was the teachers too there was a time

it was the teachers too there was a time in class where I just finished my work

in class where I just finished my work

in class where I just finished my work and the teacher decided to take it and

and the teacher decided to take it and

and the teacher decided to take it and hold it up for the class to see and she

hold it up for the class to see and she

hold it up for the class to see and she said you see this he does his work he’s

said you see this he does his work he’s

said you see this he does his work he’s smart

smart

smart I can you imagine the expressions on the

I can you imagine the expressions on the

I can you imagine the expressions on the kids faces some jealous angry some

kids faces some jealous angry some

kids faces some jealous angry some wanted to talk to me I felt embarrassed

wanted to talk to me I felt embarrassed

wanted to talk to me I felt embarrassed see I was just doing my work but one of

see I was just doing my work but one of

see I was just doing my work but one of the kids decided to come up to me you

the kids decided to come up to me you

the kids decided to come up to me you know what he asked me he said Payton

know what he asked me he said Payton

know what he asked me he said Payton how did you get to be that smart I want

how did you get to be that smart I want

how did you get to be that smart I want to be just like you

all these expectations pressures start

all these expectations pressures start to rise building up from middle school I

to rise building up from middle school I

to rise building up from middle school I couldn’t do it anymore I didn’t like

couldn’t do it anymore I didn’t like

couldn’t do it anymore I didn’t like myself I didn’t want to be here so I

myself I didn’t want to be here so I

myself I didn’t want to be here so I decided to apply for the semester school

decided to apply for the semester school

decided to apply for the semester school call lab Atlanta I don’t know anything

call lab Atlanta I don’t know anything

call lab Atlanta I don’t know anything about it it was their first year all I

about it it was their first year all I

about it it was their first year all I knew was that I get away from maize

fortunately I was accepted and they’re

fortunately I was accepted and they’re my whole learning perspective changed

see they’re only ten of us but I didn’t

see they’re only ten of us but I didn’t feel like I belonged see all those

feel like I belonged see all those

feel like I belonged see all those expectations that I became my own they

expectations that I became my own they

expectations that I became my own they were real I beat myself up and whenever

were real I beat myself up and whenever

were real I beat myself up and whenever I couldn’t get that a I didn’t think I

I couldn’t get that a I didn’t think I

I couldn’t get that a I didn’t think I was smart enough I didn’t feel like I

was smart enough I didn’t feel like I

was smart enough I didn’t feel like I fit with those people but I soon realize

fit with those people but I soon realize

fit with those people but I soon realize lab Atlanta was different see they

lab Atlanta was different see they

lab Atlanta was different see they didn’t greatest by numerical value or

didn’t greatest by numerical value or

didn’t greatest by numerical value or letter grade it was by our growth when

letter grade it was by our growth when

letter grade it was by our growth when we first met and every one of us had our

we first met and every one of us had our

we first met and every one of us had our own thing

own thing

own thing our own gift or talent that we know we

our own gift or talent that we know we

our own gift or talent that we know we had I know one girl she loved theater

had I know one girl she loved theater

had I know one girl she loved theater well I like music and building things

I soon learned that smart just doesn’t

I soon learned that smart just doesn’t mean book smart it doesn’t mean it

mean book smart it doesn’t mean it

mean book smart it doesn’t mean it doesn’t just mean getting good grades

doesn’t just mean getting good grades

doesn’t just mean getting good grades turning in your assignments on time

turning in your assignments on time

turning in your assignments on time being the best student there’s so many

being the best student there’s so many

being the best student there’s so many different kinds of smart so many you can

different kinds of smart so many you can

different kinds of smart so many you can be spatially smart these people know how

be spatially smart these people know how

be spatially smart these people know how to take the 3d world and create it with

to take the 3d world and create it with

to take the 3d world and create it with in their hands the other artistic ones

you could be athletically smart all of

you could be athletically smart all of the athletes dancers you’re coordinated

the athletes dancers you’re coordinated

the athletes dancers you’re coordinated well coordinated you could be musically

well coordinated you could be musically

well coordinated you could be musically smart the people who are in band

smart the people who are in band

smart the people who are in band orchestra chorus you know how to

orchestra chorus you know how to

orchestra chorus you know how to distinguish between different levels of

distinguish between different levels of

distinguish between different levels of sound let’s create harmony and people

sound let’s create harmony and people

sound let’s create harmony and people who are it’s a personally smart they

who are it’s a personally smart they

who are it’s a personally smart they understand other people’s emotions they

understand other people’s emotions they

understand other people’s emotions they know how to talk to one another they’re

know how to talk to one another they’re

know how to talk to one another they’re usually the good friends but you could

usually the good friends but you could

usually the good friends but you could also be smart by surrounding yourself

also be smart by surrounding yourself

also be smart by surrounding yourself with other people who are also smart

with other people who are also smart

with other people who are also smart take LeBron James he was thought as the

take LeBron James he was thought as the

take LeBron James he was thought as the best basketball player in the entire

best basketball player in the entire

best basketball player in the entire world but he decided to join forces with

world but he decided to join forces with

world but he decided to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami there he went to Championships now at

there he went to Championships now at

there he went to Championships now at first he received a lot of hate for his

first he received a lot of hate for his

first he received a lot of hate for his decision making a super team when you’re

decision making a super team when you’re

decision making a super team when you’re a Latino

see that boy who came up to me and want

see that boy who came up to me and want to be just as smart as I he was the

to be just as smart as I he was the

to be just as smart as I he was the smartest person in our room that day he

smartest person in our room that day he

smartest person in our room that day he made that choice to try to better

made that choice to try to better

made that choice to try to better himself to try to talk to other people

himself to try to talk to other people

himself to try to talk to other people to help him that’s smart

now I made a little acronym for smart s

now I made a little acronym for smart s especially specialized each and every

especially specialized each and every

especially specialized each and every one of you have your own gift your own

one of you have your own gift your own

one of you have your own gift your own dream that you want to achieve M you can

dream that you want to achieve M you can

dream that you want to achieve M you can make that choice that choice to better

make that choice that choice to better

make that choice that choice to better yourself to get closer to that dream are

yourself to get closer to that dream are

yourself to get closer to that dream are there a

you accept those abilities you accept

you accept those abilities you accept those gifts that you were born with but

those gifts that you were born with but

those gifts that you were born with but our your rule with yourself you

our your rule with yourself you

our your rule with yourself you understand the the difficulties the

understand the the difficulties the

understand the the difficulties the hardships the challenges that you will

hardships the challenges that you will

hardships the challenges that you will face in life but T you’re willing to

face in life but T you’re willing to

face in life but T you’re willing to take those challenges no matter what

take those challenges no matter what

take those challenges no matter what comes to you see you’re an S you have a

comes to you see you’re an S you have a

comes to you see you’re an S you have a special ability that you were born with

special ability that you were born with

special ability that you were born with that dream that you want to achieve

you’re an N you’re gonna make that right

you’re an N you’re gonna make that right choice to not only better yourself but

choice to not only better yourself but

choice to not only better yourself but other better others in urine a you

other better others in urine a you

other better others in urine a you understand you accept your own abilities

understand you accept your own abilities

understand you accept your own abilities your gifts that you were given and

your gifts that you were given and

your gifts that you were given and you’re an are you’re real with yourself

you’re an are you’re real with yourself

you’re an are you’re real with yourself you understand the difficulty that life

you understand the difficulty that life

you understand the difficulty that life will give you in your tea but you’re

will give you in your tea but you’re

will give you in your tea but you’re willing to take that challenge see you

willing to take that challenge see you

willing to take that challenge see you are what it really means to be smart

are what it really means to be smart

are what it really means to be smart thank you

thank you

thank you [Applause]