Ted Talk Response #6 Dave Eggers

Dave Eggers' Ted Talk was my favorite Ted Talk that i have seen so far. Although his presentation wasn't flawless, his ideas and work were phenomenal. The only things i didn't like about his presentation was how at times he would turn almost completely towards is power point, and for the most part he was fidgety. He seemed nervous and almost awkward at the beginning, constantly using the words 'uh' and 'um' and at times stuttering, but gained confidence with time. Dave's ideas on using free time to create something useful relates to Clay Shirkey's idea of cognitive surplus. His ideas were that students need one on one time to truly thrive. He gathered several journalists, writers, etc. from his community to come and tutor children for free. The zoning in the building that they rented was for retail, so the land lord told him he had to have something to sell, therefore creating the idea of a pirate supplies shop in the front, and a tutoring facility in the back. His idea created a breakthrough for many other cities and communities, and I found it really interesting how everything ties together and connects! During his presentation he used the example of: Happy student= happy family. Happy families=happy communities. Happy communities=happy world. What makes a happy student, is getting grades they are proud of, and having the motivation necessary for those grades.