Dave Eggers

What if kids liked going to school? What would happen if kids enjoyed learning new things? If kids all around the world enjoyed being tutored? To many, this idea sounds far fetched, if not impossible. Dave Eggers shares his thoughts on this subject through his inspiring TED talk. He explores new ways of tutoring to keep kids interested. His goal was to tutor kids who were struggling in school, without embarassing them. What kid likes to admit they need extra help? I certaintly don't. As I was listening to Dave Eggers' talk, I found some connections to a few of Kathryn Schulz's ideas. When Eggers talks about kids not wanting help, he implies the reason they do not want help is because it is admitting to being wrong. Kids, just like everyone else, are pressured to be right. Kathryn Schulz explains the idea of wanting to be right further, saying that being wrong is considered failure. The kids that Eggers wants to tutor do not want extra help, because they have been taught that extra help is equal to failure.

In order to put his dream into action, Dave Eggers realizes he has to get creative in order to succeed. he comes up with the idea of combining a tutoring are with a store and an office. To interest the kids, he comes up with the title of Brooklyn Superhero Supply to avert the kids' attention away from the fact that it is for tutoring.

The "store" has been very successful, and now has a few hundred volunteers. By not putting "Tutoring" on the front of the building, Eggers has gained the kids' interest. The store has costumes for the children, as well as many other entertaining things.

Dave Eggers was obviously quite nervous during his TED talk, but the sheer brilliance of his idea connected deeply with the audience. Despiter his nerves, Eggers is confident enought to make jokes, and puts the audience at ease by making them laugh. He makes fun of himself, showing that he is confident with his idea, though not comfortable with public speaking. His awkwardenss, which some might find unprofessional, actually helps him prove his point. His awkwardness can be interpreted as being down to Earth, which shows his audience that he is not interested in himself, but in helping the children. Dave Eggers uses personal stories to illustrate his point, which are effective in helping the audience visualize his idea. He alos uses pictures of the kids he tutors along with pictures of his store. His passion about his idea overshadowed his nerves, and he proved that his one goal is to help the kids.

How would the world change if Dave Eggers' ideas were implemented for all children? Kids would be excited to go to school, to learn new things, and most importantly, would love gettign extra help. These ideas are similar to ideas discussed in Ken Robinson's TED talk. Ken Robinson believes in a new type of education, where kids have fun in school and are allowed to be themselves. Imagine what would happen if Ken Robinson's and Dave Eggers' ideas were used together.

At the end of his TED talk, Dave Eggers does something different than the others who give TED talks. He introduces something called a TED wish. Dave Eggers explains that his TED wish is for the audience to take his idea home with them and spread it. Then have is be spread again. He says if everyone became a part of this idea, it could spread all over the world. If it was heard by the whole world, then it just might be possible to change the world.